Partnership with GE Aviation delivers lighter, more efficient aircraft

Tekdata's expertise in specialist interconnects is helping hasten the arrival of all-electric aircraft, which eliminate bulky hydraulic actuators and bleed systems for lighter and more efficient planes. Tekdata has completed development of the wiring harness for GE Aviation's actuation system for the Elgear electrically actuated landing gear aimed at the Airbus A320 replacement airliner.

This actuation system features a number of innovations to help minimise size, weight, assembly time and maintenance change-out time. The harness is fixed to the outside of the landing gear actuator, and combines connections for three-phase power, earth return, and 12 signal lines. The harness incorporates proximity sensors which operate through the actuator housing and therefore have high performance seals corresponding precisely with each aperture to prevent ingress of moisture, dust or other contaminants when the plane is on the ground or in the air. The compound cable takes this data, the control signals for the actuator itself, data from sensors within the actuator body, and power to the actuor in a configuration that eliminates electrical interference and cross-talk.

The design of the mouldings contributes significantly to minimising overall size and weight. It also provides physical and environmental protection for the sensors. By developing secure, clip-together assembly and interlocking features, Tekdata's design team also addressed aircraft operators' demands for standard 15-minute change-out times to allow fast turnaround of hard-working commercial aircraft.

Swift work from all involved at Tekdata had resulted in delivery of the first prototype cable and sensor harness within only two days. From this basis the specification was refined, necessary extra features were identified, and the entire project ended up being completed within a very short timeframe.