Uncertainty assessment for measurement processes in the aerospace manufacturing industry

Measurement processes are critical to the aerospace industry, which products must follow strict regulations and customer requirements. Additionally, measurement of uncertainty is fast becoming a requirement from both certification bodies and customers. An uncertainty assessment must be carried out for all processes that need to add an uncertainty statement to the measurement result. In order to maintain defined quality standards, aerospace manufacturing companies need to identify all measurement disciplines that benefit from stating the level of uncertainty and define a methodology to calculate it for complex measurement processes.

An extensive research has been conducted in order to define the most appropriate methodology to assess uncertainty on complex aerospace components and a case study has been applied to assess the strain gauge calibration test uncertainty of different aerospace components.

This study develops a generic framework, which helps the assessment of all individual sources of uncertainty and completes the one established by the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement. Conclusions have been extracted from the outcome of the case study.

The conducted research contributes to a better understanding of measurement processes and good practices that lead to lower uncertainty. The outcome will help manufacturing companies to be aware of the contributors of uncertainty to the tests, how to reduce this uncertainty and the reliability of the measurements taken during the process.