NSN Unlimited Blog

Electrical connectors are a basic building block of countless electrical devices and systems, commonly serving to connect electrical circuits together. Coming in permanent and temporary solutions, such components allow for an ease of product manufacturing and assembly, as well as promote design and modification flexibility. Depending on whether the application is a communications circuit, computer, consumer electronic, or other electrical device, there are numerous connector types that may be used. In this blog, we will provide a brief overview of some of the most common connector types and their uses.

Bolts are a common fastener for numerous assemblies, and they are often paired with an external nut with the use of their threading. This allows a bolt to be inserted into the hole of a component in order to permit two or more parts to come together. The joined components can then be tightened together by applying torque to the bolt fastener. In this blog, we will provide a brief overview of the most commonly used bolts and why they are fundamentally important in aiding the assembly of components and structures.

Limit switches are switches used to automatically detect the presence of an object or to monitor and indicate whether the movement limits of that object have been exceeded. Their original use, as the name suggests, was to define the limit or endpoint over which an object could travel before being stopped. Once the endpoint was reached, the switch would be engaged to control the limit of travel.

Despite the two terms often being used interchangeably, relays and contactors are different devices. A relay is a device used to control the contacts of an electrical circuit due to a change of parameters or conditions in the same circuit or another associated circuit. Contactors, adversely, are devices used to interrupt or establish connections in an electrical circuit repeatedly under different conditions. As both devices perform the task of switching a circuit, their definitions alone are not really enough to differentiate the two. In this blog, we will take a deeper look at the differences between relays and contactors.

Aircraft can be powered through a variety of ways, most often utilizing internal combustion engines that take advantage of fuel and air mixtures to create the propulsion and thrust needed for flight. While numerous modern aircraft utilize jet engines for their operations, there are still many that rely on propeller assemblies. Propeller aircraft can utilize a number of engine types such as the reciprocating engine, gas turbine engine, or even an electric motor. As such, their versatility has allowed them to benefit a number of aircraft over the years. In this blog, we will discuss the functionality of propeller aircraft, allowing you to best understand their differences as compared to other types.

When conducting flight operations and monitoring the health and functionality of systems, pressure values can be a major concern of pilots for a variety of apparatuses. From the pressure values of engine oil to hydraulic fluids, pressure can often make the difference between a safe and efficient aircraft and one unfit for flying. With a variety of pressure instruments present in an aircraft for monitoring conditions, it can be very useful to familiarize oneself with common types and their uses.

A terminal block is a modular block with an insulated frame used to secure two or more wires together. Terminal blocks consist of a clamping component and a conducting strip. The insulated frame of a terminal block houses a current carrying element (either a metal strip or terminal bar) while providing a base for the clamping element. The body also features a mounting arrangement, allowing the block to be easily mounted on or unmounted from a printed circuit board or mounting rail. Most terminal blocks are modular and mounted on DIN rails, allowing the number of terminals to be increased.

While most people are aware of steam as a means of heating up objects, cleaning flooring, humidifying a room, and more, some may not realize that steam can also serve as a major source of power generation. With a steam turbine, thermal energy can be harnessed from expanding steam in order to generate electricity. Utilizing thermodynamic efficiency for electricity generation is extremely useful, and countries such as the United States even generate up to 85% of their electricity through such methods. In this blog, we will discuss the various primary components that make up steam turbine systems, allowing for you to better understand how they function and produce electricity.

For pilots to properly operate aircraft throughout a flight, they rely on a number of instruments that assist in conducting various procedures safely and efficiently. Within an aircraft, flight instruments, engine instruments, and navigation instruments all serve as the primary types of systems available to the pilot, and they can provide assistance ranging from altitude measurement to displaying the amount of remaining fuel for the operation. As each instrument family contains various systems that are critical to flying an aircraft, understanding their functionalities can be highly beneficial for any pilot or those aspiring to become one.

If you are not familiar with what a valve actuator is, they are items that are utilized to situate valve pieces, and also to fully activate or close a valve piece. They are most useful in areas where precise control of a valve is needed, those cases often being where you would need to manage the flow of fuel to something like a gas turbine. To manage and regulate such flow, you can use a variety of different valve actuators. In this article, we will go over common valve actuators.