Purchasing 3 Sixty Blog

The marvel of aviation is made possible through a delicate dance between aerodynamic forces and intricate engineering. Among the many components that contribute to the ability of flight, wing flaps play a pivotal role in ensuring the controlled ascent, descent, and navigation of an aircraft. In this blog, we will delve into wing flaps, discussing their functionality and how they synchronize with other control surfaces such as elevators, rudders, ailerons, and the underlying electric motor and pulley systems.

The airspeed indicator is a crucial instrument found in every aircraft's cockpit, serving to provide vital information to the pilot regarding the speed at which the plane is moving through the air. Understanding the airspeed indicator and its functionality is essential for safe and controlled flight operations. As such, we will explore what an airspeed indicator is, how it works, and why it is so important for pilots to reference in this blog.

Thrust reversers are a common feature of many commercial airliners, allowing engine-produced thrust to be directed forward so as to slow the momentum of an aircraft. While this thrust can technically be used to reverse the movement of an aircraft so as to let it move backward, this system is never used for operations such as departing from airport gates or hangars. Instead, tug trucks are relied on for push back operations. While one can argue that using thrust reversers in aircraft is cheaper than procuring a special vehicle for push back, there are various reasons as to why this is never practiced.

Aircraft are equipped with a wide range of instruments that serve various purposes, and Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) is just one example of a measuring device that aircraft take advantage of. However, understanding how DME works consists of familiarizing yourself with its complexities. For instance, DME is coupled with a VOR (VHF Omni-Directional Range) and an ILS (Instrument Landing System) which makes things even more complicated.

As exhaust valves are expected to withstand high temperatures and soot, this can lead to valve seizure, heavy soot deposits, and overheating. Luckily, rotocaps can be utilized to protect exhaust valves from such concerns. In this blog, we will outline the importance of rotocaps in a wide range of applications, but especially their use in conjunction with valves.

Pressure regulators are found in a wide range of home and industrial applications, from gas grills to dental equipment. While they benefit different industries, all pressure regulators provide the same function. A key characteristic of a pressure regulator is its ability to reduce a supply, or inlet, pressure to a lower outlet pressure, and its capacity to maintain this outlet pressure despite fluctuations in the inlet pressure.

In aircraft, pilot's rely on three primary pressure-based instruments for pressure readings. These instruments comprise the airspeed indicator, the altimeter, and the vertical speed indicator, all of which function within the pitot static system. To understand in general how this system works, it is useful to understand the relationships between pressure and velocity as they relate to static pressure, total pressure, and dynamic pressure. This blog will offer a brief overview of the aircraft pitot static system and the functions of its main instruments.

Electronics are continually being improved and developed, but the components they are made up of are only becoming more sensitive, leading to failures during their operational life. Some of the most common electronic component failures include mechanical, thermal, and environmental failure, electrical stress, packaging issues, and inevitable aging. In this blog, we will outline the aforementioned causes of failure in detail, allowing you to better understand how they can be readily identified. 

While aircraft are advanced vehicles with extremely durable systems and parts, they will still face wear and tear over time as a result of the various stressors and forces they face during typical flight operations. One issue that aircraft will face is fatigue, that of which can eventually lead to equipment and structural failure if not treated. Aircraft fatigue is most often faced by metal airframes, causing structures to slowly weaken. While fatigue is not completely preventable, it can be deterred to extend the periods between servicing through various common techniques.

Although landing gear malfunctions can occur on any aircraft, not all of them risk the chance of death or injuries, obviating any investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board due to the rarity of serious incidents. However, 10% of all failures in an aircraft are caused directly by landing gear failure, which is often either attributable to mechanical reasons or human error. In both cases, aircraft safety is jeopardized regardless of the severity of danger, possibly leading to crash landings or other accidents if issues are ignored. Therefore, investigating and analyzing the root causes of landing gear breakdown is crucial to avoid and tackle such scenarios from taking shape.

Any ship will eventually need repairs if it is out at sea for an extended period. These can be anything from minor adjustments to major overhauls, and even replacements in some cases. Ships typically return to a dock for service and maintenance purposes, and such processes are carried out by skilled mechanics or repair personnel for significant repairs. In some instances, ships might be too far from land to come back to a port for repair, so one will have to perform the repair operation at sea. Also, several standard maintenance processes can be carried out at the ship’s location. Therefore, it would be best to have skilled labor, equipment, and spare parts on hand to carry out necessary repairs. Here is an overview of the various repairs that often become necessary at sea.

Aircraft are equipped with many controls, such as switches, levers, systems, and instruments, allowing them to traverse the sky with ease. For instance, the autopilot feature in aircraft is required to perform numerous functions like finding a specific course, changing altitudes, and following navigation sources with crosswinds. Most importantly, a flight director system is built with the computing ability to carry out all of these tasks, providing signals to assist pilots or autopilot control inputs to stay along a predetermined and computed flight path.

The jet engine remains the pinnacle of modern aviation technology. With its extremely complex design and the need to consistently function without failure, aerospace engineers are constantly looking for ways to improve their performance and safety. In this domain, one of the biggest focuses is the material used in jet engine construction. Traditionally, each section of the engine was made of different materials due to the varying heat and mechanical stress. Today, several novel materials and composites are being tested to replace the heterogeneous design.

The engine of an aircraft is paramount for its ability to sustain heavier-than-air flight over significant distances, typically providing thrust for forward propulsion through the combustion of fuel-and-air mixtures and various assemblies. Since the inception of powered flight in the early 1900s, numerous advancements have been made to aircraft engines with more complex types coming about throughout the years. While early engines were more simplistic and are intended for lighter aircraft, we now have jet engines and other advanced types that have revolutionized the ways in which we can design aircraft and traverse the atmosphere. In this blog, we will provide a brief overview of the most common types of aircraft engines, allowing you to understand their differences and their effect on flight operations.

A relay is an electrical switch with the capacity to close and open circuits by utilizing electromagnetism to convert small electrical currents into larger currents. These conversions can be achieved as the electrical inputs activate electromagnets to either make or break existing circuits. Moreover, relays control circuit contacts that are normally open (NO) or normally closed (NC). 

Computer networking has ushered in a new era of capabilities since its first implementation in 1961. Today, nearly every personal computer, handheld device, and even appliance is connected to a local or wide area network. However, in order to get a better understanding of how networking works, one must first appreciate the several components and mechanisms that allow a computer to get connected. In this blog, we will discuss some of the most common computer network devices while briefly introducing how they function.

If you pay close attention to the skin of an aircraft, a plethora of rivets may be visible along the vehicle's exterior. Used to hold sheets of aluminum together on modern aircraft, rivets are applied in lieu of welding due to aluminum’s susceptibility to heat. Weakening the bond along joints when exposed to extremely high temperatures produced during welding, rivets mitigate the margin of error associated with welded aluminum. Presenting themselves as mechanical fasteners with a cylindrical shaft and factory head at one end, rivets come in multiple shapes to create a solid foundation that streamlines the construction of aircraft. Placed within prefabricated holes, rivets must be pressed (or “bucked”) into place with the aid of a pneumatic rivet gun or hand tool. Providing an overview on rivets and their application among aircraft, we will briefly discuss why they are the prefered method to welding and how they compare. 

Whether owning or operating various electrical systems, it can be highly beneficial to have the tools necessary to measure various electrical parameters as needed. With electrical testing equipment, one may determine the current, voltage, resistance, continuity, and other factors that are present within a given apparatus. As a result, such tools are commonly used for the testing of live wires, electrical panels, circuit breakers, power transformers, and much more. Depending upon the type of system or equipment one needs to test, there are various common tool types that may be employed. To help you better familiarize yourself with electrical testing equipment, we will provide a brief overview of some common options.

Mounted to the trailing edges of aerofoils on fixed-wing aircraft, flaps are a high-lift device designed to reduce a wing’s stall speed. With stall speeds being a persistent consideration among aircraft which are directly affected by its weight, flaps must be built to accommodate the size of an aircraft when employed during flight. Essentially used to effect drag and lift, especially during takeoff or landing procedures on shorter runways, flaps can be retracted for convenience when not necessary. To fully understand how one’s aircraft works, it is imperative to know all control surfaces and how they can easily impact an aircraft's orientation in the sky. Within this blog, we will get familiarized with aircraft flap types, how each works to accommodate aircraft specifications, and the drawbacks of each.

Bearings are common components of marine vessels and their engines, implemented for the means of supporting rotational and reciprocating movements of crankshafts, camshafts, and the cross head of the engine. Bearings play a crucial role in facilitating power generation operations for various marine engine types, and their well-being and lubrication will regularly dictate the health of the engine and its avoidance of breakdowns. As the clearances of bearings will often denote the amount of wear that such components have undergone, it is important to understand how to conduct such measurements as well as what they mean.

Traditional piston engines are a widely used type, often seen in numerous automobiles and general aviation aircraft for power production. While serving as an engine type that has a long and proven track record of reliable performance, some vehicles may utilize different engine types such as the rotary engine. While having similar appearances and belonging to a common family of internal combustion engine types, the two engines have distinct differences that are important to be aware of.

Electricity is paramount for powering the countless appliances and electronics that we rely on every day, but it is also a volatile force that needs to be managed for safety. When an excessive amount of current passes through wires due to a short circuit, a great amount of heat may be generated and sensitive components can be seriously damaged. Additionally, short-circuiting can even cause electrical fires and dangers to individuals which can be extremely dangerous for certain applications such as aviation. In order to prevent the damages and hazards associated with overload conditions, electrical circuits are guarded with circuit protection devices. The most common circuit protection devices are fuses, current limiters, and circuit breakers. As each device type has its own features and capabilities that dictate their use, it can be very beneficial to understand the differences between each Fuses are a basic component for circuit protection, and they are a thermal device with an element which exhibits a low melting point.

Marine radars are extremely useful components for marine vessels of all types, and they have consistently been advanced to now serve as a simple-to-use tool that may benefit numerous applications. As a device that assists in navigation and may warn crews of surrounding objects that can cause a collision, marine radars are used to increase the safety of navigating large bodies of water. In this blog, we will discuss the marine radar in order to help you understand how they function, the various features they provide, and more.

A fastener is a hardware device used to mechanically join two or more objects together, generally in a non-permanent joint. Fasteners have a broad range of uses in a diverse set of industries. As such, there are many different types of fasteners on the market. The most common types of fasteners are bolts, screws, nuts, and washers. In this blog, we will discuss each type and its unique characteristics.

Networking devices, also known as networking hardware, are physical devices required for communication and interaction between hardware within a computer network. The most common network devices include hubs, switches, routers, bridges, gateways, modems, repeaters, and access points. In this blog, we will cover each network device and its greater role within a network.

Despite being among the most overlooked aspects of an aircraft avionics system, the antenna is perhaps the most important. Aside from certain devices, like autopilots, avionics rely heavily on antennas to communicate. Modern antennas are available in many different shapes and sizes, each formed by its function. More often than not, a well-equipped aircraft will feature a collection of antennas, making it difficult to understand what each antenna does. However, when you look at them one by one, aircraft antennas are easy to understand. Their size, shape, and placement is generally determined by the frequencies at which they are used and their directional qualities. This blog will cover the most common types of antennas found on aircraft as well as their functions.

When it comes to marine diesel engines, proper maintenance and repair is not something to take lightly. Even something as simple as forgetting to install an o-ring when replacing the oil filter can be a costly error. The nature of boating is such that the water you are moving through is constantly trying to slow or stop you. Because of this, even traveling at slow speeds can exert your engine more than you might think. Problems may be arising without any signs, so preventative maintenance is a must. The diesel marine engine is by no means a simple part, but there are four areas that, when cared for properly, will go a long way in ensuring the proper performance of your engine. These are the lubrication, cooling, electricity, and fuel systems. This blog will discuss how to care for each.

Within the realm of piping systems and fluid transportation, solenoid valves prove to be an indispensable piece of equipment with their various capabilities. As an electrically controlled valve, solenoids utilize magnetic fields to open and close orifices. As such, they serve a large variety of applications such as vacuums, irrigation systems, car washes, heating systems, compressed air systems, and much more. Due to their wide use for the transportation of clean liquids and gases, understanding their functionality and types can be useful for procuring parts and maintenance endeavors.

Ships are made from a combination of steel and composite materials and have many structural parts both visible and invisible. The main parts of a ship are the anchor, bow, bow thrusters, accommodation, deck, hull, keel, freeboard, engine room, funnel, navigation bridge, forecastle, propeller, rudder, and mast. This blog will explain what each of these is, as well as their function.

Machine technology is some of the most fundamental building blocks and least complex components that can lead the way into new innovations. The most basic machine mechanisms that have enabled this include such parts as the lever, inclined plane, wedge, pulley, wheel & axle, and the screw. These items are vital to machinery and mechanisms, from manufacturing equipment to aircraft gears and pulleys. Every simple machine has both an ideal mechanical advantage, and an actual mechanical advantage that affects the physics of the machine. The ideal mechanical preferred position is found when utilizing estimations dependent on the development of the basic machine. For a detailed look at how these mechanisms affect and alter pulleys, read the article below.

Some people may automatically associate airplane cables with being a kind of wire rope that is used for the airplane sector. Though they can certainly be applied for that and more including flexible seat back controls to controlling the development of the wing folds and setting down rigging on planes with simple flight frameworks, the airplane wire cables can be implemented as particular high quality wire rope that is intended to withstand the extraordinary ecological conditions found on a flying vessel, such conditions can incorporate solid and hot temperatures such as dampness. For more details on aircraft cables, read the article below.

Pins are fasteners that allow for objects and materials to be secured together, and they may serve for a variety of assemblies and applications. From rigid materials that are inserted into a slot to flexible components arranged in parallel, clamping prongs, pins come in many shapes and forms to suit particular needs. When shopping for such fasteners, you may have come across those that are considered “military fastener pins”. While these components may seem similar in their design and use, they differ in their capabilities and ratings. In this blog, we will discuss what military-spec components are, as well as the various military fastener pins that are commonly used.

A filter can refer to many different items as filters are often used to channel certain substances or contaminants out of a circuit, flow, or pathway. In the same light, a filter can also refer to an electrical filter that can limit certain frequencies. In this article, we will take a look at this type of filter.To elaborate on what this filter is and what it can do, a filter is a circuit that is able to enhance or relay passing certain frequencies while limiting frequencies of other variations. Along these lines, a channel can remove significant frequencies from signals that additionally contain insignificant frequencies or other types of frequencies that are not needed.

With the constant advancement of aviation technology, avionics, and other components, an increasing number of aircraft systems and mechanical functions are becoming more reliant on electronics. Aircraft Solenoids and relays are two components that may fulfill these needs, as solenoids serve for the electromechanical interface while relays switch the electronic loads for many aircraft systems and devices. As both of these components are used in many modern aircraft, it is important to understand how aircraft relays and solenoids work, how they may save aircraft power, and how they provide functionality for various aircraft systems.

Within applications such as construction or assembly, riggers and rigging equipment are some of the most indispensable parts of the operation. Utilizing a range of equipment, riggers can safely move bulky and heavy items around a site, as well as up and down floors as needed. Rigging gear parts include equipment such as eye bolts, rings, lifting & rigging hooks, ropes, slings, pulleys, and blocks. As they all take on an important role in transporting objects in a secure and precise way, understanding the functions that various parts play is important. In this blog, we will provide a brief overview of the common rigging gear parts that are utilized across a variety of industries.

Within the cockpit of an aircraft, there are many instruments and tools that help a pilot maintain safe and efficient flight. From knowing the current altitude to being aware of how much remaining fuel is left, understanding the complete state of the aircraft at all times is crucial. The airspeed indicator is an extremely useful instrument to measure speed. In this blog, we will discuss the airspeed indicator and how it is able to provide the pilot accurate speed readings during flight.

When restoring or overhauling a boat, it is extremely important to understand the time and money that needs to be invested to be successful and produce good, lasting results. Refitting boats can be an expensive and timely procedure, and many people underestimate the various costs and dedication needed. Nevertheless, refitting correctly can produce a quality boat that may have been out of your price range, or one that will sell for much more than you originally paid for.

Below you will find description of the 10 different types of marine industrial valves that have well deserved their sea legs. Ship pipelines can transport many things including water, oil, air, and steam. More often than not, these pipelines pass through an array of different types of valves depending on pipeline pressure and overall usage and necessity.

The complex nature of sophisticated marine electronics means you will likely run into confusion whether you’re a seasoned boater or a young novice. Before figuring out what you should have on your boat, it’s important to know the items available to you. The seven basic electronics all boats need are an AIS, chartplotter, EPIRB and PLB units, fishfinder, MFD, radar, and VHF radio.

Most boats rely on an outboard engine connected to a propeller to provide propulsion for the vessel. Alternate designs do exist, however, with one of the most popular being the waterjet propulsion.

Ships, submarines and other marine vessels are able to propel themselves using propulsion forces. There are a wide variety of marine propulsion systems that are available for private, military and commercial use. Below you can see a basic outline of the systems that are popular in the market.

If you’ve never purchased a pontoon before, or are looking to add another to your collection, it’s wise to know what to look out for. Not every pontoon is the same which is why it’s important to select the ideal pontoon for you. Novices, for example, might not do well with purchasing a vessel with advanced features, while seasoned pontoon riders will likely appreciate something that will give them more features to play with. Whatever the case, these tips may help you narrow down your search.

A dock is obviously a necessary for boarding and departing from a boat. In some places, such as rivers, lakes, and reservoirs that don’t experience changing water levels, a fixed dock mounted on posts in the water serves as a stable and functioning platform. However, many bodies of water have changing tide levels, which a fixed dock cannot adjust to. Floating docks, meanwhile, can rise and fall with the tide, making it the logical choice.

Put simply, corrosion is a boat owner’s worst enemy. Sadly, for naval operators, corrosion is a natural process that occurs when  iron and oxygen react in water or react in moisture in the air. As a result of this occurrence, metal materials are weakened and deteriorate over time. Saltwater does not directly cause corrosion but speeds up the effects of corrosion on marine hardware parts. Saltwater is an electrolyte solution and contains more ions than fresh water, so the electrons can move more easily through the water, accelerating degradation.

The structures of a helicopter are designed to give it its unique flight characteristics, such as vertical takeoff and landing, and hovering in place. A helicopter flies because the rotors serve as rotating airfoils that provide lift, similar to how the wings of an airplane create lift. Air flows faster over the curved upper surface of the rotors, creating negative pressure, and thus lifting the aircraft. Changing the angle that the blades meet the wind increases or decreases lift, raising or lowering the helicopter. Tilting the rotor plane of rotation causes the helicopter to move horizontally.

While the marine industry has long-since moved on from the days of wooden hulls and cloth sails, it’s always worthwhile to go back and revisit history every now and then. For this blog post we’ll look back and review the structure of an average sailing ship of the 1700’s—the kind that pirates would sail while charting a course across the Caribbean. 

Marine hardware consists of all the woodworking, dock accessories, lighting brackets, oarlocks, and other components that boats are comprised of. This includes brass fittings and shackles, and rigging hardware made up of different types brass, steel, chrome, and even black nylon. Whether you’re working in the marine industry or own a boat yourself, your equipment can take a beating. This includes damage from corrosion enabled by salt water, or UV Rays that are strong enough to break chemical bonds.

In ship & marine equipment industry there are a few expectations that boat operators might have for their propulsion systems— low fuel consumption, high engine efficiency, high uptime, good performance, and easy operation. In addition to these consumer expectations, marine propulsion system designers also have to consider factors such as how it will affect the marine ecosystem and maintain cost efficiency during production.

“Switches”, “transmitters”, & “transducers” are said interchangeably with no regards for the differences, but that’s wrong. They aren’t all the same thing. You can’t use a transmitter in place of a switch and expect your circuit to work the way you wanted it to. And one of the biggest reasons you would have used the wrong part is that you thought they were all the same and didn’t know the difference. In order to put an end to the confusion and misuse, let’s talk about the difference between pressure switches and pressure transmitters.

Painting, cleaning, cargo handling, and operating deck machinery— there’s an entire laundry list of things to do aboard a cargo ship. And of course, when working with machinery, it’s important to make sure that all this work is done safely and properly but working at sea means that there are additional safety hazards. So, in order to save you from headache, you should remember to avoid these deck machinery system mistakes.

Often used in enclosed trailers or on the floor of an open trailer, e-tracks are track systems that accommodate fittings for tie-down straps with wide and flat profiles. They’re very versatile, so they can also be used in garages, storage sheds, barns, etc. But, before you decide to install an e-track, it’s important to first understand what kind of fasteners you should use.

Going out into the open waters and feeling the ocean breeze in your hair, there are many things that make boating a fun experience. But, it can also be a slightly precarious experience; it’s easy to get lost at sea. While GPS is a godsend, it’s not infallible to dead batteries, lost signal, or jamming. You also need to be able to navigate the old-fashioned way, with buoys, beacons, lights, and charts.

It’s a good rule of thumb to always be prepared. Having everything you could need can make all the difference. Especially on marine vessels meant for intensive work, like those used for offshore oil drilling or fishing, having the right specialty deck equipment can reduce operational time, improve efficiency, and save money. But, how? And what kind of deck equipment should you get?