Page 19 of catalogue Bearings for aviation and aerospace applications of Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KG

Helicopter

In helicopter applications FAG accomplished pioneering work as well. Cylindrical roller and separable bearings in the motor of the first fully-operating helicopter, the FockeWulf FW 61 flown by Hanna Reitsch in 1938, came from the company FAG. Today, FAG is the development partner and supplier to all leading helicopter manufacturers. > For the world’s civil and military helicopters, FAG develops and delivers a large variety of helicopter bearings. Examples include swash plate bearings for the rotor head which are over 1000 mm in diameter and made of highly corrosion and wear resistant materials. For the helicopter main gearbox, FAG supplies the planetary bearings in all design configurations and other specially engineered bearings including cages made of lightweight and temperature resistant plastic materials such as Glass fibre reinforced PEEK (Polyetheretherketone). Highly stressed ball and roller bearing arrangements as well as tapered roller bearing configurations are used to support the rotor mast. A wide array of bearing designs, ranging from Needle roller bearings to innovative ball bearing designs, are equipped in the tail rotor and transmission shaft and many other moving parts of the helicopter. > To protect against fretting corrosion, helicopter bearings are often given a special coating. Integrated design configurations allow distinct weight savings. To increase bearing service life, high alloyed, wear and corrosion resistant steels and other special materials are used, such as nitrogen alloyed steel in combination with ceramic balls and rollers. This material combination initially developed and introduced by FAG in the Space Shuttle main Engines has meanwhile proven its superior performance characteristics in many customer applications.
> Design and manufacturing capabilities for all bearing configurations and sizes > Use of high temperature, corrosion and wear resistant materials for extreme operating conditions > Broad experience with coatings and in-house coating capabilities > Integrated bearing designs for increased performance at significant weight reduction

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