Testing Capabilities - Twin City Fan & Blower

Testing 

Capabilities 

Twin Twin City City Fan Fan Companies, Companies, Ltd. Ltd. 

Worldwide Designers & Manufacturers of Air Moving Equipment

TestingCapabilities 

Twin City Fan Companies, Ltd. 

® 

In today’s business world, adapting to the needs of 

customers is more important than ever. That is why 

Twin City Fan Companies (TCF) has made substantial 

investments to greatly enhance our comprehensive 

testing capabilities. These investments include a brand 

new state-of-the-art testing laboratory located at our 

worldwide headquarters in Minneapolis, MN; 

extended testing capabilities for proving performance 

on fans up to 4,000 HP at the manufacturing plant 

level; and purchasing cutting edge testing equipment 

and tools for enhancing our field testing capabilities. 

The scope of TCF’s testing capabilities are very broad 

and covers a wide spectrum of in-house and onsite 

testing services. With this level of technology, we can 

continue to provide our customers with proven 

solutions to their particular air movement needs while 

ensuring that they receive the highest quality product 

for their exact requirements and structural needs. This 

includes the evaluation of existing systems to optimize 

performance and reduce power consumption. 

With the most sophisticated research and development 

testing laboratories in the industry, only TCF has the 

collective experience and knowledge needed for tackling 

the most technically complex testing requirements for 

the most demanding environments. 

Laboratory Highlights 

10' x 10' shaker table capable of seismic testing up to 

10,000 lb fans to meet IBC and OSHPD requirements 

Max test fan HP up to 4,000 

Overspeed vacuum test chamber 

73,000 cubic foot reverberant sound room with pure 

tone qualification and environmental isolation 

Fabrication capacities for testing new concepts 

2 Worldwide Designers & Manufacturers of Air Moving Equipment

TwinCityFanCompanies 

In-House Testing Capabilities 

TCF 

R AMCA 204 Balance & Vibration Testing 

R AMCA 210 Performance Testing 

R AMCA 250 Jet Fan Thrust Testing 

R AMCA 260 Induced Flow Testing 

R AMCA 300 Sound Testing 

TCF Testing Laboratory 

R UL 705 Safety Testing 

R Seismic Testing 

R High Temperature/Survivability Testing 

R Mechanical Run Testing 

R Narrow Band Sound & Vibration Testing 

R Impact (Bump) & Overspeed Testing 

R Strain Gage Testing & Analysis 

Lab Control Station 

R Modal Analysis Testing 

R Vibration Analysis & FFT Spectrum Analysis 

R Scaled Model Testing 

R Custom / OEM Product Designs 

On-Site Testing Capabilities 

AMCA 300 Sound Test Facility 

R AMCA 203 & 803 Performance Testing 

R Sound Testing 

R Vibration Analysis & FFT Spectrum Analysis 

R Balance & Alignment Testing 

R Modal Analysis Testing & Operation Deflection 

Shape (ODS) Analysis 

10'x10' Shaker Table for Seismic Testing 

www.twincityfan.com 3


Air Performance Testing 

Test Lab – AMCA 210 Chamber & AMCA 260 Induced Flow Testing 

TCF can provide accurate and repeatable airflow, pressure and 

power data for fans of all types by performing an airflow 

measurement test per AMCA standards 210 and 260 using one 

of three chambers and our AMCA 260 induced flow box located 

in our test lab. Two of the chambers can accommodate airflow 

rates up to 65,000 cubic feet per minute and static pressures up 

to 10 inches of water while the third high pressure chamber can 

handle airflow rates up to 10,000 cubic feet per minute and static 

pressures up to 80 inches of water. The AMCA 260 box is capable 

of testing fans with inlet diameters of 50 inches or smaller. 

Manufacturing Plant - AMCA 210 Duct Testing 

When a fan exceeds the size limitations of our chambers, large 

scale duct testing can be conducted at one of our manufacturing 

plants. TCF can provide accurate and repeatable results by 

performing airflow measurement testing per AMCA standard 

210 for fans of virtually any size, airflow rate, static pressure 

and horsepower. This method of testing is very space consuming 

and requires a very long duct section to be attached to the fan. 

Manufacturing Plant - Modified AMCA 203 Guidelines 

Another option for determining the airflow performance of 

fans that are too large for our chambers is to perform an airflow 

measurement test using guidelines from AMCA publication 

203 at one of our manufacturing plants. For this particular test, 

fans are installed with ductwork on the outlet and either a bell 

or duct on the inlet. This results in accurate and repeatable testing 

and generally requires less space than an AMCA 210 duct test. 

Note: TCF’s test lab, the Brookings, SD manufacturing plant and all testing 

personnel are NQA certified for the air performance testing of fans used in 

the nuclear power generation industry. 

Test Locations 

Test Lab Plant On-Site 

Field Testing - AMCA 203 & 803 

When installed fans are required to be tested in the field, they 

are tested in accordance with the AMCA 203 or 803 testing 

guidelines. AMCA 203 covers the field testing of all fans in 

general, whereas AMCA 803 covers the field testing of industrial 

process fans for the power generation industry. When testing 

any fan in the field, the overall system must be carefully taken 

into consideration to accurately determine where the measurements 

will be taken and if there are any system elements 

that may negatively affect the fan performance. This testing can 

lead to huge returns by optimizing existing systems. 



Sound Performance Testing 

TCF has added a 73,000 ft 3 , reverberant sound room to its 

test lab for the purpose of conducting sound performance 

tests per AMCA standard 300. This room is qualified for both 

broadband and pure tone sound measurement and used for 

developing fan sound level ratings, troubleshooting noise 

issues and performing contract testing. 

For fans that are not able to be tested in our lab, TCF offers a 

modified AMCA 300 test guideline that can be performed at 

any of our manufacturing plants. This testing method utilizes 

principles from the standard that can be used outside of a 

reverberant sound room. 

If the fan must be tested in the field, TCF can perform an 

on-site sound survey. Principles from AMCA 300 can be 

applied, but special considerations must be made to account 

for background noise, motor and drive noise and room 

geometry and construction. 

Note: TCF’s test lab, the Brookings, SD manufacturing plant and all testing 

personnel are NQA certified for the sound performance testing of fans 

used in the nuclear power generation industry. 



Standard balance tests are performed on all complete fan 

assemblies – size permitting. This ensures that there are no 

noticeable mechanical defects such as rubbing, bearing noise 

or excessive bearing heat and the vibration levels filtered into 

the running speed are reported. TCF can also provide 

vibration reports that include the filtered and overall levels if 

requested. Customers often require longer run tests to allow 

the bearing temperatures to stabilize. In order to achieve the 

stabilized temperatures, TCF will run the fan for two hours 

and record both the bearing temperatures and bearing 

vibration levels every 15 minutes – or as specified. 

When specifications call for the detrimental resonant 

frequencies in a fan assembly to be identified, TCF can perform 

a coast down test. Coast down testing involves running the 

fan up to the desired speed and then decelerating slowly. By 

recording the vibration levels until the fan comes to a stop, 

the detrimental resonant frequencies can be identified. In 

addition to these standard tests, TCF is able to test to any 

vibration specification that a customer requires. 

Vibration Testing 





Seismic Testing 


For geographical locations susceptible to earthquakes, 

it is critical to have equipment that is capable of 

operating after a seismic event. The California 

Office of Statewide Health Planning & Development 

(OSHPD) has established a program that requires 

all equipment used in any health care facility to be 

pre-approved prior to installation within the state of 

California. The International Building Code (IBC) 

has also developed stringent building codes for 

machinery that will be used in seismically active 

areas. As a result, TCF has invested in a shake table 

to simulate earthquakes that meet both IBC and 

OSHPD requirements. The table is 10' x 10' and is 

able to shake both floor mounted and ceiling hung 

units. The maximum payload weight is 10,000 lbs. 

Test Lab 

Bump Testing 

If it is required to determine the natural frequencies 

of a fan rotor assembly and/or fan structure, TCF 

offers bump testing to identify these frequencies. 

Bump testing can be performed on a rotor assembly 

suspended in air or on a structure mounted to the 

floor and involves placing accelerometers in strategic 

locations on the rotor assembly and/or fan structure. 

Once the accelerometers are affixed to the unit, it is 

impacted with a mallet and the response is measured 

using diagnostic equipment to determine the natural 

frequencies present in the unit. 


Note: All custom Clarage impellers are bump tested. 




Operational Modal Testing 

When troubleshooting fan vibration issues, it is 

helpful to know the dominant mode shapes that are 

being excited. A useful tool for doing this is Operation 

Deflection Shape (ODS) testing. In this method, 

vibration readings are taken off the fan using 

accelerometers while it is running. These levels 

can then be imported into a 3-D model of the fan. 

By plugging in the actual vibration levels from the 

fan, it is possible to animate the vibration and see 

the mode shape that is being excited. This information 

is effective in determining if the vibration will cause 

early failures and reduce the life of the fan assembly. 



Jet Fan Thrust Testing 

When using jet fans in tunnel ventilation applications, 

it is critical to ensure that they are capable of quickly 

ventilating a tunnel in an emergency situation. These 

fans are specified by the amount of thrust they produce 

rather than a typical flow vs. pressure specification. 

TCF is able to test to AMCA standard 250 and ISO 

standard 13350, which outline the method for testing 

jet tunnel fans. 

In these tests, the fan is mounted on a table that is 

free to move axially on linear bearings. A stationary 

mounted thrust gauge is then attached to the table 

to measure the thrust generated by the fan while it 

is running. TCF has the capability to perform jet fan 

thrust testing both at our test lab and our manufacturing 

plant in Pulaski, TN. 


Test Lab 

Plant 



Overspeed Testing 

To ensure our customers that a fan will safely operate 

at the speed that they have specified, TCF has invested 

in overspeed chambers for our test lab and manufacturing 

plants. Overspeed testing allows us to run a fan 

at an increased speed for a given amount of time and 

prove that it will withstand the customer’s specific 

application. 


The overspeed chamber in our test lab is capable of 

handling fan wheels up to 58 inches diameter. For 

large wheel sizes, the overspeed chamber at our 

manufacturing plants can accommodate wheel 

diameters up to 118 inches. 

Test Lab 

Plant 

High Temperature Testing 

Certain applications require the fans to either be 

submerged in high temperature air or handle high 

temperature air in the airstream. That is why TCF 

has developed a method of testing the survivability 

of fans up to 900°F (482°C) at our Pulaski, TN 

manufacturing plant. 


The test fan is installed in a closed loop system that 

recirculates the heated air through the fan. This ensures 

that the mechanical design of the fan is able to stand 

up to the hot environment. TCF’s customers can be 

certain that when the fan is installed in a high 

temperature application, it is ready to do the job. 

Plant 



Strain Gauge Testing 

In many high speed applications, customers require 

strain gauge testing to ensure their fan can tolerate 

the application in which it is being used. This test 

involves utilizing a series of strain gauges that are 

applied in the largest stress concentration areas. By 

running the fan and measuring the strain, we can 

determine if there is any deformation in a fan wheel 

during operation. 

Strain gauge testing is a specialized procedure that 

requires careful attention to detail by a skilled and 

experienced technician. TCF is able to perform strain 

gauge testing at both our test lab and our manufacturing 

plant in Pulaski, TN. 


Test Lab 

Plant 

UL 705 Safety Testing 

For many commercial applications, UL 705 certification 

is required to ensure that the motor in a power roof 

ventilator will withstand voltage fluctuations, overheating 

and a variety of other abnormal circumstances. 

Our test lab has been accredited by UL to perform 

these tests on power roof ventilators up to 15 HP 

using a 60 Hz power source at any voltage between 

85V and 635V. 

The safety testing includes motor winding temperature 

rise tests at multiple voltages, start/stop testing, halfwave 

endurance testing (for motors supplied with 

solid state speed controllers), dielectric testing and 

rain testing. 


Test Lab 



Custom / OEM Designs 

TCF has been custom designing products for our 

entire customer base for decades. By leveraging our 

expansive engineering and application expertise, we 

have become experts at tackling the most technically 

complex and unique applications. This often involves 

evaluating our customers’ existing fan technology 

and, in many cases, requires us to redesign and prototype 

a fully-customized fan solution. 

We have worked side-by-side with the most prevalent 

companies in the world and have earned a reputation 

for turning ideas into innovative solutions. Our 

individualized efforts to satisfy the specific needs of 

our customers is yet another way that we continue 

to distinguish ourselves in the market. 


TCF 

In-House 

Custom / OEM Designs 

R Prototyping 

R Product Redesign 

R Evaluation of Existing Products 

Engineering Services 

TCF products are engineered and optimized through 

a series of analyses and validation including Finite 

Element Analysis (FEA) and Non-Destructive Testing 

(NDT). These tools are used to verify the structural 

integrity of our products under various loading 

conditions, analyze the natural frequencies, as well 

as analyze torsional natural frequencies. To better 

serve our customers, we can offer these services upon 

request. 

TCF 

In-House 

Engineering Services 

R Finite Element Analysis (FEA) 

R Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) 

R Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) 

R System Model Evaluation 



Having the peace of mind that your fan is installed and 

operating properly prior to startup is crucial. TCF can 

offer a wide range of startup services and precision 

checks including inlet and wheel operational 

clearances, torque verification, shaft alignment, 

balance and vibration testing. As part of our standard 

startup services, TCF field personnel will conduct a 

variety of inspection checks to ensure the fan is ready 

for startup – all the way from the foundation bolts to 

the lubrication of the fan. 

Startup Services 

We also offer Air Make-Up startup services. Our 

trained technicians can commission your natural gas 

fired heating equipment and control system. 

On-Site 

Startup Services 

R Fan Assembly Inspection 

R Vibration Checks 

R Coupling & Sheave Laser Alignment 

R Installation Assistance 

Keeping existing fans in service as systems change to 

suit environmental regulations, process enhancements, 

and energy consumption is an extremely important 

aspect of our business. We are proficient at applying 

our engineering experience to make the necessary 

modifications to existing equipment and can provide 

complete turnkey solutions for rebuilding and 

repairing fans in the field. 

Turnkey Services 

TCF also has a retrofit program designed to increase 

the efficiency of large industrial fans that can have 

paybacks in as little as six months. 

On-Site 

Turnkey Services 

R Installation & Commissioning 

R Field Repairs/Rebuilds 

R Duct Work Modification 

R Motor/Turbine Alignment 

R Coupling Alignment 

R Preventive Maintenance 

R Engineered Retrofits – All Brands 

R Fan Balancing 


Our Mission: 

To be a quality and highly respected global company in 

all that we do. 

To design, manufacture and distribute quality air moving 

and related equipment for worldwide use that fulfills 

the wants and needs of the customer at the best value. 

To provide our customers with a consistently high level 

of service: 

- before the order is secured 

- during its fulfillment 

- after the product has been delivered 

To create a partnership with our suppliers, customers, 

representatives and employees to enable us to continually 

improve our performance. 

To enhance and sustain our “company culture” to ensure 

it continues to thrive and allows us to develop longstanding 

relationships that contribute to our success. 


Twin City Fan Companies, Ltd. | 5959 Trenton Lane N | Minneapolis, MN 55442 

Phone 763.551.7600 | Fax 763.551.7601 | www.twincityfan.com

Testing Capabilities - Twin City Fan & Blower

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