ABOUT SERVICES PRODUCTS EXPERIENCE CAREERS CONTACT PYRAMIDAL BALANCE Choose from three or six measured “components" and three sizes HOME > PRODUCTS > BALANCES > PYRAMIDAL BALANCE AEROLAB supplies Pyramidal Force/Moment Balance to meet all needs. During the early years of wind tunnel testing, Forces and Moments were literally measured through pan-type “balances.” Although technology has advanced dramatically since those early days, the term “balance” is still applied to the devices used for Force and Moment measurements today. Balances can be divided into two main groups: internal and external. The group names are derived from their location relative to the test model and wind tunnel test section – internal balances reside inside a test model, while external balances reside outside the test section. AEROLAB external balances are of the “pyramidal” type. The name is derived from the architecture of the supporting members. Although the four supporting members do not actually converge to form the “peak” of a pyramid, Forces and Moments are measured about their projected convergence – known as the “resolving center” of the balance. AEROLAB offers pyramidal balances with either three or six measured “components.” Three-component balances provide Lift, Drag and Pitching Moment information while six-component balances also provide Side Force, Rolling Moment and Yawing Moment. AEROLAB Pyramidal Balances are available in three sizes: small, medium and large. Size selection is based on test section size and application. Performance Specifications Small Pyramidal Balance Approximate resolving center height – 12 inches (30.48cm) Minimum required height below test section – approximately 13 inches (33.02cm) Medium Pyramidal Balance Approximate resolving center height – 16 inches (40.64cm) Minimum required height below test section – approximately 46 inches (116.84cm) Large Pyramidal Balance Approximate resolving center height – 40 inches (101.6cm) Minimum required height below test section – approximately 40 inches (101.6cm) Load Limits Small Balance Medium Balance Large Balance Lift - lbf (N) +/- 50 (222) +/- 275 lbs (1,223) +/- 300 (1,334) Drag- lbf (N) +/- 50 (222) +/- 85 (378) +/- 120 (534) Pitching Moment - inch-lbf (Nm) +/- 100 (11.3) +/- 720 (81.3) +/- 110 ft-lbs (149) Side Force - lbf (N) +/- 50 (222) +/- 95 (422) +/- 175 (778) Yawing Moment - inch-lbf (Nm) +/- 100 (11.3) +/- 720 (81.3) +/- 110 foot-lbs (149) Rolling Moment - inch-lbf (Nm) +/- 100 (11.3) +/- 720 (81.3) +/- 110 foot-lbs (149) Detailed Description AEROLAB offers individually handcrafted pyramidal balances in three sizes: small, medium and large. Size selection is based on test section size, expected aerodynamic loads and application. Pyramidal Force/Moment balances employ a series of beams, flexures and turnbuckles to separate Forces and Moments. As such, Forces and Moments are read directly as Lift, Drag, Side Force, Pitching Moment, Yawing Moment and Rolling Moment. In contrast, internal balances require output data to be reduced to these basic values. Aerodynamic loads experienced by a test model are transferred to the balance “spider” subassembly. Forces are then transferred to the balance “cradle” via machined rods and flexures. Moments are measured directly from the spider while Forces are measured directly from the cradle. AEROLAB installs high-accuracy load cells to measure spider and cradle output. Hand-cranked pitch/yaw control is standard; however, high-accuracy stepper motors are available as an option. AEROLAB Pyramidal Force/Moment Balances are made from anodized 6061 aluminum, high-quality carbon steel and stainless steel. Stainless steel fasteners are used throughout. Pyramidal Balances are supplied with calibration fixtures and a first-order calibration matrix. Optional Features Data Acquisition and Control (DAC) System High-accuracy stepper motor drives for pitch and/or yaw Motor-driven fairing table Related Products Open Circuit Wind Tunnel Closed Circuit Wind Tunnel Traverse System Test Models and Probes Get an estimate. Fill out our form to get a customized quote. Request a Quote Type Balances Performance Specifications Small Pyramidal Balance Approximate resolving center height - 12 inches (30.48cm) Minimum required height below test section - approximately 13 inches (33.02cm) Medium Pyramidal Balance Approximate resolving center height - 16 inches (40.64cm) Minimum required height below test section - approximately 46 inches (116.84cm) Large Pyramidal Balance Approximate resolving center height - 40 inches (101.6cm) Minimum required height below test section - approximately 40 inches (101.6cm) See the Pyramidal Force/Moment Balance brochure Low Speed Wind Tunnel Testing Authored by Aerolab's Principal Design Expert Buy on Amazon Questionnaire The following questionnaire is intended to streamline the choice of a new AEROLAB Pyramidal Balance. Please answer the questions as carefully and thoroughly as possible and maintain a common units system (ex. Inches, feet, meters, pounds, etc.). Please double-check all measurements and include additional information and/or photographs as needed to facilitate understanding. Degrees-of-Freedom How many degrees-of-freedom are required (Pitch and Yaw or only Pitch)? Pitch Only Yaw Only Pitch & Yaw System Ranges What min/max ranges are desired for your system? Pitch to Input will be in degrees Pitch Control motor-driven manually operated Yaw to Input will be in degrees Yaw Control manually operated motor-driven Dimensions & Weight What are the internal dimensions of the test section (LxWxH)? Length millimeters (mm) centimeters (cm) meters (m) inches (in) feet (ft) Width millimeters (mm) centimeters (cm) meters (m) inches (in) feet (ft) Height millimeters (mm) centimeters (cm) meters (m) inches (in) feet (ft) What is the maximum weight of your test model? pounds (lbs) newtons (N) kilograms (kg) grams (g) Aerodynamic Loads What are the minimum/maximum anticipated aerodynamic loads (Lift/Drag/Side Force, Pitching/Yawing/Rolling Moments)? Lift to pounds (lbs) newtons (N) kilograms (kg) grams (g) Drag to pounds (lbs) newtons (N) kilograms (kg) grams (g) Side Force to pounds (lbs) newtons (N) kilograms (kg) grams (g) Pitch Moment to pounds (lbs) newtons (N) kilograms (kg) grams (g) Yaw Moment to pounds (lbs) newtons (N) kilograms (kg) grams (g) Roll Moment to pounds (lbs) newtons (N) kilograms (kg) grams (g) Accuracies Current Drawing Does a detailed drawing of the present test section exist? Yes No Fillets Does the test section have fillets? Yes No Test Floor How thick is the test section floor? millimeters (mm) centimeters (cm) meters (m) inches (in) feet (ft) Of what material is the test section floor made? How is the floor supported? Cross bracing Beams Where (along the test section length) are the floor supports located? What is the overall thickness (floor thickness plus support/bracing) of the test section floor? millimeters (mm) centimeters (cm) meters (m) inches (in) feet (ft) Are there any obstructions below the test section (pipes, beams, etc)? Yes No What is the distance between the lab floor and the lowest point on the test section? millimeters (mm) centimeters (cm) meters (m) inches (in) feet (ft) Please provide several photographs of the existing test section from many angles. Drop files here or Select files Max. file size: 50 MB. Of what material is the lab floor made? Cement? Electrical Power What electrical power is currently available in the lab (circuit current and Voltage ratings)? 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