NSN Target Blog

Bearings are crucial components in various types of machinery, ranging in application from everyday appliances to high-performance equipment. Such hardware serves to facilitate smooth motion and reduce friction between moving parts, and among the various types of bearings available, two common varieties that stand out are roller bearings and ball bearings. Understanding the differences between these two components is essential for engineers, designers, and anyone interested in mechanical components, ensuring that proper investment and use can be carried out.

Aircraft reciprocating engines, often coming in the form of radial engines, propel countless airplanes through the sky. While pilots control the aircraft from the cockpit, a complex network of components ensures that the engine operates efficiently and safely to generate thrust. Among the crucial components of a reciprocating engine system, the exhaust system plays a pivotal role. It is a sophisticated network of components designed to manage the flow of exhaust gasses effectively, making it essential for basic operations. 

In the realm of aviation, the efficient operation of an aircraft's engine is crucial for safe and successful flights. One aspect that plays a significant role in achieving optimal engine performance is the cooling system. In the same vein, the exhaust system plays an equally important role in maintaining engine functionality and ensuring a safe operating environment. 

There are a wide range of variables that have a major impact on our lives such as the pace of a car, the temperature in a house, and the speed of wind. Though often overlooked, these variables are continuously monitored by electronic devices called transducers in various settings. In fact, any device that can transform one type of energy into another is referred to as a transducer. Electrical transducers in particular convert physical quantities into electrical ones, one example being the conversion of voltage into electrical current.

Hydraulic systems are common on a number of aircraft, allowing for the properties of compressed fluids to be harnessed for the means of creating a source of mechanical force. In order to do this, hydraulic systems rely on a number of assembly parts that range from hydraulic pumps that pressurize fluids to the actuators that utilize their force. 

Power transmission is an important aspect of many types of machinery, allowing for one type of energy to be harnessed from a source and transformed into another form of energy like mechanical power or force. Out of all power transfer mediums, the belt and pulley assembly continues to be regarded as one of the most common and cheapest methods and is present in many industries and machinery across the globe. Belt and pulley assemblies often rely on the energy produced by an electrical or mechanical generator to harness rotational motion, and this power is transferred through the belt to another device to act as a power source. 

While most airplanes people fly in are commercial aircraft with jet engines as their source for generating thrust, some aircraft today still rely on propellers to generate thrust. Upon first glance, a propeller aircraft might appear outdated, but in reality the technology that makes these aircraft fly is both impressive and modern. 

The technology that goes into making flight possible is incredibly complex, and aviation is one of the more recent innovations to revolutionize our way of life as human beings. Previously a tool used for military transportation, people have only had the ability to fly for a little over a century. Unsurprisingly, there is a great deal of technology that goes into making functional aircraft, and in fact an entire team of certified aviation welding technicians is needed to make an aircraft fully safe and functional. As such, exploring all aspects of flight in a single blog would be futile, but a basic understanding of two major components will offer you a better overall understanding of how flight is possible. Together, the aircraft engine and the landing gear work to provide the power and safety required from takeoff to landing.

Motor mounts are a common type of component found in automobiles or machines that contain engines and chassis, and they are installed in assemblies for the means of absorbing shock, vibration, and noise. Having such byproducts of operation mitigated is important for the health of a system to uphold optimal operating values and prevent an early breakdown. With various types of motor mounts being available, it can be difficult to determine which may be best for your needs. To help in this endeavor, we will provide a brief overview of the most common options and their unique uses.

When you are looking to regulate the flow of a fluid, a valve functions to control, guide, direct, and modulate such a substance in a system. There are multiple types of valves on the market, all of which offer specific advantages for different applications. In aircraft, a ball valve is used in the piping of the aircraft altimeter to control flow within the system for accurate pressure readings. This blog will take a closer look at the ball valve design so that you may better understand its functions, applications, and various designs.

The determination of an airplane's altitude by a pilot is paramount for several operational necessities, such as maintaining a safe distance from other in-flight aircraft, landing estimation, and terrain clearance. There are six types of altitude that are of navigational importance in this context, those of which include true altitude (TA), calibrated altitude (CA), density altitude (DA), pressure altitude (PA), indicated altitude, and absolute altitude.

There are various power sources used across systems in numerous industries, and each system is named for its power source. For example, a pneumatic system depends on pneumatic power which is generated by compressed air. The energy generated by this air powers movement in other parts of the pneumatic system, such as the spring inside of an actuator. The exact pressure and rate of airflow inside a pneumatic system must be regulated carefully because this directly determines the amount of power running through the system. Therefore, the very important function of a pneumatic valve or directional control valve is to regulate the air powering the entire system.

Fasteners are some of the most important elements of an aircraft, serving to secure parts together to form robust and reliable assemblies. Depending on the assembly in question, its various requirements, and environmental conditions, there are a number of specialized fasteners that may be used. For sections such as the airframe, fasteners like solid shank rivets are useful for their ability to create permanent attachments with ample strength so that they can undertake various stressors. Solid shank rivets typically require access to both sides of an assembly for installation, meaning that they are harder to use where space and access is restricted. For such sections, there is a solution in the form of specialized rivets known as blind rivets, and we will discuss them in more detail.

Supporting enormous weight and landing forces, landing gear is an incredible piece of aircraft engineering. Though they are critical aircraft components, most people do not understand their complexity. Not only do they account for roughly 7% of the maximum takeoff weight, but they also prevent the fuselage from abruptly hitting the ground.

An actuator is an electric component within a machine that moves and controls a system. Using an energy source and control signal such as current or voltage, human power, hydraulic liquid force, or pneumatics, hydraulic actuators can serve a diverse set of applications.

A gas turbine is an advanced form of an internal combustion engine that has found use in various vehicles, namely aircraft. Being the most widely used propulsion system for commercial aircraft, the gas turbine is an important system to understand for anyone interested in aviation. In this blog, we will discuss the function, history, and applications of the gas turbine in aviation.

Hobbyists, gamers, and enterprise users of PCs and laptops usually have one thing in common; they want to optimize the performance of their system.  While many variables play into performance, one that is becoming exceedingly important is the graphics card. Whether an engineer is trying to visualize a 3D model or a microscopist is hoping to visualize fluorescent enhanced cells in real-time, the specifications of graphics cards can make or break a project. With this in mind, understanding the various specifications required for a graphic card's optimal performance is essential for anyone trying to build or upgrade their computer or laptop. In this blog, we will discuss several important factors one should consider when seeking a graphics card.

The search for a perfect bearing can often be a daunting task, bearing catalogs regularly featuring countless numbers, letters, and codes that many may be unfamiliar with. As the choice of bearings can easily make the difference between smooth operations and failing assemblies, it is crucial that one has a basic understanding of bearing systems, their numbers, and codes. In this blog, we will provide a brief overview of such practices, ensuring that you can find an optimal fit for your needs.

Bearings are components that are crucial to the efficient operations of countless systems, constraining motion while mitigating the friction that occurs between surfaces that move across one another. For rolling element bearings to efficiently operate with long and reliable service-lives, they require ample lubrication. Lubricants ensure that moving parts are separate from one another, making it so that rollers and raceways face little wear and tear over time. To achieve an ideal protective film, a bearing must have the right type of lubrication added.

While aircraft powered by electricity is the future that many engineers seek to obtain, most current models operate through the combustion of fuel and air mixtures. Whether using the combustion of fuel and air mixtures for powering propellers or to create thrust through increasing the velocity of exhaust gases, all internal combustion engines must vent their spent gases in the form of exhaust. The aircraft exhaust system can often vary depending upon the aircraft in question and the design of its engine, though there are a number of ways in which they can remain similar. In this blog, we will discuss some common design features of the aircraft exhaust system, allowing you to better understand how they are built and maintained.

Secondary data storage is paramount for the standard operations of a computer, allowing for files, pictures, programs, and other forms of data to be retained over time. Hard drives commonly serve as the most widely used secondary data storage types for building PCs, typically coming in the form of hard disk drives (HDD), SATA, and solid state drives (SSD). As each device varies in its construction, capabilities, advantages, and disadvantages, having a general understanding of each and how they compare to one another is beneficial when making a purchasing decision.

Modern cell phones have radically changed how we interact with the digital world, allowing users to access features of the internet anywhere they can receive a connection. This accessibility has made the internet more convenient for users, allowing them to conduct business, connect with others, find entertainment, and much more. While many have long grown accustomed to the benefits of portable internet provided by cell phones, such features have only been made possible through advances in mobile network technology.

A Host Bus Adapter card, or HBA card, is a circuit board or integrated circuit adapter that provides physical connectivity between a host system, such as a computer or server, and networks and storage devices. In addition to physical connectivity, an HBA card also performs input and output (I/O) processing. With the addition of an HBA adapter card, the host computer’s microprocessor is no longer required to perform data storage and retrieval operations, therefore resulting in a performance boost.

An infrared sensor is an electronic device used to sense characteristics of its surroundings, either by emitting or detecting infrared radiation. Infrared sensors are also able to measure the heat of an object and detect motion. Infrared technology is found throughout many industries as well as every-day life. For example, TVs use infrared to receive signals from the remote. Infrared sensors have many benefits, the primary of those being their low power requirements, simple circuitry, and portable features.

Laminating is a method of preserving important documents and papers such as report covers, certificates, checklists & safety instructions, ID & business cards, photographs, posters, signage, and more. In this context, laminatior typically involves attaching a plastic cover over a piece of paper, usually for the purpose of guarding it against damage and ensuring it stays in good condition for as long as possible. The plastic coating also helps enhance color and presentability, in addition to providing a wipe-clean surface allowing you to mark the surface with dry-erase pens.

Despite the terms modem and router often being used interchangeably, they are different devices. Although they look similar and both provide access to the internet, they use different technologies and function differently. This blog will take a look at both modems and routers and provide some details to help differentiate the two.

The Global Positioning System, otherwise known as GPS, is a radionavigation system powered by satellites that surround the globe. First launched in 1978, GPS allows for users to receive geolocation and time information with the use of a GPS receiver. As GPS systems have become widely available for consumer, commercial, and industrial sectors at low costs over the last couple decades, our ability to navigate the world has been revolutionized. As GPS navigation is commonly used for countless applications, understanding its history and use is extremely beneficial for anyone traveling long distances or in unfamiliar territory.

Memory cards are widely used in a number of professional and personal settings. As devices like smartphones and cameras have a finite amount of storage, users often supplement them with memory cards for added data storage capability. Like any form of data storage media, memory cards are susceptible to many problems. Furthermore, if the card malfunctions, the internal card will likely be in danger as well. As such, regular backup of your memory card is suggested. Backups will have an especially beneficial effect in the event of data corruption. Beyond data corruption, there are many issues that your memory card can encounter. This blog will cover the eight most common memory card problems and how to solve them.

The aircraft exhaust system is a crucial element of flight, providing the ability to expel exhaust gases for the safety of the engine, its surrounding components, and personnel on board. While the exhaust system is paramount for preventing the build up of carbon monoxide and dangerous pressure, it also has a direct effect on many aircraft engines and their performance.