A new standards committee has been convened to write performance, reliability, and testing standards for materials used in electrical/electronic systems for More Electric Aircraft and More Electric Engine applications—taking into account pressurized and unpressurized areas of the aircraft.

Developed by SAE International, the AE-9 sub-committee is chaired by Al Lambourne of Rolls-Royce Plc.

SAE Aerospace Standards Director David Alexander said, “This committee bolsters the SAE standards advancing more-electric aircraft and hybrid-electric propulsion, adding an important new technical constituency in electrical materials—including those at the nano level—to the global SAE aerospace community.”

Lambourne added, “AE-9 will complement existing SAE activities and help the aerospace industry to develop the materials, testing, and skill set required to make hybrid/more-electric air travel a reality.”

AE-9 will initially concentrate on the need for advanced materials suited to electrical transmission and enhanced-rationalized testing criteria.

The first topics confirmed for electrical materials standardization are:

• Permanent magnet corrosion
• Soft magnetic aging
• Capacitor materials and behavior

This new generation of SAE aerospace materials specifications focused on electrical systems design and supporting performance specifications will be dedicated to controlling or meeting the demand placed on high performance electrical systems.

AE-9 will first meet on June 28 in the UK. The meeting will be followed on July 10 and 11 by a second SAE High Voltage workshop, including panels on materials testing, in Toulouse, France.

AE-9 is open to interested parties from industry, government, research, and general interest areas. To join or for more information, contact John Clatworthy at john.clatworthy@sae.org.