What to look for with polyimide wire aging

August 11, 2011 Michael Traskos

Key to continued aircraft airworthiness is regular visual inspection of the wiring. However, depending on the particular wire insulation installed on the aircraft, the signs of degradation can vary significantly. This article will review what to look for when inspecting polyimide-based wires. The first thing is understanding the wire construction. A standard polyimide wire follows […] Read more

Here are some tips on conductor solderability with wire systems

August 9, 2011 Michael Traskos

An important property of a wire conductor is solderability (the ease of soldering the conductor) with wire systems. This property is greatly affected by the type of platting a wire has. Some conductor platting types such as Tin provide for an easy wetting of the conductor and soldering. Other platting types such as Nickel-platted conductors […] Read more

When should you consider adopting an aircraft wire life extension program? Part V

August 5, 2011 Michael Traskos

Subtopic: Applying Technology to your Fleet – Step #2 The next step after determining the operating conditions within the aircraft is to review the aircraft from the fleet level. This is if you are considering an aircraft wire life extension program. This fleet level assessment examines utilization; basically, it evaluates the fleet’s variability (age, service […] Read more

Results of intrusive inspection on aircraft wire systems

July 23, 2011 Michael Traskos

In the Basic concepts of Wire Degradation article, we reviewed the degradation of wire insulation from a laboratory perspective. This article discusses some the findings of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Intrusive Inspection Project fact-finding committee with information on aircraft wire systems. One of the most thorough publicly available sources for understanding the aging of […] Read more

Basic concepts in understanding aircraft wire degradation

July 19, 2011 Michael Traskos

Aircraft wire degradation often means a reduction in a wire insulation’s ability to withstand physical, electrical, or chemical strain. Such reductions can lead to insulation breaches, which can result in system interruption. All modern wire insulations are long chains of molecules called polymers. Over time, due to various types of stress, there is wire degradation. […] Read more

When should you consider adopting an aircraft wire life extension program? Part IV

July 17, 2011 Michael Traskos

Subtopic: Applying Technology to your Fleet – Step #1 For purposes of aircraft wire life extension, start with identifying what wires are on the aircraft (see Lectromec’s When should you consider adopting a wire life extension program? Part III article article). It is then necessary to perform a selective sampling of the aircraft. Obviously, the […] Read more

When should you consider adopting an aircraft wire life extension program? Part III

July 4, 2011 Michael Traskos

This is the third article in a series addressing the concepts associated with wire life extension and an Electrical Wire Interconnection System (EWIS) analysis of aging aircraft. The When should you consider adopting an aircraft wire life extension program? article addressed some of the fundamental concepts behind risk and risk assessment and how they are […] Read more

Implications of circuit breakers and wire size for wire systems

June 27, 2011 Michael Traskos

Circuit breakers are designed to activate (open the circuit) when the electrical current is in excess of the device rating. This is done to protect both the electrical device and the wiring. As such, it is important to size the circuit breaker to meet the electrical needs of the circuit as well as prevent overheating and damage to the wiring. This article lists the factors that affect the wire/circuit breaker selection. Read more

When should you consider adopting an aircraft wire life extension program? Part II

June 22, 2011 Michael Traskos

This is the second in a series of articles addressing the concepts associated with an Electrical Wire Interconnection System (EWIS) analysis of aging aircraft. In other words, when to consider an aircraft wire life extension program. The last article addressed the reasons to consider implementing EWIS assessment as part of a wire life extension program. This article […] Read more

When should you consider adopting an aircraft wire life extension program? Part I

June 6, 2011 Michael Traskos

Editor’s Note: This is the first part in a series of articles that addresses the needs of EWIS analysis and aging aircraft. In the course of planning for your aircraft wire life extension program, eventually it becomes necessary to considering the wire system health. Like all other system components, wires (particularly the wire insulation) degrade […] Read more

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