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    Prototype & test center

    Shaping your future with agile Innovation and Expertise

  • ABOUT US

    For about 40 years, Prototype & Test Center has been providing assistance to its customers with a complete range of services from prototyping, test engineering & tests.

    Prototype & Test Center supports its customers with cost effective solutions thru all steps in the development process from test strategy to in flight Certification.

    This Test Center relies on core values that contributed to its success : on-time delivery, agility, know-how, with the leading players in aeronautical structures such as Airbus, Bombardier, Dassault, Embraer, Pilatus, ...

    The long-history of expertise developed by Prototype & Test Center is now available to the automotive, railway, military, space and wind industry.

    With more than 30.000 ft² of dedicated test facilities, Sonaca's Prototype & Test Center has more than 30 engineers and technicians on Gosselies' facility (Brussels South) in the heart of Europe. Testing facility is AS9100 accredited.

  • Services

    Prototype manufacturing (metallic, composite, hybrid)

    Prototypes Manufacturing

    Manufacturing and assembly of your hybrid metal/composite specimens or full-scale structures for transportation applications, from preliminary study to serial standard delivery

    • Proactive integrated team
    • Manufacturing of composites specimens
    • Specialists in instrumented sub-components
    • On time guaranteed prototype delivery
    • CAO - GPAO - SAP supports

    Learn more

    R&D mechanical test (ASTM, tensile, compression, bending, shear modes)

    R&D Mechanical Testing

    Mechanical Testing Services, from International Standards to specific customer challenges

    • Efficient in customized testing
    • Experimented team
    • On-schedule delivery
    • Wide capacity in international standards testing
    • High quality engineering reports

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    Instrumentation & measurement (strain, pressure, temperature, noise)

    Instrument​ation & Measurement

    Enhancing your end-to-end instrumentation & measurement requests from design to R&D, industrialization and structures at serial standard

    • Certified expert teams
    • Innovative and pro-active specialists
    • More than 30 years experience
    • Last generation measurement equipment
    • Instrumentations of all kinds

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    Development & certification (static, fatigue, endurance, damage tolerance)

    Development & Certification Test Center

    When development and structural testing meet cleverness

    • Acknowledged team expertise
    • Large scale fully adaptable test set-up
    • Huge variety of sensors
    • Static, fatigue, endurance, damage tolerance tests
    • Advanced measurements Know-how in System testing

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    On-line test monitoring (data acquisition)

    Computer-aided solutions

    From thorough analysis of your computational lab challenges

    to meaningful IT-solutions

    • R&D agile IT support
    • Robust Software
    • Wide range of innovative IT solutions
    • Real Time acquisitions and signal treatment
    • Efficient personalized approach

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  • Competences

    Advanced structures (optimized mass, strengths, inertia)

    Advanced structures

    When your next product needs an enhanced structural solution, we rely on our know-how and long term experience to optimize your weight-costs-stability-reliability &life-assessment.

     

    Learn more

    Expertise (validation, qualification, characterization)

    Material & Process Expertise

    When your next products need Material & Process selection & qualification up to Qualification Test Plans and Certification handbooks.

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    Advanced systems (flow, vibration, mechanism

    Advanced systems

    We offer you an outstanding performance capability for extremely resilient solutions, complex mechanisms and anti-icing systems.

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    Innovation (ideation, lean startup method)

    Innovation

    Manufacturing of prototypes and testing are part of the smart Innovation loop. Within a “Lean Startup” mindset, our teams are trained to lead ideation worshop and drive development of new idea till implementation of new business.

    Also at your premises with your teams.

    CSI² (impact, ballistic, simulation)

    Complete Structural Impact Innovation

    Complete Structural Impact Innovation provides full assistance to its customers with cost-effective solutions from Design to Prototyping up to Certification tests supported by numerical simulations.

    CSI² supports its customers thru all steps in the development process related to foreign object (bird, hail, gravel, tyre and metallic débris) or ballistic impacts from test strategy to Certification.

    This Service has already satisfied the leading players in aeronautical structures such as Airbus, Airbus Military, Bombardier, Embraer, Dassault-Aviation, Pilatus.

    Learn more

  • Capabilities

    Prototype manufacturing (CNC milling, turning, granite table)

    Prototypes Manufacturing

    • Prototype Manufacturing: 450 m² [4840ft²]
    • CNC specimens cutting
    • 4 conventional milling machines, up to : 6,50 m [21 ft]
    • 1 conventional turning lathe
    • 1 granite table for Assy and control : 15 m² [160 ft²]
    • Direct access to all Sonaca machines processes, welding area and expertise

    Learn more ...

    Environnemental & fatigue testing, material characterisation

    R&D Mechanical Testing

    • R&D laboratory : 250 m² [2700 ft²]
    • 8 test machines, up to : 500 kN [112000 lb]
    • Fatigue testing up to 50 Hz
    • Impact test bench, up to : 130 J [95 lb.ft]
    • Test conditions : -150°C to +300°C
    • Moisture conditioning : 600 L
    • Metallography : 100 m² [1000 ft²]

    Learn more...

    ASTM G76-95, tribometer, erosion test

    Erosion

    Rain Erosion Test Bench

    We have developed a robust Rain Erosion Test Bench delivering OEM & Tier1s in aero structures with accurate results on samples.

    The bench test equipment is dedicated to deliver results from rain droplets impacts event. DVI (detailed visual inspection), IMI (microscopic inspections) and measure of weight loss are performed for damage characterization.

    Learn more...

    Controlled Erosion Tribometer

    We have developed a dust erosion test bench delivering movables and seal manufacturers with accurate and reliable results @RT or LT.

    The test equipment is intended to provide results simulating impacts of solid microparticles occurring during flights. The IVC (detailed visual inspection) and IMI (microscopic inspection) and the measurement of mass loss are performed for damage characterization.

    The tribometry bench used at the SONACA Test Center is using an instrumented precision micro-sander and the ASTM G76-95 standard allowing comparative tests on flat coupons or seal samples.

    Learn more...

    bundle of strain gauges

    Instrumentation & Measurement

    • Instrumentation Lab : 250 m² [2700 ft²]
    • Dielectric strength tests bench : 50 m² [540 ft²]
    • Flow & vibrations test benches : 250 m² [2700 ft²]
    • Data loggers, up to : 180 channels

    Learn more ...

    Multi-actuator static & fatigue loading of sub-component or full-scale

    Development & Certification Test Center

    • 3 Structural test benches : 1400 m² [15000 ft²]
    • 2 system test benches : 200 m² [2150 ft²]
    • #max of strain gauges : 450 (5x90)
    • # of large structural tests : 9
    • Max jacks / test : 16 + 22
    • 45 actuators, up to : 300 kN [74200 lb]
    • Direct access to all Sonaca NDT machines, processes and expertise

    Learn more ...

    On-line test monitoring and reporting

    Computer-aided solutions

    • NI LabWindows/CVI, C/C++
    • Sybase Power Builder, Java
    • VBA (Office 2010)
    • SQL Server, Oracle

    Learn more ...

    Thermal Cycling and Thermal Vacuum Testing for Space

    • Suitable for microsatellite and space equipment
    • Thermal Cycling chamber (max. 390 mm) for life testing (-130 °C to 130 °C)
    • High Vacuum Thermal Chamber (max. 500 mm) (-160 °C to 180 °C)
    • ISO8 Cleanroom Access to/from chamber

    Learn more...

    Follow Us...

    Proven experience in Static, Fatigue & Endurance Testing

    • BizJet Movable & Fixed Leading Edge (structure & mechanisms)
    • Single aisle Civilian Aircraft Movable & Fixed Leading Edges (structure & mechanisms)
    • Twin aisle Civilian Aircraft Moveable Leading Edges (structure & mechanisms)
    • Regional Jet Movable Leading Edges (structure & mechanisms)
    • Regional Jet Fixed Leading Edges
    • BizJet Wing composite Flap & mechanisms
    • Space Large 3D woven structure
    • Railway infrastructure vibrations real-time acquisition
    • Car manufacturing specific tooling optimization
    • Satellite platform structural integrity
    • Proof Load Testing

    Proven experience in System Testing

    • Wing anti-icing bleed optimizations
    • Wing electro-thermal anti-icing development
    • Wing Leading Edge Bird Strike
  • Specifications

     

    Currently used in our test center

  • News

    Follow our news on LinkedIN

  • Events

    Le Bourget 2019

    June 17 - 23, 2019

    Paris - Le Bourget, France

     

    Meet you there

    @Hall 2B - G78

    &

    @chalet B85

  • Media

    Prototype & Test Center

    Ready to serve your future...get to know us.

    Sonaca Group

    Sonaca's strategy is to become a leading Tier-1 and Tier-2 player in Aerospace by leveraging its distinctive technical expertise and longstanding partnerships with customers and suppliers.

    Sonaca will achieve this through customer focus, innovation, operational excellence, and selected partnerships all in the service of providing our customers with the most competitive and reliable product offering available. Sonaca's core focus continues to be Aerostructures - in particular wing skins and moveables where it is the world leader - but also other Aerostructures, Space, Military, and Engineering.

     

    http://www.sonaca.com

  • Contact us

    Click on the country icon to send a mail

    David NICOLAS

    Tel : +32 (0) 71 255 321

    Serge JAMIN

    Tel : +33 (0) 297 482 710

    Mobile : +33 (0) 786 537 113

     

    Jean-Louis MAGERMAN

    Tel : +32 (0) 71 255 444

    Mobile : +32 (0) 474 977 801

    Dr Lutz ARNOLD

    Tel : +49 7728 97 941

    Mobile : +49 173 7046 852

    Rodrigo GARBELOTTO

    Tel : +32 (0) 71 258 986

    Mobile : +55 12 99179.7471

    Maryann EINARSON, Ph. D.

    Tel : +1 425 293 0340 Ext 23323

    Mobile : +1 (206) 290 3337

    Graham CAMPBELL

    Tel : +1 450 420 7674

    Mobile : +1 (514) 717 4567

    Rodrigo GARBELOTTO

    Tel : +55 12 4009.8511

    Mobile : +55 12 99179.7471

    Jean-Louis MAGERMAN

    Tel : +32 (0) 71 255 444

    Mobile : +32 (0) 474 977 801

  • Inquiry / quote

    Contact us to submit your testing request

    Rue du Cerisier 25
    6041 Gosselies