Engineering for Impact
ESL Labs’ Medium Weight Shock Machine tests the limits world, for testing the ability of equipment and system installations onboard to withstand the effects of nuclear or conventional weapons. “The navy needs to ensure that shipboard equipment can survive the severe shock loadings that could be experienced during combat conditions, for example due to the impact of nuclear or conventional weapons, “ explains Steve Mercer, P.Eng., ESL Labs General Manager. “The shock that’s generated on that machine emulates the impact that equipment receives inside the vessel (under attack). We want to make sure the equipment remains operational and doesn’t become a hazard.” The fifteen River-class destroyers (the first three are named ‘Fraser, ‘ ‘SaintLaurent, ‘ and ‘Mackenzie’) will replace both the retired Iroquois-class destroyers and patrol frigates. They will ensure that Canada can continue to monitor and defend its waters and contribute to The Medium Weight Shock Machine, installed at ESL labs. international naval operations. Shock testing is essential. Critical When the Canadian governIrving Shipbuilding’s supply chain naval ships and submarine equipment ment awarded Nova Scotia’s Irving now stretches from coast-to-coast, and for combat and survival must continue Shipbuilding the 2011 contract to build the National Shipbuilding Strategy to function after explosions. Shock the combat package, the largest portion supporting around 9,400 jobs annually tests ensure the equipment’s mounting of work under the National Shipbuilding across Canada, with 4,300 of those is secure and that equipment does not Strategy (NSS), the procurement prom- 9,400 jobs located in Nova Scotia. become hazardous after an underwater ised to not just end the boom-and-bust With the work nearing completion blast. cycle of shipbuilding jobs but also usher for the six Arctic and offshore patrol Shock tests simulate non-contact in new Canadian development - and the ships, and plans turning toward the underwater explosions in combat situaengineering, manufacturing and hi-tech River-class destroyer series, ESL Labs, tions and apply to all critical equipment jobs that come with it - for Canadian a Dartmouth, Nova Scotia test facility, installed on Royal Canadian naval ships suppliers, from electronics to propulsion has invested $10M in upgrades, includ- expected to be in harm’s way. systems, requiring domestic design, ing installation of a Medium Weight The MWSM is used to simulate manufacturing and test engineering Shock Machine (MWSM), one of underwater explosions and the impact expertise. only two in Canada, and just 18 in the on continued operation of both critical 20