Trelleborg Launches Strong and Light High-Load Composite Material for Aerospace Landing Gear
As part of its commitment to innovation for sustainability and recognizing a demand for new materials that can support the move to lighter more fuel-efficient aircraft, Trelleborg Sealing Solutions, developed Orkot® C620, a unique high-load material that is an alternative to metal bearings. It gives the benefit of smaller and lighter components that provide a reduction in maximum takeoff weight and extend flying hours before maintenance.
Torben Andersen, Director Aerospace Segment at Trelleborg Sealing Solutions, says: “The aerospace industry is continuing to evolve. There is a long-term trend toward the adoption of new, sustainable materials and solutions that reduce weight without compromising on performance or service life. Whilst Orkot® C620 is suitable for a number of different components within the aircraft, it has been specifically designed for the requirements of landing gear.”
Shanul Haque, Product and Innovations Manager at Trelleborg Sealing Solutions, says: “The high-load, lightweight of the composite material means standard metallic components within the landing gear can be replaced to reduce weight, enabling manufacturers to create lighter more fuel-efficient aircraft. Components can be smaller to save space and they also allow the reduction in size of surrounding parts with low loads, further reducing aircraft weight.
“Orkot® C620 offers a low coefficient of friction to reduce wear and withstands high loads whilst minimizing stick-slip. The reduced stick-slip with low dynamic and static friction, allows high-load motions to be safer and provide smooth operation of the landing gear on both takeoff and landing.”
Orkot® C620 is a high-specification hybrid material that features a strong fiberglass backing, combined with a low-friction TX Orkot® lining to provide outstanding, long-lasting durability with no delamination. The properties of the different layers increase load capacity and strength, while reducing friction and wear to maximize efficiency and give a maintenance-free service life.
For highly demanding applications, Orkot® C620 has a high impact strength of 200 Kilojoule per square meter, making it both resilient and adaptable to enable manufacturers to design larger, stronger components. Orkot® C620 has a flexural strength of 320 Megapascals, giving it versatility and durability. In addition, it remains flexible and elastic enough to return to its original shape to provide vibration damping.
Tom Zozokos, Product Line Director at Trelleborg Sealing Solutions Americas, will be giving a technical presentation at the upcoming AeroTech 2022 event, titled ‘Recent developments in low-friction plastic composite bearings for landing gear systems’ on 15 March.
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