Aerospace Aviation 360 Blog

Fasteners are hardware components that are found in countless assemblies, allowing for objects to be connected in a permanent or temporary fashion. Ranging in use from the assembly of furniture to the construction of large aircraft, fasteners can come in countless types, shapes, and sizes to accommodate a number of needs. Bolts and screws are two popularly used fastener types, both often being confused for one another due to their similar appearance and characteristics. Nevertheless, there are important distinctions that set the two apart, especially in how they are used. In this blog, we will discuss the difference between bolts and screws, as well as how nuts are implemented alongside such components, allowing you to better understand the roles that each plays.

Whether it is a pump, fan, automobile, hard disk, conveyor, or anything with a moving part like a shaft, you are likely to find that a bearing is used as a part of the rotating mechanism. Bearings reduce friction for rotating or moving parts by allowing the application to operate smoothly. Bearings can commonly be defined as one of two types: ball bearings and sleeve bearings.

Electrical power connectors come in a wide range of shapes and sizes to suit a diverse set of capabilities. As current can travel through various systems at different values, it is imperative that a specific power connector is always used to best transfer electricity throughout an assembly. Coming in three primary categories, power connectors are chosen based on whether they will be applied for light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty applications. While light-duty connectors are used to carry low current signals and heavy-duty connectors are applied for transferring large electrical loads, their range in application types allows connectors to function efficiently in various settings. To ensure your systems are successfully carrying current, we will discuss the many power connectors available to help you determine which parts can best be chosen for your given applications. 

Bearings and bushings are common types of hardware components, assisting assemblies by bearing loads and minimizing the friction between moving parts. Bearings and bushings are often defined by the direction of loads that they undertake, as well as the operations and motions that they facilitate. As components that are found in countless installations, it can be useful to familiarize oneself with the most popular variations and how they benefit different applications.

Electrical systems and devices are complex, often featuring a number of connectors, wires, and fuses that all ensure that standard operations may be carried out as intended. While each of these components work together for an overall process, all have their own distinct designs, roles, capabilities, and other factors that set them apart from one another. As basic component types that may be found in countless electronic assemblies, it can be very useful to understand what each is and how it functions within a circuit.

A bearing is a type of mechanical component regularly found within mechanical assemblies, and such elements serve to reduce the friction between moving parts while constraining relative motion. Journal bearings and rolling-element bearings are two common types regularly used in various applications, and they both present different styles of construction and functionality to benefit specific needs. To best understand how journal and rolling-element bearings function, we will discuss each and their differences.

Even some of the most advanced electronic devices are rendered obsolete without the use of wires, cables, PCB controllers, or other assorted electrical hardware. Wires, cables, and connectors alike have important roles in electronics. In this blog, we will discuss each device and their differences.

An Edge Connector is the section of a printed circuit board (PCB) that consists of traces leading to the edge of the board intended to plug into a compatible socket. Edge connectors are highly economical because they require only a single discrete female connector, as the male connector is formed out of the edge of the PCB. They are also known for being fairly robust and durable. Edge connectors are primarily used in computers for peripheral card expansion slots, such as PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect), PCI Express, and AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) cards.

In principle, the technology of linear bearings can be compared with that of roller bearings, though the movement of linear bearings differs. Roller bearings use rotary movement, while linear bearings move to convey the force they are transmitting. A linear bearing could be thought of as a roller bearing in which the plane is unwound. Both tracks are parallel to each other and the rolling element is placed in the gap between the tracks. In rolling bearings, the rolling elements are either balls or rollers. In the rolling contacts of a linear bearing, the contact takes place analogously to roller bearings, in that unwanted contacts with the machine parts are also prevented.

Electrical wire connectors are a common and convenient method of splicing two current-carrying electrical wires together. Unlike many other electrical projects, installation of a wire connector is simple enough for a non-professional to do with very few tools. It should be noted that there are many different types of wire connectors. Some crimp on, while others slide or twist on. In this blog, we will discuss the steps in using the most common type of electrical wire connector: the twist-on wire connector.