Building Wire Harnesses Right

June 28, 2017 Alexander Petrov

Some of the most important elements to the electrical and electronic functions of aerospace vehicles are the cable and wiring harnesses. Accurate transmission of control and data signals is heavily dependent on the cable reliability, wiring harnesses, and connectors. Best design and maintenance practices are crucial to their longevity and reliability. Eliminating stresses to the […] Read more

Maximizing Electrical Component Performance

June 9, 2017 Michael Traskos

Most components for electrical systems will have an accompanying product specification or product information sheet. These information sheets contain a lot of information that include mechanical, thermal, and electrical performance and this information is regularly used by engineers to make technical decisions. This performance information is necessary to reduce engineering time and avoid the need […] Read more

Updating Periodic Maintenance Procedures

June 1, 2017 Michael Traskos

An area of aircraft maintenance and wire system sustainment which has been around for the last decade is the enhanced zonal analysis procedures, or EZAP for short. EZAP is a set of procedures developed by the FAA during the 2000s detailing a systematic process for handling of wiring system maintenance based on zones. Lectromec has […] Read more

How to Derate a Wire Harness

May 19, 2017 Michael Traskos

One of the question that we frequently receive at Lectromec is regarding the derating of wire harnesses. For those unfamiliar with the topic, we have covered this extensively in past articles. The quick summary of this is that due to the temperature rating of a wire, there is only a certain amount of electrical current […] Read more

Developments in High-Voltage

May 10, 2017 Michael Traskos

The first meeting of the 8A and 8D committees for 2017 was held in Kissimmee Florida in April 2017. There were several topics discussed and voted upon that will have an impact on future wire component and system designs (previous article on SAE 8A/8D committee meeting available here). One common theme in the meeting was […] Read more

Signs of an Aging Wiring System

May 1, 2017 Michael Traskos

All components wear out over time, but the rate at which they degrade will vary depending on the quality of the product, how is it handled, and the environmental conditions in which the component is installed. To consider all the potential ways that an EWIS can fail, it can be overwhelming. As a brief list […] Read more

Can the EWIS be Safe After a Modification?

April 11, 2017 Michael Traskos

The days of ‘fit and forget’ EWIS are at least a decade behind, the aircraft industry’s understanding of the implications of wiring as a system continues to evolve. New aircraft have gone through EWIS evaluations to ensure that the EWIS complies to regulations – not an easy task. Obviously, as the OEM design choices remain […] Read more

Lectromec’s Testing Process

April 3, 2017 Michael Traskos

Testing can be complex. From test identification, locking down on test parameters, sample preparation, accurate test performance, proper data analysis, and delivery of a final report, an error anywhere in the process can cause costly delays and spurious results. Using the correct laboratory for testing is undoubtedly important. This article provides an overview of how […] Read more

Basics of Connectors

March 21, 2017 Michael Traskos

Circular connectors have been a part of the aircraft industry for nearly 90 years. Clearly, because of this long history, many lessons have been learned on the construction and use of these connectors. But before anyone can really consider how to use the connector, there are basics that must be understood. This article reviews some […] Read more

Space Certified Wires and Cables

March 9, 2017 Michael Traskos

In the last three months, Lectromec has been asked numerous times about “Space Certified Wires” (SCW). The basic premise of these questions has been whether there is a defined set of criteria that would show a wire or cable is suitable for space applications. The primary concern raised is can there be a single set […] Read more

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