Superconductors and Wire Qualification

December 5, 2023 Chris Wollbrink

Discovery of a room temperature superconductor would have a tremendous impact on the aerospace industry and could result in lighter aircraft. In this article, we consider this impact and discuss steps that would need to be taken by the industry before a superconductor could be practically incorporated into aerospace applications. Read more

Minimum Coaxial Cable Bend Radius

November 15, 2023 Megan Chambellan

The impact of a coaxial cable’s bend radius is not well defined from an initial evaluation standpoint. Standard restriction on the minimum bend radius for coaxial cables has remained unchanged for over 40 years whereas materials and construction methods have seen great improvement. In this article, Lectromec measures the attenuation of a modern coaxial cable at different bend radii to identify the severity of the impact a tighter bend radius has on the performance of the cable. Read more

Glycol and Silver-Plated Conductors

September 14, 2022 Michael Traskos

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

Low Temperature Bend Testing for Lunar Applications

November 30, 2021 Laura Wishart

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

December 8, 2020 Michael Traskos

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

October 14, 2020 Michael Traskos

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

February 10, 2016 Lectromec Team

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

December 17, 2014 Emma Schwoerer

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. Read more

Aircraft wire abrasion resistance

October 15, 2014 Michael Traskos

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

August 15, 2014 Michael Traskos

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

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