Ceramic Airframe Bearings.
Abstract
A friction and wear screening program was conducted using silicon nitride rider specimens in contact with various ceramic coatings on titanium. A lubricant reservoir bearing surface developed under a previous contract for a solid ceramic surface was evaluated in this program. Three plain spherical bearing designs were fabricated utilizing a 1 3/8 inch diameter silicon nitride ball. The bearing outer race lubricant reservoirs contained an MoS2 solid lubricant compact and a polyolefin expansion material. Two of the bearing designs were tested under conditions simulating use in a helicopter pitch link bearing application. Tests conducted at Sikorsky resulted in bearing failure after 3 and 6.5 hours of operation. Tests at Vertol resulted in one bearing ball fracture after 100.6 hours of test time. The bearing surfaces on the two other Vertol test bearings were in good operating condition after the 100.6 hour test. It was concluded that the ceramic airframe bearing shows promise for future application but that additional development was required. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1975
- Accession Number
- ADA020170
Entities
People
- Jan W. Vanwyk
Organizations
- Boeing