F-35 Three-Bearing Swivel Nozzle (3BSN) Door Actuator

The lowered cost of maintenance, lowered weight, and reduced installation complexity of smart electric actuators continues to justify the transition from hydraulic actuation to EMAs/EHAs. This SBIR proposal will extend the advantages of EMA technology into high-temperature, high-vibration applications with a first commercialization target being the JSF F35 Lightning II aircraft platform. During the SBIR Phase I research, PCKA collaborated with NAVAIR and Lockheed Martin to establish the actuator requirements, identified a suitable actuator architecture for the application, and optimized the design in terms of weight, reliability, maintainability, manufacturability, and cost. Key design constraints included the thermal and vibration environment that drove the use of specific motor technologies, high-temperature wire insulation, lubrication, and electronics. In Phase II, PCKA will fabricate a prototype of the optimal design and perform functional and qualification tests. If successful, developed technologies will ultimately transition to DoD programs under a Phase III contract.