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bearing all: the importance of ball bearings

While they are rarely recognized or considered, bearings are some of the most critical components in modern machinery. Bearings are what allow for parts in a machine to rotate freely with reduced friction, which in turn enables everything from cars and trucks, to washing machines and dentist’s drills. While there are many different types of bearings for many different uses, this blog will focus on one of the most ubiquitous, the ball bearing.

As a subset of rolling-element bearings, ball bearings consist of an inner and outer ring, called races, and a set of small metal balls between them that allow the two races to rotate. These ball bearings are typically made from steel, either chrome alloys or stainless, but different types exist for different roles. As an example, MRI machines use ball bearings, but because they cannot have anything magnetic in them, the bearings are made from plastic polymers. Bearings used in the marine industry must be resistant to rusting, so bronze is a favored material. In the aerospace industry, heat and corrosion are constant concerns, so bearings are machined and chemically treated to be resistant to those stresses.

The starting material for the bearing is developed through heat treatment, hardened, and then ground down into the proper shape. Once manufacturing is complete, the bearings are closely inspected to make sure they are up to quality standards and ensure their measurements are correct. If the roller is improperly manufactured, it will not align properly within the bearing, and its bearing capacity will decrease. Misalignment can also occur due to mechanical stresses and vibration (some types of roller bearings, such as spherical rollers, are able to re-align themselves).

The design behind ball bearings is particularly ingenious because they share the stress of weight and friction across multiple components. As the bearing rotates, the balls take turns bearing friction and weight of the load. At any time, a little less than half the balls in a ball bearing are experiencing stresses
While they are rarely recognized or considered, bearings are some of the most critical components in modern machinery. Bearings are what allow for parts in a machine to rotate freely with reduced friction, which in turn enables everything from cars and trucks, to washing machines and dentist’s drills. While there are many different types of bearings for many different uses, this blog will focus on one of the most ubiquitous, the ball bearing.

As a subset of rolling-element bearings, ball bearings consist of an inner and outer ring, called races, and a set of small metal balls between them that allow the two races to rotate. These ball bearings are typically made from steel, either chrome alloys or stainless, but different types exist for different roles. As an example, MRI machines use ball bearings, but because they cannot have anything magnetic in them, the bearings are made from plastic polymers. Bearings used in the marine industry must be resistant to rusting, so bronze is a favored material. In the aerospace industry, heat and corrosion are constant concerns, so bearings are machined and chemically treated to be resistant to those stresses.

The starting material for the bearing is developed through heat treatment, hardened, and then ground down into the proper shape. Once manufacturing is complete, the bearings are closely inspected to make sure they are up to quality standards and ensure their measurements are correct. If the roller is improperly manufactured, it will not align properly within the bearing, and its bearing capacity will decrease. Misalignment can also occur due to mechanical stresses and vibration (some types of roller bearings, such as spherical bearing, are able to re-align themselves).

The design behind ball bearings is particularly ingenious because they share the stress of weight and friction across multiple components. As the bearing rotates, the balls take turns bearing friction and weight of the load. At any time, a little less than half the balls in a ball bearing are experiencing stresses

types of bearing - shafts and bearings

If you want an object to spin in place, you’ll need to have it mounted on a shaft, and if you want that shaft to spin in place without flying off into the distance, you’ll need to have that shaft mounted in a bearing. But what are the different kinds of bearings how do they work, and what are their relative strengths and weaknesses?

The most basic type of bearing is the journal bearing, which is little more than a shaft running and sliding in a hole. The greatest strength of the journal bearing is the high load capacity due to the shaft and bore being so well-fitted to each other. However, all this sliding and rolling means that there is a high amount of friction, and that friction will gradually damage the shaft and the interior of the bearing.

Thankfully, there are several ways to reduce this friction, such as using slick materials like Teflon and graphite-filled nylon, keeping dust and grit out of the bearing, and lubrication. Oil is particularly useful as a lubricant, because it actually gets thicker under high pressure. Inside a bearing, this means that it can thicken right where the contact between the shaft and bearing needs it the most, preventing metal-on-metal contact. This is why oil-lubricating systems are so prevalent in the engines of both automobiles and aircraft, since most of the important bearings in those engines are journal bearings.

The other common type of bearing is the rolling-element bearing. While ball bearings are the most common type and use balls as their rolling element (obviously), other types of rolling-element bearings use cones, cylinders, and needles. The common element of the rolling-element bearing is that they all roll without slipping on the races (the tracks that the rolling elements roll on), which means that there is no sliding involved. Compared to the plain journal bearings, this means that rolling-element bearings cause much less wear and tear on their individual elements, and typically require less lubrication than journal bearings However, because rolling-element bearings have a smaller contact area than journal bearings, they can place more stress on a smaller surface area. This means that rolling-element bearings are typically better suited for lighter-duty work.

While plain and rolling-element bearings are the most common, they are not the only types of bearings in use. Less-common bearings include the magnetic bearing, which uses magnetic fields to support the load, and fluid bearings, that prevent contact between the shaft and bearing with a gas or liquid. Due to the engineering and power requirements that these types of bearings have, however, they are not as widely used as the more conventional plain and rolling-element types.

what propels a aircraft propeller?

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Newton’s third law of motion is the essence of anything that moves us through the world. If you’re walking forward, it’s because your feet are pushing backward against the sidewalk. If you’re driving in a vehicle, you’re moving forward because the tires are implementing force in the opposite direction. This same principle can help explain how aircraft propellers work.

A propeller can be described as a type of fan that creates power by converting rotational motion into thrust. It is a piece of technology that moves you forward through a liquid or gas when you turn it. The aircraft also having Aircraft wheel and Brake System. Air is accelerated behind the blades of the propeller as it causes a pressure difference between the front and rear surfaces, enabling forward movement. It can consist of two, three, or four angled blades that extend from a central hub and are powered by an engine or motor. The angle of the propeller is a key component to thrust.

The angle the propeller sits in is called the pitch angle. The pitch angle is a strong determinant in how quickly you move forward when the propeller is functioning, as well as how much force is required to use it. The blades of a propeller are also a bit twisted; imagine a curved top with a flat bottom. When the propeller is turned fast enough, it produces a backward force that pushes you forward. Different parts of the propeller operate at different speeds - the tips of the blades move faster than the parts nearest the hub.

To ensure that a propeller produces a constant force, the angle of attack needs to be different as you move along the blade— so the propeller blade is designed with a twist a and having Aircraft Landing Equipment. The angle must be greater near the center where the blade is moving slower, and less distinct near the tips, where the blade is moving the fastest. If a propeller didn’t have the twist, or angled blade at the tip, it would produce different amounts of thrust at different areas. The optimum angle of propeller blades can vary according to its intended application. Shallow angled, low pitch blades create less drag. Steeper angled, high pitch blades work better for cruising flights.

Larger and more modern planes come equipped with variable-pitch propellers. These come in three basic variations: adjustable-pitch propellers, controllable-pitch propellers, and constant-speed propellers. Adjustable-pitch propellers have the ability to change their pitch manually before a flight. Alternatively, controllable-pitch propellers can be adjusted during flight through a hydraulic operating mechanism. Constant-speed propellers change the blade pitch automatically during flight using hydraulic operating mechanisms, allowing the propeller to always function at a constant speed. This enables the engine to generate power much more efficiently.

all about thrust bearings

A bearing allows parts that sit close together to rotate freely and significantly reduce friction. Thrust bearings are rotary bearings that predominantly support axial loads. They're often used in automotive, marine, and aerospace applications. There are many variations of a thrust bearing— each designed to support different loads and performance.

Thrust bearings are used in vehicles, centrifuges, and generators; they're designed to assist rotation around a fixed shaft or axis. There are two main types of thrust bearings, ball thrust bearings, and roller thrust bearings. Ball thrust bearings are frequently used in aerospace, chemical, and utility applications, while roller thrust bearings are frequently used in the agricultural industry where high-load capacity is required.

Ball thrust bearings contain bearing balls that sit inside a ring between two grooved washers and are typically used for smaller axial loads. The difference between ball thrust and roller bearings is self-explanatory— the bearings are either balls or rollers. Roller bearings can support larger loads. There are three subtypes of roller thrust bearings: cylindrical, tapered, and spherical. Cylindrically shaped rollers are the least expensive but wear quicker because they create more friction and circular speed. Tapered rollers are more expensive but can be used in pairs to support axial thrust in opposing directions and assist with radial loads. Spherical rollers support axial and radial loads.

There are two other types of bearings that are less common, magnetic thrust bearings and fluid thrust bearings. Fluid thrust bearings contain a pressurized fluid in place of the ball or roller bearings. They have less friction, wear, and vibration, but they can also have potential leaks and higher power consumption. Magnetic thrust bearings have a magnetic field in place of any physical bearing; they have low drag and can sustain higher speeds.

types of aircraft engine mounts

There are many unsung heroes in aircraft mechanics that are not as exciting as fuel injectors or engines but play an integral role in functionality. One of those is the engine mount. The main role of the aircraft engine mount is to attach an engine to the fuselage or airframe of a plane. Outside of its initial purpose, an engine mount must also serve two main demands: distribute the weight of an engine, and diffuse vibration and torque generated by the mechanics of the aircraft.

A standard engine mount structure resembles a spider-web with minimalist design. The “web” is made of steel chrome molybdenum, or Chromoly 4130 tubular steel, that is welded together to fit specific engine structures. Types of engine mount vary, but most are made from the same material, and deviate only in shape. Three of the most commonly seen engine mounts are conical, dynafocal, and bed mount.

A standard conical mount has four points to fasten an engine, and four points to secure the mount to the airframe. Other mount designs can include awkward angles and difficult to reach attachment points, but the conical model runs parallel to the aircraft’s firewall. This allows easy access for installment and maintenance. While simple and easy to attach, the conical arrangement does not diffuse vibration and engine torque efficiently and can transmit load to the airframe.

Dynafocal engine mounts are much more capable of distributing torque and vibration from the engine. In this design, the attachment locations are decided based on the center of gravity of the applied engine. Like the conical mount, there are usually four fastener points. The points are rounded about the engine, and the mechanism takes on a ring-like shape. Due to the specificity of the attachment, and the curved shape of the mount, installment and build are more difficult, and are often a higher fiscal investment.

Lastly, a bed mount is often used with diesel engines, and/or rotax engines. Its shape diverges from that of the dynafocal and conical mounts. The engine is still mounted using four attachment points, but it is situated under a crankcase, often beneath the firewall. Most of the mount structure lies beneath the engine, as suggested by the name.

Typically, an engine mount is painted white or a bright color, to make cracks or corrosion more obvious during an inspection. Regular aircraft maintenance checks will include a survey of engine mount condition, and with good reasoning. The engine mount is the only structure keeping the engine securely attached to the aircraft. As a result, the engine mount is designed to withstand extreme conditions.

Some of the stressors experienced by an engine mount include interaction with heat and harsh temperatures, exposure to corrosive materials, and load bearing challenges. Fuse pins fasten the mount and engine to the airframe. Also known as shear pins, the devices are designed to break off under extreme strain or damage, in order to prevent detrimental harm to the wings and body of an airplane. Knowing what engine mount an aircraft might have is entirely based on the specific needs of the vehicle and its manufacturer.

At Simplified Purchasing, owned and operated by ASAP Semiconductor, we can help you find all the aircraft engine mounts, aviation engine accessories, and bolts and rivets you need, new or obsolete. As a premier supplier of parts for the aerospace, civil aviation, and defense industries, we’re always available and ready to help you find all the parts and equipment you need, 24/7x365. For a quick and competitive quote, email us at sales@simplifiedpurchasing.com or call us at +1-434-321-4470.

all about radial ball bearings

Aircraft Bearings are one of the most common types of hardware, with various applications in many industries. One bearing to consider is the radial ball bearing. When choosing radial ball bearings, it’s important to choose the proper shaft and housing fit because this will allow for the optimization of a radial ball bearing’s performance and life. A bearing can perform at its best only when it is fitted correctly on to the shaft and housing. An improperly fitted bearing can be too tight or too loose, which can cause faulty operating conditions and lead to early failure.

                There are two types of loads for radial ball bearings ( Radial Bearing assy aviation parts ). The first type of loading, circumferential loading, either occurs between a rotating ring and a stationary load, or between a stationary ring and a rotating load. In these circumstances, forces act to dislodge the ring in proportion to its seating surface and all points on the raceway are subjected to load during a single revolution of the bearing. The second type of loading, point loading, occurs either between a stationary ring and a stationary load or between a rotating ring and a rotating load. In this case, the ring needs to stay static in relation to the direction of the load. And, no force acts to displace the ring relative to its seating surface.

                There are three types of fits for radial ball bearings. The first fit is a loose fit which allows for a clearance between the hold and shaft in the coupling. The lower limit size of the hole is greater than the upper limit size of the shaft. The second fit is a transitional fit which allows for both clearance and interference to occur in the coupling. The third fit, a tight fit, allows for some interference between the hole and shaft in the coupling bearing. The upper limit size of the hole is smaller in comparison to the lower limit size of the shaft.

                Simplified Purchasing, an ASAP Semiconductor website, is the best comprehensive aviation components purchasing solution. Customers can use the streamlined procurement website to fulfill all their purchasing needs. With staff members who are experts at providing the best solutions to long lead times, and locating hard to find or obsolete parts, customers can utilize the perks of the website with ease. For a quick quote, email us at sales@simplifiedpurchasing.com or call us at +1-469-319-8300.

the boeing 747’s 50th anniversary

On September 30th this year, Boeing celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Boeing 747. The so-called “Queen of the Skies”, the Boeing 747 aircraft was a revolutionary aircraft that introduced new concepts and technologies to the aircraft and aviation industry, including the now standard twin-aisle design, advanced in-flight entertainment, and a hinged-nose.

When it was first introduced in 1968, the 747 was the world’s largest airplane with its tail as high as a 6-story building and a wing area larger than a basketball court. It’s capable of carrying more than 400 passengers at once. To build this massive giant, it took a group of 50,000 construction workers, mechanics, engineers, secretaries, and administrators. This team of professionals is fondly remembered as “The Incredibles”.

Despite how many professionals it took to bring the 747 to life, it is the first wide-body airplane to reach the 1,500-planes-manufactured landmark. But, that might also because it was launched as a versatile plane in three categories: all passenger, all cargo, and a convertible passenger/freighter model. In fact, there are some modified 747s that have been used as delivery vehicles for the Space Shuttle.

All the new technology that the 747 introduced meant that the pilots who would fly it had to be specially trained. At the Boeing training school, pilots were trained to taxi the 747 with the help of the “Waddell’s Wagon”, a simulated flight deck perched on 3-story stilts on a moving truck. During the first commercial flight of a 747, by PanAm from New York to London, engine failure caused a several-hour-long delay. Fortunately, changes were made and the “Queen of the Skies” became the preferred choice of aircraft for many world leaders, including former United States’ President George H.W. Bush.

Unfortunately, after 5 decades, more energy-efficient planes like Boeing’s successor, the 777, or Airbus’s competing 350, have begun to displace “the Queen”. While the “Jumbo Jet” variation of the 747 is still popular as a cargo carrier, especially on long-range routes, little over 500 of these planes are still active today.

We, at Simplified Purchasing, owned and operated by ASAP Semiconductor, are a leading supplier of new and obsolete parts and components for the aviation industry. With a variety of Boeing aftermarket spares, new and obsolete and hard-to-find, we can help with all your Boeing parts procurement needs. Visit us at www.simplifiedpurchasing.com to get started.

haeco’s vector approved for airbus linefit catalog

Doug Rasmussen, president and group director of HAECO Cabin Solutions, a division of HAECO Americas, said

“With Vector, HAECO has developed a true platform-based product, which shares many parts and features between the economy and premium versions of the seat. Adding linefit offerability demonstrates the trust Airbus Group of Industries has placed in HAECO Cabin Solutions to deliver this seat platform to line-fit customers with tighter lead times.”

Rasmussen was talking about HAECO’s newest announcement that their configurable Vector Economy seat models are now available as a linefit option for Airbus A350 customers in their A350 catalog. HAECO’s Vector Economy seat will also be on the A320 family, and the Vector Premium will be on the A320 and A350 XWB families. With many shared parts and features between the Economy and Premium models, Vector markets itself as a customizable and easy to install, maintain, and upgrade product.

This announcement follows HAECO’s FAA Technical Standard Order (TSO) C127b authorization for the Vector Premium in March and for the Vector Economy in 2016 and is followed by further announcements from HAECO that they have secured a launch customer for linefit A320 series seating with an unnamed carrier in Asia.

Why is this news?

When it comes to aircraft, every little thing is subject to strict rules and regulations. From the engines to the tray tables on the back of the seat in front of you, every step of the aircraft’s manufacturing needs to be perfect. For companies like Airbus, which is one of the largest aircraft manufacturers in the world, the offerability process is long, and can take up to one or two years. The supplier has to be evaluated using a strategic fit analysis to determine if they are a good fit. It’s news because, as Rasmussen says, Airbus’s approval of HAECO’s Vector line shows their trust in HAECO, therefore boosting HAECO’s reliability and standing in the industry.

Simplified Purchasing, owned and operated by ASAP Semiconductor, should always be your first and only choice for aircraft parts and components. With a wide range of Airbus and HAECO parts to choose from, Simplified Purchasing is the premier supplier of aircraft and aviation parts, whether new, old, or hard to find. If you’re interested in learning more or getting a quote, visit us at www.simplifiedpurchasing.com or call us at +1-469-319-8300.

the importance of bearing selection on gearbox performance

Large reduction gearboxes are made to channel high torque by lowering the high input speed to the wanted output speed. This is the reason gearboxes are commonly used for heavy industry driving conveyors, crushers, mills and pumps. The gears in a gearbox are manufactured with high accuracy. Because of the high accuracy, professional technicians with training experience are required for gear assembly and install the gearboxes. It is common for simple reduction gearboxes to have multiple stages that includes bevel and pinion gears for both drive and input direction changes, along with multiple helical gears with differing ratios to reach the desired output.

The main objective is to have the gearbox function as quietly as possible. To help reach this goal, helical gears are usually used preferably over cross-cut gears to cut down the audible gear mesh noise. Helical gears are a great for power transmission as well as durability and a quiet operation. However, a downside to this design is the angle of the gears. There will always be a resultant axial force that needs attention because of the angle.

When in operation, the gear design will not create axial loads. For the more common helical and bevel pinion gears, the resulting axial needs to be borne by the bearings supporting the gear. The most common choice of bearings is determined by the load carrying capacity and theoretical bearing life. There are several different bearings available. Each has their own unique, load carrying characteristics. It is important for these characteristics to be understood as well as the application load characteristics before installation.

Bearing loads can be solely radial, axial, or a combination of both. Bearings are designed to handle different loads, with most of them holding the ability to accommodate a combination of loads. For example, a ball bearing is designed to support radial loads, but it is also able to accommodate axial loads. This makes a ball bearing a great option for electric motors. Another bearing example is a cylindrical roller bearing, which can eliminate cross location.

improved hydraulic bolt tensioners from enerpac corporation

Enerpac Corporation the leader in high-pressure hydraulics has designed three new series in hydraulic bolting tools which should suit your wind, steam and gas turbine bolting needs! They are durable and user-friendly hydraulic bolt tensioners. Each one has special features and specific use for each model.

The PGT-Series Double deck and a single stage are used to bolt in tight spaces such as wind and gas turbines. The features that are included is the auto-retract piston and over stroke protection. The auto-engage nut rundown also makes it easy to use and resistant to wear and tear.

The FTR-Series Foundation Bolt Tensioners are typically used for bolting wind tower foundations. This tool is very effective with the speed and precision it allows for user-friendly application with an easy single pull. The long stroke model allows for a wide span of motion.

The FTE-Series Foundation Bolt Tensioners comparable to the FTR-Series, which is mainly used to bolt the foundation of a wind tower. However, the FTE- Series is unique because it is also a “universal solution” meaning it can be used for other foundation bolting than the FTR-Series which is particularly meant for wind tower foundation bolting. The FTE works on almost any foundation both standard or narrow. It is also able to fit in narrow access foundations without lowering the load capabilities due to its elliptical geometry.

Simplified Purchasing, owned and operated by ASAP Semiconductor, should always be your first and only stop for all your hard to find and hydraulic bolting tools and aircraft bearing parts. Simplified Purchasing is the premier supplier of fastener products, whether new, old or hard to find, they can help you locate it.