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Airframe Technology

Lifelines to power and motion control

By Terry Karl and Mark Morrow
hen a fully loaded B747-400 finally lands after 10 or more hours in flight, some 600,000 lbs. of aircraft and passengers travelling at approximately 170 miles per hour must come to a stop safely. While we all know that hydraulic pumps, valves, brakes, and thrust reversers must work properly to accomplish this, we often dont think about the ubiquitous metal tubes that carry the hydraulic power through and to these subsystems. These lifelines of the hydraulic system must also be in optimum operating condition to meet these demands. Most of todays attention in hydraulic system design and maintenance is paid to the critical, large subsystems and components, such as primary and secondary flight control actuators, engine-driven pumps, auxiliary pumps, electric motor pumps, and power transfer units. The emerging technologies surrounding the all electric aircraft and

fluid leakage remains as one of the most aggravating causes for unscheduled maintenance actions. One of the leading causes of fluid leakage involves hard tubing and tube fittings. This article focuses on hydraulic tubing and various methods of maintenance and repair for these tubes.

Hydraulic power lifelines

Hydraulic tubing and flexible hose styles are, indeed, the lifelines of hydraulic power and motion control. These distribution systems carry high-pressure (typically 3,000 psi) hydraulic fluid power to all the various points in the aircraft where work needs to be done. Although not nearly as glamorous as the power and motion control accessories, nevertheless, problems associated with tubing and fittings cause some 30 to 60 percent of aircraft delays and cancellations. A typical commercial transport can contain up to several hundred yards of tubing and thousands of fittings and fitting connections. Hydraulic tube sizes can range from as small as a quarter inch up to one and a half inches. Material types used range from aluminum (typically 6061T6) to corrosion-resistant steel (CRES alloys such as 300 series and more robust materials such as 21-6-9) to exotic titanium material (such as 3Al-2.5V). Tubing wall thickness for a given tube size can vary also, since the effort to save weight in aircraft design is optimized. Therefore, the mechanics dilemma in hydraulic tube repair can be magnified quite quickly.

Problems associated with tubing and

fittings cause some 30 to 60 percent of aircraft delays and cancellations.

EHAs (electrohydrostatic actuators) command much more attention than simple hydraulic tubing. These technologies and accessories drive both the complexity and costs associated with aircraft hydraulic systems. As many mechanics are aware, however, even with all these advancements and the increased sophistication of hydraulic systems today,

Tube failures
Many factors can contribute to tube failures. The most commonly cited factors are chafing (either against structure or at clamping points), installation stress (created by runs
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of tubing going from fixed point to fixed point), and corrosion (due to environmental conditions). While thorough precautions are taken in the selection of materials, design, and installation by the airframe manufacturers, it is still possible that tube leaks can occur. To minimize these possibilities, maintenance of tubes and fittings should always be accomplished in accord with the airframe manufacturers recommended practices as detailed in the airframe maintenance manual. sive accumulations of other fluids such as cleaning fluids and other foreign substances that might eventually lead to corrosive damage to the tube. Finally, tubing should not be in direct contact with airframe structure, other tubes and/or hose or other accessories that might lead to chafing. In some cases, common aircraft cleaning solutions may also have long-term damaging effects on tubing life. If there are any doubts as to whether any of the cleaning solutions might contribute to decreased tubing life, consult with the airframe manufacturers technical product support personnel. Also, while it may seem self-evident, always check the tube fitting, or B nut connections to ensure they are properly torqued. Consult the airframe technical manual for various torque levels given different tube and fitting materials. When inspection does reveal any of these problems, replacing the entire tube assembly or sections

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Tubing maintenance basics

Figure 1. Tube Repair Methods

Hydraulic system tubing maintethereof may be required. Several nance can be proactive in the sense repair or replacement strategies may that routine inspections for evidence be employed, depending on the cirof weeping and leakage can be done cumstances and what is permissible visually or by wiping exposed suraccording to the airframe manufacfaces with a clean, white rag to deterturers maintenance manual. mine if fluid is present. Tube clampRepair and/or replaceing points should be examined visument strategies ally for evidence of looseness and Following are repair or replacepossible chafing against the tubes ment alternatives, depending upon they are clamping. Loose or damaged the aircrafts situation, the resources clamps or clamps whose protective available at the time, elastomer padding is Table I the mechanics skill worn or damaged Tube Flattening Limits and training level, and should be replaced. the urgency of bringTubes should be Tube Operating Pressure ing the aircraft back examined visually Material 1000 PSIG Maximum Greater Than 1000 PSIG into flight-worthy confor evidence of Aluminum 10 Percent 5 Percent dition: scratches, nicks, 321 CRES 10 Percent 5 Percent Minor repair of dents, or any other 21-6-9 CRES 5 Percent 3 Percent the tube assembly If malformations or Carbon Steel 7.5 Percent 7.5 Percent the tube is scratched defects that could Titanium 5 Percent 3 Percent or nicked not deeper cause failure points. Ovality, or flatness, in the tube bend area can be measured by using the following formula: than 10 percent of the Tubing should also Ovality Percentage = [(Max OD Min OD)/Nominal OD] X 100 tube wall thickness, be free from excesTable II Tube Bend Radii Recommendations

Dash No. -3 -4 -6 -8 -10 -12 -16 -20 -24

Tube O.D. (in.) 3/16 1/4 3/8 1/2 5/8 3/4 1 1-1/4 1-/12

6061T6 Aluminum 3/8 _ _ 1 1-1/4 1-1/2 2 2-1/2 3

Minimum Bend Radii (inches) 300 Series 21-6-9 Stainless Steel Stainless Steel 3/8 9/16 _ 1/2 3/4 1-1/8 1 1-1/2 1-1/4 1-7/8 1-1/2 2-1/4 2 3 2-1/2 3-3/4 3 4-1/2
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TI-3AL-2.5V Titanium 9/16 3/4 1-1/8 1-1/2 1-7/8 2-1/4 3 3-3/4 4-1/2

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typically such damage may be burnished away using hand tools. However, if the scratch or nick is on the outside radius of a bend, then the tube should be repaired or replaced as outlined below. Tubes with severe die marks, splits, cracks, evidence of torsional twist, or dents should also be replaced. Replace the entire tube assembly Obtain a complete new tube assembly from stock. Make sure the new tube assembly can be installed without pre-stressing the end fitting connections. Too much pre-stress to the end fitting connections may significantly affect tube life. Use Illustrated Parts List part numbers, and follow the appropriate sections of the airframe manufacturers maintenance manual. Install a temporary hose assembly Many manufacturers permit the use of a temporary repair that consists of a hose assembly fabricated from field assembly or reusable hose fittings and bulk hose. Such hose assemblies are typically limited for use until the aircraft reaches the next possible maintenance facility that is capable of performing a permanent repair. Care should be taken to ensure the hose assembly meets the pressure requirements of the system it is being used with and that there are no fluid compatibility problems. In the case of hydraulic systems using either phosphate ester (typically known as Skydrol or HyJet) or MIL-H-5606 petroleum-based products, Teflon-lined, wired-reinforced hose is preferred. Hose assemblies should be clamped in the locations where the hard tube was clamped, and care should be taken that all other installation practices for hose are followed. Major repair of the tube assembly Many, if not all, airframe manufacturers permit repair of tube assemblies either on the aircraft or in the maintenance shop. Damaged sections of the assembly may be cut out and replaced in the form of a splice (see Figure 1.). Damaged end fittings may be cut off and replaced, but care should be taken that the repaired assembly fits the installation and that no pre-stress is imparted to the repaired tube due to misalignment or differences in length caused by the repair. After the defective tube assembly is removed from the aircraft, there are five basic steps to follow: 1. Cut the defective area out of the assembly 2. Deburr the cut ends 3. Form the replacement tube section 4. Install the new tube section and/or fittings 5. Inspect the new tube assembly

Figure 5(d) Swag the Fitting

Always ensure that the repair tube material is of the correct material type, size, and wall thickness in accordance with the manufacturers instructions.

Generic tube repair

Step by step description of a basic tube repair: Tube cutting Cut the tube using a chipless tube cutter, highgrade hacksaw, or other production method that ensures a square-cut end, with a minimum amount of burrs. The cutter should be moved slowly and uniformly to ensure that tube deformation does not occur. Tube deburring After cutting the tube, carefully remove any burrs from both the outside diameter and inside diameter of the tube. Use of a deburring tool helps to prevent the inclusion of metallic chips inside the tube which would contaminate the hydraulic system. Cut and deburred tube ends should be protected from further damage or the collection of dust or dirt if they are to be left unattended for any period of time. Tube bending In most cases it will be necessary to form the replacement section of tubing to fit the aircraft. Obtaining a smooth bend with an absolute minimum of tube flattening is needed to ensure high integrity and life of the replacement section as well as avoiding any unwanted fluid flow restriction. Tubes may be formed either by hand or by powered tube benders, but care must be taken, depending upon the nature of the tube material, as well as the wall
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Figure 5(a) - Mark the Tube

Figure 5(b) - Position the Fitting

Figure 5(c) - Position the Tool

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thickness. Excessive flattening, kinking, wrinkling, or other deformation of the tube must be avoided. Table I on pg. 52, shows the acceptable limits of tube flattening. The maximum OD and the minimum OD are the largest and smallest cross-sectional diameters measured within the area of the bend. The ovality in the bend area should not exceed the values in Table I. Recommended minimum bend radii are as shown in Table II, pg. 52. Depending on the capability of the apparatus used to bend the tube, it may be necessary to use larger bend radii. Installing tube fittings After the replacement section has been formed and is ready for installation, attachment of the permanent tube fittings is required. While each of the permanent tube fitting styles has some unique requirements, there are generic steps which are similar: 1. Mark the parent tube and the replacement section to indicate where the repair fitting is to be positioned 2. Position the tube fitting relative to the tubing 3. Position the installation tooling 4. Install the tube fitting 5. Inspect the installed joint Figures 5(a) through 5(e) depict this sequence of events for the axially swaged, Rynglok Tube Fitting System. Inspection of the repaired tube assembly If possible, the repaired tube assembly should be proof tested using appropriate equipment, in accordance with the airframe manufacturers maintenance manual instructions, prior to being installed on the aircraft. Alternatively, the repaired tube assembly may be installed on the aircraft and tested as the hydraulic system is tested before deeming the aircraft flight-worthy. Care should be taken to perform all normal hydraulic system tests. Permanent tube fittings:A bewildering array Over the years, quite a few permanent tube fitting styles have been developed, both for production of the aircrafts hydraulic tube system, as well as for repair of the aircraft once in s e r v i c e . Development of this wide variety of choices is due in large part to the complex variety of installations on the aircraft. Many mechanics have often encountered situations where, among other things, they have wondered exactly how the installation was designed and installed on the aircraft and whether any thought was given to the poor mechanic who one day might have to maintain these tubes. As a result, each of the types of permanent tube fitting styles offers attractive attributes, depending upon a variety of circumstances. Correspondingly, each tube fitting system also entails some less than desirable attributes. Each mechanic and system maintenance engineer must examine the primary criteria of their aircraft needs, fleet needs, logistics, mechanic skill and training levels, and other pertinent factors, when deciding what tube fitting styles best meet their requirements. Having said that, it is worth mentioning the most prominent permanent tube fitting styles available today: Weld-style fittings: Widely used to produce aircraft hydraulic tube assemblies, this method of attachment may also be used for repair, but requires the proper weld equipment and inspection facilities and is more difficult to accomplish on board the aircraft. Mechanic skill levels are relatively high. Welded tube connections, accomplished correctly, create joints of equal or greater strength than the parent tube, and are light in weight. Bite-style fittings: This fitting style relies on sleeves that literally bite into the parent tube to effect the

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Figure 5(e) - Inspect the Installation connection. They are relatively simple to accomplish, require a lesser skill level on the part of the mechanic, but also require a larger envelope in which to turn wrenches that install the fitting. External swage-style fittings: Although used industry-wide, external swage-type fittings require a considerable amount of equipment to accomplish repairs and a relatively skilled workforce to install them. The prevalence of the system provides for logistic advantages. In some cases, the production tubes were manufactured with this system, minimizing the envelope restrictions for access to accomplish repairs. This fitting style also uses an elastomeric seal on the interior of the fitting as a secondary seal, if required. Shaped memory fittings: Advancements in metallurgical science allowed for the development of a special fitting style that relies on the memory of the metal. These fittings are stored in cryogenic dewars of liquid nitrogen and removed when needed to be installed on the hydraulic tubes. Special equipment pre-chills the tube ends to properly accept these lightweight fittings; however, since these fittings accomplish their method of attachment to the tubing by warming up in the ambient environment, they are somewhat time sensitive in their installation. Axially swaged-type fittings: This fitting style axially swages a permanently attached ring around a fitting body, which permanently deforms
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both the fitting and the tube to effect a metal-to-metal seal without the use of elastomers. The fitting material is compatible with all types of tubing and wall thicknesses. Mechanic training and skill level are relatively low. Installation equipment investment required is more than bite-type fittings and shaped memory fittings, but less than external swage and weld-style fittings.

The road ahead

Care and maintenance of hydraulic system tubing are as important as any other aspect of system maintenance. With the ever increasing complexity of todays aircraft, proper attention to hydraulic tubes on both a preventative as well as a repair and replacement scheme can avert potential problems before they impact the aircrafts flight operations. Older and newer technologies and approaches are available to meet each individual aircrafts needs. Newer technologies attempt to address all elements of cost associated with the repair and maintenance of hydraulic tubing. Each mechanic is encouraged to familiarize themselves with alternative tube repair technologies in an effort to ensure optimized repair capability for the aircraft on which they work. AMT
Terry Karl is the Engineering Manager, and Mark Morrow is the Distributor Business Manager for Eaton Aeroquip Engineered Systems Division.

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