In the realm of aviation, drag is an aerodynamic force that constantly acts against an aircraft as it traverses the sky. As a type of restrictive force, drag opposes the motion of an aircraft, causing it to lose airspeed. There are multiple types of drag that one may experience during a flight operation, and each differs in its source and characteristics. As a pilot will regularly face all types of drag during their career, it can be extremely beneficial to be aware of each type and their cause.
When implementing numerous electronic systems in a single location, whether for an office or entertainment center, the amount of cables needed for all devices can take up space and quickly necessitate management for proper organization. To best organize cables, three common cable management solutions are commonly used. These include heat shrink tubing, cold shrink tubing, and electrical tape. To help you find which type is best suited for your particular needs, we will discuss each.
A blind rivet, otherwise known as a POP rivet, is a specialized fastener that assists personnel in the assembly of components where there is no access to the rear side of the joint. Standard rivets feature a solid shank and hat, capable of being installed into an assembly by having their tail-end passed through a preformed hole prior to being deformed with the use of a tool. This deformity results in a second head being produced at the rear of the assembly, requiring the individual to conduct the deformation from the opposite side of the assembly. With a blind rivet, however, a tool may be used to pull the mandrel against the hat, allowing for pressure and expansion to increase until the rivet is fully installed.
Hydraulics are extremely useful for a number of applications, providing large amounts of power that can be used for actuating and driving systems. Hydraulics are also commonly exposed to numerous environmental conditions, often coming into contact with dust, dirt, debris, and other various substances. If these contaminants enter hydraulic cylinders and other assembly components, performance can be lost and such equipment may even begin to face damage. With the use of devices known as wiper seals, cylinders and other components can be protected from contaminants with ease.
Access doors are a standard element of countless building and assembly designs, regularly implemented for the means of permitting access to spaces behind walls, floors, or ceilings. While some may be as large as an individual, a majority of access doors are much smaller as they are typically intended for reaching smaller spaces directly behind the door. Despite access doors varying in construction depending upon their application and design, most are fitted to align with the installation surface for practical and visual reasons. Depending on one's applications and needs, there are numerous common access door types, each with unique designs and features. To help you find the best fit for your particular needs, we will provide a brief overview of the most common access door types.
When designing a pneumatic system, there are many options for the system’s tubing. Depending on its use, the tubing material could vary widely.
An accumulator is a device that is capable of storing energy, and its functionality is made possible through the compression of dry inert gases within a container that is open to hydraulic oils or other incompressible fluids. Present in numerous industries, hydraulic accumulators are often either bladder type or floating piston type, though other variations may exist. In this blog, we will provide a brief overview of hydraulic accumulators, allowing you to best understand how they function and how they may be used.
When utilizing navigation and guidance systems for autopilot, safety systems, and other such devices, a hardware component known as an accelerometer serves as one of the most important parts of the assembly. As an electromechanical device capable of measuring acceleration forces, static forces, dynamic forces, and speed changes can all be accurately captured for various applications. With the importance that accelerometers serve for aircraft, ships, automobiles, and various electronics, understanding their uses and functionalities is crucial for anyone regularly operating such systems.
An aircraft fairing is a structure that serves to produce a smooth outline and diminish drag on aircraft surfaces. Fairing's primary functions are as covers for gaps and spaces between parts of an aircraft to reduce both form drag and interference drag while improving appearance.
While rockets and their engines can seem immensely more powerful and complex as compared to aircraft engines, their method of operation is actually somewhat similar. As is with all reaction engines, rockets produce thrust through the ejection of materials in accordance to Newton's third law of motion. As such, rockets utilize the combustion of reactive chemicals in order to create the propulsive force needed to achieve acceleration.