When RAF Squadron Leader Andy Field attempts to break the land speed record and go supersonic on land for the first time in the ThrustSSC vehicle, the last thing he will want to worry about will be whether his wheels have been balanced properly. That is why the Thrust Team approached Schenck, recognised as the world leader in balancing technology, to balance the car's solid aluminium wheels at its new balancing facility in Banbury, Oxfordshire.
The four, 880mm diameter aluminium wheels built specially by Dunlop Aviation were balanced on Schenck's advanced H30U/BU balancing machine and powerful CAB 690 twin vectormeter electronic measuring and display system. The front wheels are 250mm wide and weigh 150kg while the back wheels - which will be used to steer the vehicle - are slightly narrower and lighter. By rotating the wheels on the balancing machine, the Schenck CAB 690 system was able to calculate the exact out of balance forces and indicate precisely the required positioning and weights to be added for correction. In addition to the balancing operation undertaken at Banbury the brake discs have been spin tested on Schenck equipment installed at Defence Research Agency, Farnborough, running at speeds in excess of 10,000rpm.
The Thrust team, headed up by Richard Noble the current holder of the land speed record of 633.486mph, hopes to break the record later this year in the Al Jafr dessert in Jordan. Following this, the Thrust SSC, powered by two Rolls Royce Spey 202 engines from the Phantom jet fighter, will attempt to go supersonic and break the sound barrier in the Black Rock dessert in Nevada next year.
Schenck is one of the 174 sponsors of the project and provided its services free of charge. The company offers specialist balancing consultancy and services to a wide range of industries and is able to balance rotors from 3.5kg up to 700kg at its Banbury facility.
Schenck has over 100 years of balancing experience and manufactures and markets a wide range of standard balancing machines as well as special production balancing equipment and customised systems for everything from dentist drills to 15 ton rolls for paper mills. In particular, Schenck is major supplier to the automotive industry and most of the world's engine crankshafts are balanced on Schenck equipment.
Schenck Ltd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Carl Schenck AG a leading international group of engineering companies. Schenck's diverse range of activities include the manufacture and supply of engine and vehicle test equipment, balancing and condition monitoring systems, materials testing machines and a wide range of weighing and conveying systems for the process industry.
Schenck Ltd moved to new premises in Banbury last year to provide a single site for its UK operations and expand its manufacturing, assembly, sales and support facilities. The company employs some 140 people in the UK and has an annual turnover approaching £30million.
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Issued by: On behalf of: Peter Rennison John Norman Peter Rennison Public Relations Schenck Limited 39A High Street Lombard Way Hemel Hempstead Banbury Herts Oxon HP1 3AA OX16 8TX Tel: +44-(0)1442-245030 Tel: +44-(0)1295-251122
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