Turbines are fascinating machines that play a pivotal role in generating power across various industries. Their ingenious design allows the conversion of kinetic energy into mechanical energy, which further transforms into electricity, propulsion, or mechanical work. Turbines come in different forms and serve a multitude of applications, variations including gas turbines, steam turbines, water turbines, wind turbines, and hydraulic turbines. In this article, we will delve into the world of turbines, exploring their common types and the wide array of applications that harness their power.


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Over the years, modern jet engines have undergone remarkable advancements, revolutionizing the world of aviation with their impressive power and efficiency. One prominent feature of these particular engines is their large fans, which have become a distinctive characteristic of the turbojet and turbofan engines we see in operation today. In this article, we will delve into the reasoning behind why tremendous sizes are employed for jet fans and why they are integral to the performance and functionality of modern aircraft engine assemblies.


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Modern aircraft are much more complex and robust than their early predecessors, regularly featuring modern landing systems, flight control surfaces, brakes, and other such assemblies that require large amounts of force to be actuated and adjusted. While mechanical linkages were quite popular for a time, many have since been superseded with powerful hydraulic assemblies that rely on an incompressible fluid medium to apply, multiply, and transmit force between spaces. As hydraulics have now become a staple of most light and large aircraft alike, it can be very beneficial to have a basic understanding of their design and functionality.


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Considered mechanical components, engine valves enable or limit the flow of fluid or gas to and from the cylinders or combustion chambers during engine operation. Like other types of valves, they block or allow flow; however, they are exclusively designed to interface with other engine components, such as rock arms. To better understand how they work, this blog will provide a comprehensive overview of engine valves.


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Batteries are devices that are common to countless electrical applications, capable of providing electrical current without requiring any connection to a fixed power source such as a wall plug. Due to their method of supply, batteries supply energy in the form of direct current (DC). While this is harnessable electricity, not every device can take advantage of DC with alternating current (AC) requirements. If this is the case and a battery is still required for operations, then a specialized device known as an inverter battery can be used. While similar to conventional batteries, inverter batteries are able to convert direct current into alternating current that may be used by various appliances during power losses or other situations.


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Since their initial release to the wider commercial market, gas turbine engines have radically changed how many aircraft are designed and operated. There are a variety of gas turbine engine types that have seen use over the years, examples including turbojets, turboshafts, and turbofans. While each of these engine types may vary to a degree, they all share some of the same structural elements and operations, such as how they are initially started for operations. In this blog, we will provide a brief overview of how gas turbine engines are started, allowing you to have a better understanding of them.


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As one of the most widely used hardware types, screws can be found on a wealth of machinery in nearly every industry. In general, they consist of a head and a sharp threaded rod for the purpose of being driven into a surface. To suit an array of tasks, they have been designed with a variety of head types, each with their own benefits. In general, screws can be divided into two groups: countersunk and non-countersunk. Countersunk screws are designed to fit completely flush with a surface whereas non-countersunk screws protrude above it.


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When operating aircraft, pilots should always prioritize safety, backup plans, and redundancy, as flight can be dangerous when not all circumstances are accounted and prepared for. One factor of flight that poses a unique threat is that aircraft are alone in the clouds and contact with a controller or someone on the ground is not guaranteed in all conditions. For example, certain weather conditions result in lost communications by preventing incoming airband radio signals. Regardless of the pilot’s experience level, this situation can be both frightening and dangerous. As built-in radios may fail, it is wise to invest in a portable airband radio for times like this. Starting at under $200, aviation radios can prevent many disastrous situations, so this blog will offer insight on how airband radios function to provide additional safety during flight.


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Aviation is one of the most strictly regulated industries in the world, with thousands of rules in place to help ensure the safety of staff and commuters. In addition to vehicular requirements, such as airworthiness certificates and manufacturing procedures, there are also numerous protocols in place which relate to the operation of aircraft. For pilots of all experience levels and flying classes, one of the most critical to be familiar with is the airspace classification system. This system helps determine flight rules and accessibility for various regions while also governing aircraft behavior at particular altitudes. While there are unique rules implemented internationally, this blog will focus on the distinguishing characteristics of class A airspace in the United States.


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Maintaining aircraft stability is exceptionally complicated since all aircraft operate along three axes compared to other means of transport. As a result, misconceptions are rife in the aviation industry about the essential role of aircraft rudders since their effects are often unnoticeable.


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Wings are considered to be one of the most important parts when it comes to aircraft performance. When most people think of an airplane, they imagine a blueprint with straight wings, but in actuality, this could not be further from the truth. Wings are designed with washout features to prevent airplanes from stalling for almost every aircraft. In addition, they stabilize the aircraft in cases of an emergency, such as losing control of the vehicle.


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Bearings are mechanical elements that are indispensable to a wide number of applications, often serving to bear loads and facilitate the motion of moving parts while mitigating friction. Depending on the application and environment, various bearings may be used. In particular, roller ball bearing components, often referred to as rolling-element or rolling bearings, are those that take on loads through the use of rolling elements that are situated between races. Known for their optimal cost, size, weight, carrying capacity, friction, accuracy, and durability, it can be useful to have a general understanding of rolling-element bearings and their applications.


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A helicopter works by using activated airfoils to create lift, but instead of using traditional wings, the airfoils come in the form of chopper rotor blades. The rotor blade assembly spins at high-speeds, ranging from 400-500 RPM on smaller helicopters, and almost 225 RPM on a huge one depending on its width. Rotors look like thin blades that spin at high speeds to move massive amounts of air to pull the helicopter up. A skilled pilot can fly a helicopter with the ability to take off or land vertically, hover or spin, or drift in one direction, which is impossible in a conventional airplane.


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Carbureted engines have long been used as one of the main power sources for light aircraft. Due to their simple and reliable nature, carbureted engines have been employed as a primary power source on airplanes and motor vehicles for over 100 years. Given their ubiquity and rich history in aviation, it is important for anybody interested in the field to understand how these brilliantly designed engines work. In this blog, we will highlight everything you need to know about the aircraft carburetor.


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Fiber optics have begun revolutionizing the way in which we transfer data, their speeds and reliability far surpassing conventional copper wiring. As optical fibers feature an assembly of glass fibers that transmit data in the form of light, it is important that ample coating is implemented for the protection of the component and for its performance. To properly coat an optical fiber, one must first understand the purpose of coatings, common materials, dimensions, and more.


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As ships spend prolonged periods exploring charted and uncharted waters, it is crucial that both their internal and external structures are properly maintained. Making sure that the frames, cargo holds, propellers, and other structures are in optimal working condition ensures that you will not have to shorten your journey due to improper maintenance or impurities entering your systems. Such impurities can be prevented from entering through the use of filters and strainers. With this in mind, this blog will be covering different types of filters and strainers as well as their applications.


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Control valves play an integral role in establishing and maintaining an efficient process for a number of industrial and commercial applications. More than that, they are tasked to handle all kinds of fluids at varying temperature extremes. When selecting a control valve, you must consider not only your application, but the body style, material, and trim construction design you need.


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A classification of rotary bearing, ball bearings are mechanical tools that facilitate three main functions of moving parts when attached to a rotating assembly. Critical for carrying loads, reducing friction, and positioning parts, ball bearings also come in a variety of designs for optimal placement within an assembly. Of the many types of bearings available, ball bearings are known for their unique, yet simple, structure that is capable of supporting two load types: thrust and radial loads. Consisting of balls with a smooth outer surface encased in one or more rings or raceways, ball bearings dramatically reduce friction so long as each type is used for their respective applications. For a quick introduction to the many types of ball bearings available, we will go over their common types and how they should be applied to function best in an assembly.


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Within the realm of construction and industrial operations, rigging refers to the processes of transferring equipment around a space with the use of various safety equipment and rigging tools. Taking advantage of the right hardware for a particular job is crucial for efficiency and safety, and there are numerous types of equipment that may be used for a particular need. To better understand how such equipment can be relied on for the safe transportation of various items, we will provide a brief overview of the most common types of rigging hardware.


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While aircraft manufacturers are always searching for ways to improve technologies and structures to achieve more efficient and powerful flight, so too are they seeking greener initiatives to curb airplane emissions. As governments and organizations around the world adopt the importance of limiting heat-trapping emissions that source from operating aircraft, countless initiatives have come about for achieving such goals. Ranging from new fuel types that are more efficient to lighter components that reduce the amount of fuel needed to maintain sufficient lift and speed, many projects seek to find ways in which pollutants may be minimized. In this blog, we will discuss some of the technologies that are being developed to curb airplane emissions, allowing you to better understand the forward path of the aviation industry as a whole.


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