Aviation experts trust METTLER TOLEDO scales to make sure planes are well balanced and safe to fly. That's why the innovative Solar Impulse, a long-range solar-powered aircraft, is weighed with our K-Line scales before taking flight.
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After completing a non-stop balloon flight around the globe, little seemed impossible to Bertrand Piccard. Along with the Swiss entrepreneur André Borschberg, they launched the project of a long-range solar-powered aircraft that will circumnavigate the globe in the near future. But to do so safely, it must be properly weighed and balanced.
The Solar Impulse team demands the most reliable and precise weighing technology so it counts on high-precision MonoBloc® weighing platforms from METTLER TOLEDO. Weighing in at about 2,500 kilograms, Solar Impulse 2 has a greater wingspan than a Boeing 747. It houses 17,200 photovoltaic cells spread over its wing and fuselage that transfer solar energy to four batteries and four electric motors of about 15 horsepower each, making it capable of flying day and night without any fuel. Weight and balance, even for this innovative aircraft, have a significant impact on performance and safety.
High-precision weighing
Solar Impulse relies on METTLER TOLEDO's MonoBloc electromagnetic force-compensation load cells to ensure flight safety. The structure of the weighing cell is spark-eroded from a single aluminum alloy workpiece using innovative electrical-discharge wire cutting. The alloy is the same type used in the aviation industry for highly stressed parts, providing long service life, extreme ruggedness and outstanding accuracy. Products featuring MonoBloc load cells, such as ICS685 compact scales and the K-Line weighing platform, are especially suitable for the high-performance demands of the aviation industry. They provide the highest accuracy and reliability for a wide range of applications.
Dedicated solutions along the supply chain
METTLER TOLEDO offers a variety of solutions for manufacturers of single parts, sub-assemblers and OEMs in the aviation industry. Weighing facilitates high throughput and delivers reliable results. Weighing is applicable in all sections of the aviation industry supply chain, including receiving and shipping, quality control, assembly and order picking.
Weighing improves production processes
Whether you build planes or supply parts to the aviation industry, you need precise weighing instruments to improve product quality and process productivity. When it comes to exact measurements and analysis, you can rely on METTLER TOLEDO. We supply weighing equipment for everything from huge airplanes to small parts with no compromise on quality and precision.