Aerospace + defense

Connectors in hypersonic missiles need to be small and lightweight and provide robust signal integrity for high-speed connectivity. The challenge is to provide the required performance and durability while enduring extremely high temperatures and high levels of shock and vibration. This article briefly examines the inside of a hypersonic missile and its operating environment. It […]

Silicon Sensing Systems Ltd and Japan’s leading science and technology university, Science Tokyo, have collaboratively conducted a program to test the capabilities of the company’s DMU41 inertial measurement unit (IMU) for low earth orbit (LEO) space applications. The test program explored the use of the high-performance DMU41 for space platform guidance and attitude control in…

Able Electropolishing has been awarded AS9100:2016 certification for compliance with aerospace and defense industry quality management standards. Its customers include industry-leading aerospace, medical device, and automobile manufacturers. The AS9100:2016 standard requires rigorous on-site auditing and inspection, followed by annual surveillance audits to ensure adherence to all requirements, including conformity to customer, statutory, and regulatory requirements for…

Samtec announces the availability of its SLH/TLH Series printed circuit board (PCB) to board (B2B) connectors that offer an ultra-low mated stack height down to 2 mm (.078″) and support 28 Gbps NRZ performance. SLH/TLH PCB board-to-board connectors are part of Samtec’s Ultra Micro line of products that maximize overall space and offer reliable connections […]

Silicon Sensing Systems’ DMU30 high-performance inertial measurement unit (IMU) continues to perform within the control system of Japan’s first X-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) small satellite from the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space Inc. (iQPS) of Fukuoka, Japan. On board the iQPS satellite, the DMU30 commences operation immediately after separation from the launch rocket…

Master Bond EP3HT-LO is a single-component, non-premixed and non-frozen, heat-cured epoxy with an unlimited working life at room temperature. This system passes ASTM E595 tests for NASA low outgassing, making it well-suited for use in the aerospace, electronic, microelectronic, and optical industries. EP3HT-LO features a good strength profile, with a lap shear strength of 1,600…

NewTek custom designs linear position sensors for companies that can no longer source replacement LVDTs from original suppliers.  As LVDT manufacturers discontinue specific lines of position sensors or no longer offer small volumes of custom LVDTs, companies find it hard or even impossible to get replacements.  NewTek offers a solution by bringing back to life […]

Spherical air bearings are extensively used for testing satellites’ attitude control systems. They provide a zero-gravity environment by allowing frictionless motion in three degrees of freedom (DOF) to simulate pitch, roll, and yaw movements. This capability is vital for testing how satellites will behave in the weightlessness of space without expensive and complex simulations, such…

Able Electropolishing, the world’s largest electropolishing specialist, has acquired new in-house laboratory equipment that significantly enhances its analytic and testing capabilities. This equipment further improves the precision and effectiveness of electropolishing in improving the finish, fit, and function of critical metal parts made from a wide variety of metal alloys, including stainless steel, aluminum, and…

In coordination with digital manufacturing leader Protolabs, engineers at NASA recently showcased the power of their AI-driven design tool at the PowerSource Global Summit, an annual conference bringing together technology leaders across disciplines. On the first day of the conference, NASA engineers challenged attendees to provide inputs for generative design to create a prototype apparatus…

Mobix Labs Inc. has launched new EMI filtered ARINC 404 and ARINC 600 connectors for defense and aerospace applications. These connectors can be customized with planar arrays, ceramic Pi Tubes, or chip capacitors to meet military specifications, balancing cost, quality, and performance. The connectors are designed to provide reliable performance with EMI filtering options to […]

Indexable inserts are interchangeable cutting tools that are indispensable in various industrial applications, especially in metalworking. They are used as cutting material carriers for machining metals, plastics or wood. Their manufacture requires high-precision production processes to ensure an exact geometry and perfect surface finish. Even minimal deviations affect not only the service life but also […]

Vaupell’s (a group company of Sumitomo Bakelite Co., Ltd.) R&D & Engineering teams have been able to demonstrate the ability to meet the high-performance standards required for aerospace applications and are working very closely with major OEMs in order to qualify and introduce these new products by the end of the year. Vaupell’s teams have developed…

Space Forge will launch ForgeStar-1, its in-orbit manufacturing demonstration satellite equipped with Silicon Sensing’s CAS291 accelerometer. This follows a program of testing and development in satellite vehicles. ForgeStar satellites will help produce advanced materials such as alloys, proteins, and semiconductors in ultra-vacuum and microgravity space conditions. These are the first satellites designed and built in…

Boeing will now distribute about 1,000 additional actuation and propulsion system products. Boeing continues to expand its exclusive distributor partnership with Ontic. Through a new 10-year distribution agreement, Boeing will add to its offerings the TRAS (thrust reverser actuation system) and PECU (propeller electronic control unit) product lines – approximately 1,000 actuation and propulsion system…

By Roopinder Tara Airport runway crashes are increasingly common. Automated systems could address the problem. The January 2, 2024 incident at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport involved a Japanese Airlines’ A350 landing and ramming a fuel-laden Japanese Coast Guard plane on the runway ended with all 379 people aboard the A350 safely disembarking. It’s a miracle that…

Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions are rarely executed in controlled laboratory environments — quite the opposite. The platforms — from airborne drones to terrestrial and underwater remotely piloted vehicles (RPVs) — that carry ISR payloads are often deployed in the harshest conditions and connected to users and operators over wildly inconsistent communication networks. The…

Contributed by Keith Skidmore, Director of Custom Solutions, Sales, Interface When aerospace companies invest billions of dollars to build a spacecraft, they need assurance that their investments are protected. One of the key ways to do this is by force measurement, which provides test and real-time data on the feasibility and safety of lifting major…

Automated Precision Inc. (API) is proud to announce a transformative approach to aerospace manufacturing inspections with its Dynamic 9D LADAR mounted on an autonomous guided vehicle (AGV). The aerospace sector, known for its rigorous quality standards and precision manufacturing requirements, has long sought ways to automate its processes for faster, more accurate data collection. API’s…

S.S. White Technologies, a provider of flexible rotary shafts for the aerospace industry, has been selected by Heroux-Devtek Spain as the supplier of rotary flexible shafts and 90° gearboxes to provide a manual drive for the E-Jet Freighter E195F/E190F- aircraft main deck cargo door. Employing two S. S. White flexible rotary shafts and 90° gearboxes,…

Since Greg Kordalski founded KES Machine LLC, the business has been helping engineering and manufacturing companies maximize productivity and minimize downtime with its accredited calibration and repair services. KES Machine LLC’s technicians help machinists solve geometry errors, lead screw errors, and repeatability concerns. While the company initially focused on CNC service work, in 2008, it…

Boeing announced a distributor agreement with Ontic to support the Staverton product line. The agreement identifies Boeing Distribution (formerly Aviall) as the exclusive distributor of approximately 600 actuation and control products on a range of civil and military aircraft platforms. “We are excited to reach an agreement with Ontic to once again offer these products…

The innovative kite-powered trimaran, called the Sea Rocket, was constructed by a Swiss team of young engineers and sailing enthusiasts, aided by students at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). In 2023, this crew, known as the SP80 team, will attempt to break the world sailing speed record by reaching 80 knots off the coast…

The Mars helicopter team is awarded the Collier Trophy for being the first aircraft to achieve powered, controlled flight on another planet. NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter flies with electric motors from the Swiss company maxon, a provider of precision drives. This prestigious award was presented on June 9th in Washington DC by the National Aeronautic Association…

Provider of flexible shaft products, S.S. White Technologies is supplying flexible shafts that transmit power to the hydraulic-activated Thrust Reverser Actuation Systems (TRAS) on Delta Airlines’ Pratt & Whitney GTF turbofan engines to power their first Airbus A321neo aircraft. Delta is committed to purchase a total of 155 Airbus A321neo platforms through 2027. S. S.…