SBIR-STTR Award

Wear Indicating Lined Spherical Bearings
Award last edited on: 11/12/2018

Sponsored Program
SBIR
Awarding Agency
DOD : Navy
Total Award Amount
$897,607
Award Phase
2
Solicitation Topic Code
N121-016
Principal Investigator
David L Carnahan

Company Information

NanoLab Inc

22 Bedford Street
Waltham, MA 02453
   (781) 609-2722
   info@nano-lab.com
   www.nano-lab.com
Location: Single
Congr. District: 05
County: Middlesex

Phase I

Contract Number: N68335-12-C-0190
Start Date: 4/2/2012    Completed: 10/2/2012
Phase I year
2012
Phase I Amount
$149,849
The maintenance of bearings and rod ends is critical for rotary and fixed wing aircraft. There is currently no indicator or feedback mechanism in place for the maintenance crew to determine the remaining life or state of the liner. NanoLab, Security Technology Systems, and New Hampshire Ball Bearing (NHBB, a division of Astro) will all play roles in the development of a wear sensor for the AS81820 (fixed wing) and AS81819 (rotary) line of bearings. Our goal is to implement our solution as a drop-in replacement for the current lining material, with no mechanical design changes to the bearing.

Benefit:
Instrumented bearings could enable maintenance crews to determine which bearings need to be replaced, which would save labor and parts cost for military and commercial aircraft, rotorcraft, etc. We also recognize opportunities for these bearings in wind energy and in drilling industries.

Keywords:
Bearing, Bearing, wear, Sensor, bushing

Phase II

Contract Number: N68335-13-C-0203
Start Date: 6/6/2013    Completed: 6/15/2015
Phase II year
2013
Phase II Amount
$747,758
A sensor was developed in the Phase I effort that enabled the measurement of a wear liner thickness in a bearing. The goal of the Phase II effort is to mature that sensor into a system that can be qualified in spherical bearings such as AS81820 and AS81819. To reach that goal, NanoLab and its subcontractors will refine the sensor design, demonstrate their insertion and operation in a bearing environment, develop readout electronics for maintainers, and test the bearings with sensors against the applicable standards.

Benefit:
A sensor that can measure the remaining wear liner thickness of a bearing will benefit maintainers in several ways: provide an accurate assessment of a bearing liner's remaining thickness, reduce the effort required to measure bearings installed in difficult to access areas, and enable life extension for parts that do not need replacement. We anticipate that the sensors will find use in several industries, including: military and commercial marine and aerospace, as well as in wind power.

Keywords:
AS81819, spherical bearing, AS81820, wear, Sensor