When we think about flights, we think of planes and airports. We think of well-designed flying machines, a fleet of efficient personnel, and a well-planned flight route. But how often do we think of the screws and bolts, the bearings? Yes, the ball bearings on thousands of components that make sure planes take off, fly, and then eventually land with us, the passengers, pilots, and stewardesses, in one piece.
What Are Aviation Bearings?
Bearings are a pretty basic mechanical component—developed to reduce the friction between two moving parts. But if we say aviation bearing, it probably gives you an idea that the temperature and conditions these bearings are working under are no ordinary conditions. They work against high speed, high temperature, intense vibration (during takeoff and landing), and then the pressure and temperature up in the sky, 10,000 meters and more away from the safe ground.
Without bearings, each component of this amazingly complex machinery would get worn and torn off really quickly. Bearings increase the life of all these components (like engines, gears, and even the wings) and hence reduce maintenance costs and risk of failure.
The Art and Science of Bearing Design
Being in the aviation business is not easy, and each and every part of the aircraft must meet its specifications and performance, especially aviation bearings, as friction and failure are not at all an option in the field of aviation.
Manufacturers craft the bearings with advanced and extremely brittle materials like ceramics, stainless steel, and some even composite materials to provide the necessary strength without adding increased weight. Lubrication is also a very advanced science and can provide remedies to rubbing under many scenarios while keeping the bearings stable.
Challenges in Aviation Bearing Design
To design bearings for the aviation sector, there are some specific challenges to bear in mind. Some of the main aspects to take into consideration when designing bearings for the aviation sector include:
- High-stress Environments: Bearings need to adapt to extreme situations. This includes high levels of vibrations and abrupt changes in temperature at different heights.
- Weight Limitations: Aircraft manufacturers are always trying to make everything light and reduce the weight wherever possible without that supposedly reducing resistance. The materials used in bearings are, therefore, essential.
- Long Lifespan Requirements: In aviation, bearings are required to last for hours on end. Sometimes, this can mean that the service life of a bearing is over tens of thousands of hours.
Although bearings are not the most visible elements, technological evolution has made bearings more reliable than ever, and it has even become possible to overcome some of the challenges that have limited aeronautical bearings until now. Thanks to computer-aided design (CAD), as well as 3D printing, designers never had as many opportunities to create the perfect bearing. CAD technology allows the possibility of joining technical drawings, and 3D printing offers the exact printing that a bearing design requires.
Why Aviation Bearings Matter
From this, we can well understand why the significance of aviation bearings is so high. While they prevent the unnecessary tearing of machinery and provide strength, they also help in fuel efficiency by reducing friction and loss of energy to reduce environmental effects (fuel burnt results in carbon dioxide and its various oxides being released).
So next time you are on a plane and notice that your journey is smooth, safe, and probably even helped the environment a bit, take a second to thank the aviation bearings. Because without them, you would probably be sitting at the railway station looking at flights taking off.
Innovations in the Sky
As new man-made ventures spring up, mechanical evolution and also associated advancements continue apace. Aviation bearings specifically have not optimized their limits. The fact is that the idea of making aviation more sustainable means it is necessary to have a bearing that is less needed for lubrication. Here is a challenge for the engineer: to reduce the necessity of lubrication of a bearing and thus be better for the environment, but with the same characteristics as we have up to now.
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