Provider of flexible shaft products, S.S. White Technologies is supplying flexible shafts that transmit power to the hydraulic-activated Thrust Reverser Actuation Systems (TRAS) on Delta Airlines’ Pratt & Whitney GTF turbofan engines to power their first Airbus A321neo aircraft. Delta is committed to purchase a total of 155 Airbus A321neo platforms through 2027.
S. S. White flexible rotary shafts deliver synchronized actuation power and play a key role in the successful and critical operation of the GTF TRAS. When the aircraft has landed, the TRAS is activated and redirects the engine thrust by exposing deflecting vanes along the sides of the engine nacelles. These deflectors force the jet thrust to exit forward working with the wheel braking system to help slow the ground speed of the aircraft.
S.S. White provides a set of flexible rotary shafts per GTF TRAS that transfer power to synchronize the hydraulic actuators that open the thrust reverser units upon landing. These same flexible rotary shafts also help lock the TRAS system to prevent any inadvertent engagement during flight.
In addition, all aerospace flexible shaft products are designed to one of the industry’s highest performance criteria by utilizing a unique computer modeling software program developed by S.S. White called PERFLEXION. This program allows the design engineers to more fully model the behavioral characteristics of the wire bundles within the shaft core and arrive at an optimum product that provides maximum bending flexibility and torsion strength while allowing minimal torsion deflection with up to a 30% improvement above current industry standards.
Filed Under: Aerospace + defense