Barber-Nichols skilled technicians assemble and test hundreds of pieces of turbomachinery annually. These pumps, compressors, turbines, and generators consist of low-volume repeat production and numerous bespoke clean sheet products.
All of the processes are governed by a strict ISO9001 / AS9100 certified quality system, and each piece of precision turbomachinery is treated like the mission-critical hardware that it is.
Test facilities at Barber-Nichols are highly customizable to support the variety of products that our customers require. It is typical for most high-speed rotating equipment to undergo essential performance, hydrostatic pressure, leakage, and breakaway torque tests before shipment. In addition, test programs are catered to meet customer specifications and often include testing to characterize bearing life, impeller cavitation, cryogenic performance, thermal cycling, and rigorous endurance testing for product life.
BN’s Jupiter site also conducts high-fidelity gas and water rig testing, material wear testing, and assembly of aerospace components. Pump water rig testing includes inducer, impeller, diffuser, and stage testing, including performance and cavitation testing down to 0.1 psia. State-of-the-art data acquisition and control systems for steady-state and dynamic data, VFD control, and video monitoring (including stroboscopic and high frame rate recording). Material wear rate testing is conducted at multiple Pressure-Velocity values simultaneously up to 35,000 psi-ft/sec at elevated, ambient, or cryogenic temperatures. Rotor single-plane and multi-plane dynamic balancing is performed in-house, and assembly operations are conducted in an ISO Class 7 cleanroom (Class 10,000), which includes a 27 cubic foot precision convection oven with 800 lb load capacity.
When specific environmental qualification testing is required that falls outside of Barber-Nichols’ in-house capabilities, we have long-established relationships with several nationally recognized test partners that can accommodate nearly all possible DO-160G and MIL-STD level testing as required.
Barber-Nichols has listened to our customers and successfully installed an ISO Class 5 cleanroom facility with personnel protective garments. Within the next year, Barber-Nichols will expand our cleanroom space to meet growing customer demand!
In addition to our cleanroom investment, we implement internal controls to ensure compliance with NASA-STD-6016 Standard Materials and Processes Requirements for Spacecraft. We actively utilize these special process controls on rocket engine turbopumps, satellite cooling pumps, and life support systems.
Barber Nichols is continuously investing in new facilities to support the ever-changing needs of our customers. Most recently, we’ve completed constructing a new power electronics development and production laboratory, which provides a state-of-the-art space to support the electrification of our advanced turbomachinery products.
Both the prototype and production areas have new instrumentation, data acquisition systems, high voltage capabilities, and ESD work benches. These new e-lab and production areas have enhanced our ability to provide high-compliance, mission-critical hardware to customers across the aerospace, defense, and energy markets. The renovated and expanded facility provides a dedicated space for prototype development separate from production programs, allowing our engineers and customers the freedom to iterate quickly and efficiently in early development phases.
