Aircraft Engines (5088-AE)

  

Overview of Aircraft Engines (5088-AE)

— An aircraft engine is the component of the propulsion system for an aircraft that generates mechanical power. Aircraft engines are almost always either lightweight piston engines or gas turbines, except for small multicopter UAVs which are almost always electric aircraft. As of 2012, the size of the aircraft engine manufacturing market was almost $40 billion. There are over 350 manufacturing companies in the United States employing over 70 thousand people. These engines come in a variety of types including; reciprocating engines, v-type engines, horizontally opposed, radial, rotary, and turbine powered engines such as; turboprop and turboshaft engines.

Common parts made from high-performance plastics include; variable stator vane bushings and washers, unison ring bushings and pads, and bell crank bushings. Polyimide parts include; smaller, lighter-weight actuators to save fuel costs and eliminate metal-on-metal wear, for extended maintenance cycles. Thrust reversers are systems used to help slow an aircraft after landing by redirecting the thrust of the aircraft engine. The reversers often utilize a cascade design, which relies upon a track and an actuator to deploy and stow the reverser. Polyimde parts are used as track liners and slide blocks provide low-friction and low-wear, plus chemical and heat resistance, for smaller, lighter-weight actuators, to save fuel cost. Professional Plastics supplies materials used in critical engine components such as Vespel®, Meldin®, Torlon® and PEEK.