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Pressure transmitters are widely used in automotive, aerospace, and industrial settings, where precise pressure readings for fluids are vital. From maintaining the proper operation of hydraulic systems to monitoring environmental conditions, these devices are key to the smooth functioning of various complex machinery and systems. In this blog, we will explore how pressure transmitters work, delving into their working principles and the different types available.

When one is working with various electronic systems and devices, it is often necessary to have an understanding of the distinction between AC and DC power to ensure that proper power supplies are used. Both types of power are fundamental to the operation of various electrical components and electronic circuits, yet they serve different purposes and exhibit unique characteristics. In this blog, we will provide a brief overview of AC and DC power supplies, as well as discuss their typical uses.

Internal combustion engines, the mechanical hearts of a myriad of vehicles, are intricate systems comprising various components working in unison to generate power. Each engine part plays a specific role, contributing to the overall functionality and efficiency of the engine. In this comprehensive exploration, we will delve into the functions of key engine components, from cylinder blocks to turbochargers.

Aircraft landing gear, an essential component of any aircraft, plays a crucial role in ensuring safe takeoffs and landings. This complex system is designed to support the aircraft's weight on the ground, absorb shock during landing, and provide maneuverability on the runway. While the basic purpose of all assemblies remains the same, there are various types of landing gear systems designed to cater to different aircraft needs. In this blog, we will delve into the subject of landing gear components, exploring the diverse types of landing gear systems used in the aviation industry.

Used in a wide range of industries and applications, centrifugal compressors are devices that play a crucial role in compressing gasses to higher pressures. From gas turbines to turbochargers, these machines provide efficient compression by utilizing centrifugal force. To better understand these complex apparatuses, we will delve into the inner workings of centrifugal compressors by exploring their parts, function, and advantages.

If you have worked with and around various forms of industrial machinery and vehicles, you may be familiar with gearboxes and their uses. For those that are not, gearboxes are often an essential element of countless mechanical operations, allowing for mechanical energy to be transmitted with controlled speed and torque for the benefit of properly driving something. Whether found in a paper manufacturing plant, steel production machine, or an aircraft, gearboxes often share many similarities which can make it beneficial to have a basic understanding of their general design and use.

Actuators and sensors are two very common parts in machine assemblies, and they often work in combination with one another due to the way their characteristics align. Often, a sensor can be used as the input of a machine, while the actuator can function as the output. Therefore, they are often used in machines which must respond to environmental conditions with a physical action. In this blog, we discuss the major differences between actuators and sensors so that you may best use them within an assembly.

Phones, cars, robots and more have something in common: they require machinery called actuators to create motion. Electric actuators are geared motors with varying voltages that create torque, or movement. They are broken into three parts: an electrical winding, armature, and gear train. Simply put, the winding takes in the power supply, which creates a magnetic field that causes the armature to rotate constantly while supplied with power. The gear train works with the motor to create an optimal amount of torque and to control its speed.

Alternators are key components in an aircraft that help power the electronics onboard. Rather than working independently, most alternators function alongside different control systems that ensure that the device is working effectively. All of these devices, including the constant speed drive (CSD), hydraulic transmission, bus power control unit (BPCU), and the generator control unit (GCU), will be discussed in this blog along with a general description of the alternators they support.

Altimeters are one of the most important instruments that can be found in the cockpit of an aircraft, allowing for a pilot to always be aware of their altitude or height above sea level. There are many reasons that a pilot would want to know their altitude, ranging from needing to remain high enough for ample performance to avoiding any possible collision with elevated terrain like mountain ranges. While many aircraft vary in the exact type of altimeter that may be present, almost all work in the same basic way. As any pilot will no doubt need to know their altimeter in and out to safely and optimally fly, we will discuss their functionality and importance below.

When one is working with an electrical circuit, it is important that various parameters can be measured as needed to ensure that everything is functioning as intended. Generally, some of the most important parameters that one will monitor are potential difference, current, and resistance; these values can be determined through the use of specialized instruments and tools. Voltmeters and multimeters are two instruments relied on by many electricians to conduct their readings, and while both tools have some overlapping features, it is important to understand the functionality of each to determine when it is best to use one or the other.

On any commercial flight, windows are always sealed and often equipped with an additional layer of plexiglass for extra protection. In the case of a fire, where clearing smoke out of the cabin seems essential, the windows remain closed. Keeping the windows closed on aircraft protects passengers and aircrew from the wind and noise produced from cruising at 600 miles-per-hour.

Without rotors, helicopters cannot achieve flight. In fact, helicopters necessitate two rotors, though the configuration of those two rotors varies. Today, helicopters benefit from two different designs, those of which are single rotor and coaxial rotor variations. The single rotor design is the most common, but its name is deceiving. Single rotor helicopters actually have two rotors, but one of them is located on the tail. Coaxial rotor helicopters, on the other hand, do not have a tail rotor. Instead, they have two main rotors that lift the aircraft and steer as well.

In a contained system, pressure can be defined as a value against absolute or atmospheric pressure, and can also be quantified as the differential value between the applied forces of 2 distinct points. As such, a differential pressure (DP) transmitter is an instrument used for measuring the differential value between two distinct points in a vessel or a pipe.

When inspecting the AC input side of a power supply circuit, you may notice the presence of a small, orange or blue-colored component that is circular. This part is known as a metal-oxide varistor (MOV), that of which is the most common varistor found in circuit assemblies. Varistors are used for protection against excessive transient voltages or for achieving optimal operating conditions, and the metal-oxide varistor is one that can adjust its resistance in accordance with the voltage applied across. Metal-oxide varistors are typically used together with fuses for the protection of circuits against voltage spikes. To help you better understand such components and find the right fit for your needs, we will discuss metal oxide varistors and their design in more detail.

 An aircraft’s landing gear is a complex system of structural members, hydraulics, energy absorption components, wheels, and tires that either extend or retract upon landing or takeoff. Of all its components, it is the structural members that support the weight of the aircraft and withstand the heavy landing loads. Landing gear is available in varying designs, each of which has different weight, volume, and performance requirements. With this in mind, this blog will provide a brief overview of landing gear.

Motor starters are electro-mechanical devices that start or stop electric motors through the use of manual or automatic switches, and offer overload protection to motor circuits. Moreover, they are usually utilized in cases where electric motors are operated over a certain horsepower.

Fasteners are important for the assembly of parts, allowing them to be temporarily or permanently joined together. Depending on the application and one’s particular needs, there are a number of fastener types, each with its own unique designs and capabilities. Stud bolts, or threaded rods, are a common component that comes in the form of a rod with external threading on each end, and they are often used in tension. In this blog, we will discuss stud bolts in detail, allowing you to better understand their types, capabilities, and applications.

While fasteners are essential for securing two or more surfaces together, there are instances when specialized fasteners are required to improve connectivity between parts being joined. As fasteners vary in design, material, and application method, it is crucial that one understands how different fasteners work to provide an accurate assessment of parts when maintaining specialized equipment. Frequently referred to as a blind screw or grub screw, set screws are a particular type of fastener which can serve as a detent or be used to join two or more objects together. Simplifying processes by providing individuals with concise and easy-to-use solutions to what used to require complex solutions, set screws do not depend upon nuts, and are available in headless alternatives depending on where they are applied. Within this blog, we will discuss regularly used set screws and how each type functions, that way you may better understand such parts and when they should be considered in lieu of standard fasteners.

The pitot static system is a network of pressure-sensitive pipes, sensors, and instruments that determine an aircraft’s airspeed, Mach number, altitude, and much more. All these measurements are displayed on calibrated instruments for the pilot to analyze and interpret.

Within the realm of fasteners, nuts are a hardware component that feature a threaded hole. Most often paired with mating bolts, nuts may be used to secure multiple parts together through the means of thread friction, bolt stretching, and part compression. Coming in a variety of forms, different nuts may be procured to accommodate a range of assemblies and needs. To help you familiarize yourself with common options, we will provide a brief overview of the most widely used variations.

Captive fasteners are a specialized fastener type, capable of achieving a permanent hold of an assembly even during servicing procedures. Captive fasteners can create a hold through a number of methods, taking advantage of thread locking, press-fitting, or broaching for ample security. Additionally, some captive fasteners may even meld with the material they are joined to if welding or cold forming is carried out. To best understand how captive fasteners can be beneficial for various applications, we will discuss some of the most common types that may be used for installations.

A threaded insert, or threaded bushing, is a fastener component that may be installed in the surface of a component for the means of establishing a threaded hole. While threaded inserts may commonly be used for threaded hole repair, they may also increase the durability of softer materials, enable holes to be established in thin materials, avoid machining requirements, or be used to shift between unified and metric threads. In order to optimally install such components, a tool known as a threaded insert riveter is commonly used.

A typical aircraft will contain a plethora of fasteners, each specifically employed for varying means such as securing components, installing assemblies, and much more. Dzus fasteners in particular are common to aircraft construction, and they are regularly implemented for the means of attaching removable skin panels onto aircraft and other high-performance vehicles. As Dzus fasteners present an ease of installation for aircraft fixtures, understanding their use and common types can be helpful when searching for the right fit for a particular application.

A rechargeable battery is a type of electrical battery that may be discharged and recharged multiple times, rather than serving as a one-time use power source. As a common component of countless electronic devices, electric vehicle systems, and aircraft, it is important that rechargeable batteries are well managed and protected to ensure their continued efficiency and functionality over many cycles. With a device known as a battery management system (BMS) a rechargeable battery may be managed for the means of protection, monitoring, control, and more.

While there are various aircraft that may be unpressurized, the majority of commercial airliners and business aircraft will utilize a pressurization system for the benefit of passengers and crew members. At the high altitudes that many aircraft operate at, the presence of low air pressure can result in insufficient oxygen density that is hazardous to individuals. While an oxygen tank may be used to combat this, such solutions are not efficient for aircraft in which many individuals are aboard. As such, the pressurization control system is implemented for numerous aircraft in order to protect all individuals from hypoxia.

Resistors are electronic devices that are designed to impede the flow of current running through their bodies, allowing for the protection of sensitive electronics while also opening up the opportunity to control and manage voltage values for specific applications. As a technology that was first invented in 1959, resistors now serve almost all electrical circuits. With a variety of resistor types featuring different constructions, materials, tolerance values, and other characteristics, finding the correct type often depends on the specific needs of the operation. In this blog, we will discuss the carbon film and metal oxide film resistor in particular, allowing you to best understand the differences between two very common electrical circuit components.

For aircraft to achieve heavier-than-air flight and provide the benefits of rapid global travel, they harness the forces of aerodynamics. By manipulating airflow with various structures and surfaces, a sufficient amount of lift can be created under the wings to allow the aircraft to ascend and glide. With flight control surfaces known as flaps, pilots can further manipulate the aerodynamic forces exerted on the aircraft, allowing them to increase lift as needed. While the use of flaps may vary by aircraft, they typically allow for operations to be conducted at lower speeds and distances than would be needed without them.

Fixtures and jigs are two devices used to reduce the down time of mass production processes. As such, the two terms are frequently used interchangeably. Despite this, functionally speaking, they are different tools. This blog will look at fixtures and jigs, their types, uses, and differences.

With the advent of automatic transmissions and the implementation of various hydraulic components, cars no longer rely on clutches and gear shifts for their operation. Rather, the automatic transmission system utilizes a hydraulic torque converter, that of which is a fluid coupling that allows for the engine's torque to be transformed and transmitted to the transmission system. As such, hydraulic torque converters allow for smoother operations of vehicles, providing various benefits with their use.

In many civilian and military aircraft, having an oxygen system is critical for the safety and well-being of all on board. This is due to the extreme altitudes and conditions that aircraft often operate in where oxygen levels and temperatures can be dangerously low. To ensure the safety and comfort of all, many aircraft utilize pressurized cabins and supply oxygen in order to provide an environment that is closer to sea level. In this blog, we will discuss the various methods in which oxygen is supplied to passengers and pilots across various applications and aircraft types.