Develop a Method to Measure the Packing Loads on the Evacuation Slide System Packboard

This executive summary covers the process and results of developing a method to measure packing loads on an evacuation slide system packboard. Since evacuation slides are packed very tightly to fit on the aircraft, the packing process requires large amount of stress on the packboard that holds the slide components. Methods such as load cells, strain gauges, and pressure sensitive films were found to be too inaccurate. An electronic pressure mapping device was found to be the only feasible and accurate method in measuring loads on the packboard.