The Boeing Company
Test fixture to measure the average skin friction of anisotropic surfaces

Abstract:

A test fixture for measuring the skin friction of anisotropic surface finish on a material is described. The test fixture can be utilized in a wind tunnel. The test fixture can include a plate having a cavity configured to receive a circular specimen disk. A motor can be coupled to the plate to rotate the circular specimen disk. During a test, a fluid can flow over the plate in a particular direction and the motor can rotate the circular specimen disk to determine the effect of the flow angle on the average skin friction coefficient of a surface finish of a material. The circular specimen disk can easily be attached and detached from the test fixture to allow circular specimen disks with different surface finishes to be tested.