Aerospace & Defense Technology - May 2024 - 11

Aerospace Materials
The Radio Technical Commission for
Aeronautics (RTCA) established test
procedures and criteria for equipment
susceptible to harsh conditions aboard
the full spectrum of aircraft from light
general aviation aircraft and helicopters
through the largest jets as well as those
capable of supersonic speeds. Known as
RTCA DO-160G, the test standard's 26
sections cover several common environmental
conditions for motors
aboard commercial aircraft.
Some off-the-shelf motion systems
can fall short of meeting RTCA DO-160
test criteria, so it pays to collaborate
with a motion component supplier who
has the technical expertise to custom-engineer
a DC or BLDC motor that
satisfies DO-160G standards and application-specific
requirements. For example,
here are some design considerations
for common harsh aerospace conditions
along with examples of customizations
that a consultative motion specialist
like Portescap can provide.
Shock and vibration. Defined
vibration curves can guide design
decisions in various aircraft applications
and help ensure that the overall
system as well as each of the subcomponents
meet long-term reliability
requirements and survive crash
impacts. Motion systems can be fortified
against vibrations using various
approaches such as potting for slotted
designs and advanced manufacturing
techniques like laser welding during
component assembly.
Temperature. Specify motors, bearings
and gearboxes that can perform
reliably across a wide
-55 to +125°C
operating temperature range typically
required for aerospace environments.
Be sure that bearings and gearboxes
use lubricants that are formulated for
extreme temperatures. Bearings should
also be treated to prevent outgassing.
Humidity and salt fog. A commercial
aircraft will endure many environmental
cycles when traveling back and
forth from elevations of over 30,000
feet. This temperature cycling can
cause moisture buildup on surfaces
and lead to oxidation and damage to
electrical components. To combat corrosion,
specify corrosion-resistant
material for metallic components as
Aerospace & Defense Technology, May 2024
Portescap's 45ECF flat slotted motor. (Image:
Portescap)
Portescap's 16N78 brush DC motor. (Image:
Portescap)
well as special conformal coatings for
PCB protection.
Optimize Your Motor To Meet Your
Specific Requirements
While many motion component suppliers
offer designers a host of standard
products, finding the DC motor that
meets your exact requirements while
also addressing the inherently tough
conditions and unique requirements of
commercial aerospace applications is
seldom easy. When it comes to customized
DC motors, there are certain attributes
to look for in a supplier. They
include a consultative approach to
motor system design, support for integrated
solutions, and flexible design
capabilities to create systems that operate
reliably in harsh environments.
This article was written by Julian
Del Campo, Senior Industry Manager,
Portescap (Westchester, PA). For more
information, visit www.portescap.com.
mobilityengineeringtech.com
11
http://info.hotims.com/86255-748 http://www.portescap.com http://mobilityengineeringtech.com
Aerospace & Defense Technology - May 2024

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