Components like motors, bearings and drives are subject to harsh environments on Earth, but they must be at the top of their game to enjoy space travel. Recent applications from Maxon Motors (Return to Mars) and the University of Michigan (Robotic Legs) illustrate the incredible requirements it takes to handle applications in space and how these components can be utilized here on Earth.

Rolls-Royce is pioneering the UltraFan engine family architecture containing a planetary gearbox in a power range of 15 to 80 megawatts. To increase the efficiency of the UltraFan, a planetary gearbox is introduced between fan and intermediate pressure compressor. This enables running the turbine to rotate faster and allows a reduced fan speed.

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In planetary gear systems of high power density and high gear ratio, helical gears create undesirable tilting moments on the planet gears; therefore, spur gears are still preferred for planetary gears -- a special challenge with respect to noise. Specifically, the different behavior of planetary gears with sequential and symmetric gear mesh is explained in this paper.

We all want to know the answer to this question as it tells us as a business where to invest our R&D development, steers us to consider what ke...

In a research project at the Vienna University of Technology, the KISSsoft design software was used to check a new drivetrain concept and the micro-geometry of the bevel gear stage for a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle).

Caption: Wear and friction data from application testing on two grades of PEEK.

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Forget the IIoT and Industry 4.o buzzwords. We're not interested in 10 to 15 years down the road or what the factory of the future is going to look...

Modern aircraft, missiles and space vehicles employ a large number of electric motors and actuators. While the basic design of these motors is in many respects very similar to that of their automotive and industrial counterparts, motors for aerospace applications differ significantly in some areas.