High Power Density Swaging Device

The wire cables used in the arresting gear system onboard Naval Aircraft Carriers are a critical safety item. Failure in these components could result in the loss of life, aircraft, or both. The main issue in their reliability lies with the end terminals that connect one cable to another. The current process for attaching an end terminal to the wire cable uses molten zinc which is poured into the terminal socket. This process requires specialized equipment, a considerable amount of time, and is inherently dangerous. A system that would allow for the end terminals to be attached to the wire cable quickly and with no physical risk to the technicians would be ideal. The system proposed here is similar to equipment used to recover pipelines from the ocean floor. It would require a redesign to the end terminal, but would allow a connection to be made with only a torque or impact wrench, thus removing the risks involved in pouring zinc and eliminating the need for large and expensive equipment required for swaging. With Product Concept Development’s unique knowledge and experience, we believe that the solution proposed will be the most viable option.BENEFITS: The proposed mechanism has a great flexibility in terms of size, modification, and application. Since the system can be used wherever light to heavy rigging is needed, the device envisioned can make significant inroads to the commercial market. The simplicity of the design and concept translates to an extremely wide range of possible applications. Therefore, it is exceedingly difficult to quantify the market or products this device may impact since it is not known what the range of manifestations and capabilities of the device are. For instance, scaling down the device can make it appropriate for commercial fishing lines, scaling up can make it useful for offshore oil platform and ship mooring. With modifications, it could be used for controlled tension devices for rock climbing, manageable grip clamps, etc. The size of the market, we believe, clearly justifies the effort, though the reduction of necessary equipment, expertise, and time required to terminal a wire cable.