Methodical Purchasing Blog

A flange, often called a pipe flange or flange gasket, is a type of mechanical element used to join two pipes together, or serves as a provisional seal for the end of a single pipe. These round disks contain holes for bolts around the rim and come in a variety of shapes, sizes, diameters, and materials. As such, some are utilized for blocking high-pressure pipes while others are used to attach two pipes of differing materials. In this blog, we will be covering the different types of flanges and their uses, as well as the materials and shapes they come in so that you can better understand what kind of flange your application requires.

While the aviation industry is continuously seeking new ways to create the propulsion needed for flight, an overwhelming majority of currently operating aircraft rely on the combustion of fuel and air mixtures. In order to achieve optimal combustion properties for efficient flight operations, the proper amount of fuel and air must be measured and mixed together. While there are a number of systems that may provide for such needs, the carburetor is a device that commonly serves general aviation aircraft. For its basic operation, the carburetor ensures that intake air is properly measured and mixed with an optimal amount of fuel, providing the resulting mixture to the cylinder intake for combustion. To better understand why such devices are crucial for the flight capabilities of many aircraft, we will discuss their design and operations in more detail.

A gasket is a common component to countless assemblies, coming in the form of a mechanical seal which may take up the space between two or more mating surfaces while under compression. As a component that may come in many diverse types, gaskets may be flexible materials that are constructed from rubber, paper, cork, or countless other substances. While featuring numerous grades that may benefit different applications, gaskets are most commonly compressed between surfaces for the means of preventing leaks, reducing noise, mitigating vibration, providing mounting support, and much more. In this blog, we will discuss gaskets and their working principles more in detail, also providing common types that may be used for varying applications.

Throughout the aerospace industry, flared or flareless fittings are used to attach sections of tubing. The SAE Aerospace Standards, commonly known as AS Standards, establish the requirements for fittings used in fluid systems throughout many types of aircraft. There are six common thread styles and connections used in aerospace fittings: AN 24 fittings, AN 37 fittings, O-ring bosses (ORBs), National Pipe Thread (NPT), hose barbs, and hose clamps. In this blog, we will discuss each type.

A constant speed propeller is a variable pitch propeller that automatically adjusts the pitch of the propeller to maintain a desired RPM. Unlike fixed-pitch propellers, which only operate at maximum efficiency during a single stage of flight, constant speed propellers are able to adjust to provide peak performance during each phase. Excessive pitch in a propeller creates drag and hinders power, while too little pitch causes the engine to work harder to reach the desired speed. Constant speed propellers eliminate this problem by partially rotating along their longest axis to alter its pitch, thereby increasing or decreasing its exposure to the air depending on airspeed. The vast majority of high-performance propeller-driven aircraft use constant speed propellers to help protect their powerful engines from excessive wear.

Rigid fluid lines are used throughout aircraft for fuel, oil, coolant, oxygen, instrument, and hydraulic lines. They are used in stationary applications where long and relatively straight runs are possible. To function properly, rigid fluid lines utilize a wide range of fittings. These include AN flared fittings, MS flareless fittings, swaged fittings, and cryofit fittings. In this blog, we will discuss each type of fitting and their unique characteristics.

When determining the altitude, altitude trend, or airspeed of a given aircraft, pilots rely on measurements that have been gathered from the capturing of atmospheric air and flight deck instruments. With a device known as the pitot tube, ram air pressure can be measured by instruments in order to attain flight pertinent information that benefits safety and efficiency. To understand how instruments such as the airspeed or altitude indicator function, one must first be knowledgeable of the pitot tube and its operations.

When constructing an aircraft and its various structures, a great number of fasteners are utilized to conjoin parts and components to form assemblies. Screws and bolts are two common aircraft fastener types that are widely used throughout the construction process, and both are often confused with one another due to their similar designs and appearances. Despite their common characteristics, bolts and screws present different uses for aircraft construction, each providing their unique benefits and drawbacks which make them optimal for their respective applications.

Valves are indispensable components of fluid systems, allowing for the regulation and control of fluid flow and pressure. Solenoid valves in particular are a type of electrically controlled valve, allowing for remote control for opening and closing. Solenoid valves are extremely useful, allowing for more complex piping systems that can utilize automatic control to both create an ease of operation, as well as increase safety of workers for plumbing systems that are in hazardous areas.

The first airplanes did not come equipped with such technology like vacuum pumps installed on them. On the contrary, the suction that was needed to manage the inner gyro equipment was supplied by a venturi tube that was placed on the outside of the aircraft. Venturi tubes were simple and manageable but they did come with many disadvantages because it was so dynamic, meaning the aircraft was forced to be constantly moving at a fairly high speed to develop enough vacuum to run the instruments. Not only that but this tube needed to rotate the gyros before the venturi could start being used and it left the system exposed to the elements. What eventually solved this problem was the engine-driven vacuum pumps which we’ll go over more in detail below.