Cold expansion products in Helicopter / Rotor Industry

Helicopter structures and rotor systems benefit from FTI?s cold expansion processes both in new design and repairs. Cold expansion has proven to be very effective in metal fuselage joints under damaging high cycle fatigue loading. This not only extends the fatigue life and damage tolerance of joints, but also doubles the fatigue strength of the material to minimize the potential for in-service cracking.

The ForceMate process has become the most widely used bushing installation method for highly loaded rotor components. The synergistic high interference fit and induced beneficial residual compressive stress surrounding the bushed installation have proven to be extremely effective in meeting the ?flaw tolerant? design criteria imposed by airworthiness authorities ? without weight or size penalty. Furthermore, bushing migration and fretting induced fatigue cracking is eliminated when a ForceMate bushing is installed.

Our ForceTec rivetless nutplates are ideal for transmissions, rotating components and swash plates using a small footprint and positively retained nut element under dynamic and vibration loads.