UK-based aircraft seating manufacturer, Mirus Aircraft Seating, has opened M-Test, a 407m² crash-test facility. The company says the facility in Norfolk is the largest to be commercially available in the UK – and the country’s most technologically advanced. The test facility will enable Mirus to develop new seating designs and technologies at a much faster pace than if it uses external facilities, enabling greater innovation and speed to market.
The facility features a 30m-long dynamic test sled, a bespoke device built for Mirus that will be used for destructive and non-destructive crash test replication. The sled is designed for high-impact testing of aerospace designs, such as aircraft seats, but if Mirus has spare capacity, it will hire out the M-Test facility to external domestic and international companies in the aerospace, automotive and locomotive sectors. These external customers will help Mirus recoup the £4million-plus investment in the facility.
The test sled at M-Test will help the company develop new seating products, and can also benefit other industries
Ben McGuire, CEO at Mirus, said of the new capability: “The addition of our very own in-house testing facility is a momentous milestone for Mirus and a significant investment into the local economy. With the ability to undertake testing accredited by Lloyd’s Register and in line with ISO 17025 and ACEA regulations, M-Test will enable us to test and certify not only Mirus’ seating products, but also deliver a solution to the increased demand for sled testing within the UK.”
