What's new at ACE

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Multifunction pressure switching

Hydra-Electric Co. will showcase several multifunction pressure switches, some with temperature-sensing RTDs for installation on aircraft turbine engines. The company is providing these switches to address demands by the aerospace industry for a reduction in the number of components in systems. This is typically done by combining fluid-handling and sensor functions into multifunction components. A three-function switch monitors the differential pressure condition across the filter element while separately monitoring the discharge gauge pressure and temperature. In similar applications, the switch monitors the flow rate through any device with a known pressure drop while separately monitoring the downstream outlet pressure to assure flow and proper gauge pressure. The company offers other multifunction switches that separately monitor overpressure and underpressure conditions.

Reduced ignition source couplings

Hydraflow is offering a new series of reduced ignition source (RIS) couplings that are electrically self-bonded and self-locking, eliminating the need for external bonding jumper wires and external locking wires. The couplings feature a hard, conductive, and very corrosion-resistant coating that provides its own lubricity thread to thread, providing a dramatic improvement in the electrical conductive path from nut to body by allowing the current to flow directly through the threads instead of select contact points. This has reduced resistance to the 2-4 mOhm level and has proven to pass extremely high levels of lightning currents in both waveform component A and B.

In addition to the couplings, the company offers the RIS 16F48 and 14F48 flanges, which are also coated with the same hard metallic material as the RIS couplings. The coating is harder than the bonding springs of the coupling and cannot be removed by flexing action. An additional insulating coating is applied to select areas to eliminate the potential for sparking at any contact point on the two flanges inside the coupling during a lightning strike.

When integrated with the 16F48 and 14F48 flanges, the RIS series couplings have been successfully tested at higher lightning current levels than couplings employing external bonding jumper wires. According to Hydraflow, the couplings are currently flying on the Boeing 717, C-17 military transport, and have been selected for the new Embraer ERJ-170/190 jet transports.

Modular data-acquisition system

Thales Heim Data Systems Inc. has introduced the DiSC6, its latest new product in the popular Racal-Heim A-Series data-acquisition systems. DiSC6 is a robust portable unit with flexible system modularity suitable for mobile and stationary applications. Integrated options allow the system to be used as a pure signal-processing front-end for online PC data acquisition or as a fully integrated instrumentation data recorder. All signal-conditioning modules available for the many sensor types used with the existing A-Series systems can also be integrated in the new DiSC6 system. The unit features six module slots that can be extended to 12; 1-36 or 1-72 input channels; 1280 kHz system total sampling rate; integrated signal conditioning for multiple sensors; RPM impulse channels; and digital channels.

Self-lubricated bearing material

PSI Bearings/Rexnord has begun offering the Rexlon 2000 self-lubricated material for high-performance aerospace bearing applications. The material is a polymeric composite offering lower cost and full machinability not available with conventional fabric-backed liners. It can be sprayed or molded to most metallic surfaces to provide a bearing surface with vibration dampening, minimal friction and wear, and an operating temperature range of -65 to +325°F. The company has announced that Rexlon 2000 is now qualified to MIL-B-81934 and will soon be qualified to MIL-B-81820.

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