Application Technology

Nord-Lock Group has collaborated with the aerospace industry for many years, providing safe and reliable solutions to secure critical bolted connections including Nord-Lock wedge-locking washers and NLX washers, which offer an ideal solution even in the most demanding environments. 

During launch and decoupling in space, vessels must be mechanically prepared to withstand significant levels of vibration and dynamic loads. That is why Spanish aerospace company PLD Space S.L, which develops launch vehicles as well as offering suborbital and orbital commercial launch services dedicated to small payloads and satellites, therefore turned to Nord-Lock for its wedge-locking washers. 

These washers come in pairs, with cams facing each other and serrations gripping the mating surface. When the cams lock into each other, it is geometry, not friction – which is the common force used in conventional bolting – that prevents bolts from self-loosening due to vibration. Based on their geometric principle, Nord-Lock wedge-locking washers automatically increase the clamp force when needed. Therefore, when bolted connections are installed properly with Nord-Lock wedge-locking washers, they will never unintentionally loosen.

Another aerospace solution from Nord-Lock is its NLX washer, ideal for facing the challenges related to sudden changing extreme temperatures. During any given space mission, vessels and equipment will face extreme temperatures on both ends of the spectrum – extremely high during take-off and extreme cold once the vessel has entered the outer atmosphere. It is imperative for equipment to provide the desired functionality at all times, regardless of the temperature. 

Extreme temperatures can temporarily affect the properties of materials, causing them to expand or contract – this is something that any manufacturer of space equipment must consider when deciding on a fastening solution. A bolted connection that performs well under operating conditions at ground level may experience completely different conditions in space. The NLX washer features a conical shape, which gives it a unique functionality to compensate against settlements.