Winter 2017 Newsletter – The Frictionless Air Bearing

Raptor Scientific manufactures large precision air bearings that offer ideal space simulator platforms for testing attitude control systems in satellites and cubesats. Spherical air bearings provide a cable pass-through to allow inter-connection between payloads mounted on opposite ends. Hemispherical air bearings are provided with a bolt pattern on the flat top surface. Our standard bearings are provided with a tilt angle of 10 degrees. We also make custom bearings with tilt angles above 45 degrees.

  • Advantages of air bearings are no friction, no wear – since the bearing is non-contacting, the only friction is the immeasurably small shear force in the air film. Therefore our bearings never wear out.
  • The Raptor Scientific’ air bearing design has outstanding stiffness to small deflections – as opposed to what is commonly thought, air bearings are many times stiffer than ball or roller bearings. The thickness of the air gap is only a few microns and remains stable under heavy loading.
  • No bearing instability – our bearings remain stable over a wide range of loads and pressures.
  • Operate in dirty environments – clean air constantly flows out of the bearing preventing dirt from entering the gap. Air bearings can operate in environments that are too dirty for a ball bearing to survive.
  • Air bearings are not damaged by shock loads or loss of air pressure – the hardcoat finish and self-lubricating lining prevent damage even if the bearing is turned without air pressure.

Click here for information on Air Bearings


These Customers Ordered Raptor Scientific Equipment in Q4

  • Pantex Plant, Amarillo, TX – POI3500 Instrument
  • Pratt and Whitney AutoAir – MW904 Moment Weight Instrument
  • CFAN – MW50KCF 3-axis Moment Weight Instrument

Mass Properties Measurement Seminar

Next Seminar at Raptor Scientific in June 13-15, 2017
Sign up at www.space-electronics.com


Come Visit Raptor Scientific at the Following Events

SAWE 2017 International Conference
May 22-24, Montreal, QC

31st AIAA/USU Small Satellite Conference
August 5-10, Logan, UT

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