Glycol and Silver-Plated Conductors
In this article, we discuss silver’s susceptibility to corrosion when exposed to glycol, its impact on aircraft, and ways to mitigate potential degradation. Read more
Research
Low Temperature Bend Testing for Lunar Applications
NASA sought to evaluate wire and cable flexibility for lunar applications; specifically looking to evaluate the ease of reeling/unreeling wire and cable in lunar environments. Bend testing was performed on 35 different insulated wire and cable constructions at liquid nitrogen temperature to evaluate flexibility in extreme cold conditions. It was the intent of this effort that, “testing at the extreme cold temperature of liquid nitrogen will begin to build a database of what off-the-shelf types of wires and eventually cabling may be applicable to the lunar environment.” Read more
Impacts of Sanitizing Fluids on Wiring
Key Takeaways COVID-19 has resulted in a higher concentration of sanitizing products being used on aircraft. The FAA has released special airworthiness information bulletins highlighting the concerns with the application of sanitizers on aircraft. An internal Lectromec study was performed to determine effects of sanitizing fluids on wires. Wire and cable are exposed to a […] Read more
WPAFB Wire Study
Key Takeaways Publicly available recorded data compares many of the commonly used aerospace wire types. Corona extinction and inception voltages of cables decrease drastically with an increase of elevation. Many insulation types display a significant decrease in mechanical durability at increased temperatures. Modern wires of the AS22759 family are incapable of stopping 270 voltage DC […] Read more
High temperatures and testing electrical aircraft components
An aircraft must perform under a wide range of temperature conditions. As a result, designers must pay attention to testing electrical aircraft components to see if they can endure constant changes in temperatures over the years. Today we have a short video that gives an overview of what role a scientific oven plays in testing […] Read more
What’s next for aircraft EWIS: Carbon nanotubes
This article describes findings from a Rice University study showing the potential for creating new products based on carbon nanotube (CNT) technology. According to the research, CNT fibers have incredible properties that make them ideal for aerospace. For example, they are much stronger and have a greater capacity for carrying current than copper cables of the same mass.
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Aircraft wire abrasion resistance
The proper installation of wiring will dramatically reduce unnecessary stresses and result in an uneventful service life. In the real world, wires rub against various airplane components and can create unsafe conditions from both physical and functional viewpoints. Because of this, materials must be selected that can endure mechanical stresses and not pose a hazard […] Read more
Aircraft wire degradation and looking in the arc
Those who have witnessed electrical arcing and aircraft wire degradation first hand know the feeling of the intense heat radiating from the arc location, the screeching sound (AC arcs), and the bright flash that leave you visually stunned for several moments. The problem with recording these events is that the arc flash is often so bright […] Read more
270VDC arcing in aircraft wiring
In a recent presentation to the SAE at the biannual meeting, Lectromec presented a summary of the work that was performed by several companies and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) last summer. These tests were performed at the FAA’s Technical Center in Atlantic City on 270VDC in aircraft wiring. There were four test objectives: Perform […] Read more
2 EWIS insights from a presentation at the AIAA conference
Th 51st AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference was held on January 2010 and included presentations of a wide range of technical papers. From the perspective of EWIS, authors McCabe and Cyphers reported on A Study of Over-Current Protection, Electrical Arcing, and Fire Protection. Their research objective was to gather data for ballistic threats […] Read more