SS White Technologies, a leading supplier of flexible rotary shafts for the aerospace industry, is supplying the flexible shafts that transmit power to activate and synchronise the deployment of the Thrust Reverser Actuation Systems (TRAS) on 150 CFM International LEAP-1A turbofan engines that have been selected to power Jet2’s latest order for up to 75 Airbus A321neo aircraft.
The CFM LEAP-1A turbofan engines incorporate SS White flexible rotary shafts as part of the Thrust Reverser Activation System (TRAS) and employ electrical power to activate and redirect the turbofan engine thrust by exposing deflecting vanes along the sides of the engine nacelles.
These deflectors force the fan air to exit forward working with the wheel and air braking systems to help slow the ground speed of the aircraft.
The LEAP-1A turbofan engine nacelle and TRAS is supplied by Aircelle.
In addition, all aerospace flexible shaft products are designed to one of the industry’s highest performance criteria by utilising a computer modelling software program developed by SS White called Perflexion. This program allows the design engineers to fully model the behavioural characteristics of the wire bundles within the shaft core and arrive at an optimum product that provides maximum bending flexibility and torsion strength while allowing minimal torsion deflection with up to a 30% improvement over competitor products.