Internal Force Balance Calibration Body - United States Air Force Academy (USAFA)

The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is seeking a replacement internal balance calibration body to maintain critical wind tunnel testing operational readiness. The legacy calibration hardware has experienced significant material degradation, and the current hardware can no longer safely or reliably support the repeated high-load thresholds necessary for comprehensive balance calibration. The replacement hardware must feature an upgraded, high-strength attachment interface rated to repeatedly support loads up to 600 lbs. * The new calibration body must be fully compatible and interchangeable with the existing Aerophysics Research Instruments 0.75” Mk LVI Internal Force Balance. * The calibration body must be a cross-shaped device that mounts over the 6-degree of freedom, internal force balance and has several screw holes precisely placed to allow loads to be applied to individual load sensors in the balance. * The construction shall include steel NF/SF flexure, steel rolling moment flexures, aluminum axial force adapter plate, steel axial force flexure, flexure fasteners, model mounting pins, a box to hold all the parts, and a protective case. * Interested parties must describe their experience and capability in manufacturing calibration hardware for proprietary wind tunnel balances.