Discover types and benefits of aerospace bearing swaging tools

Categories: Aerospace Bearings PSI Bearings Shafer

Rexnord Aerospace products are applied to many different aircraft, from fighter planes to commercial transports. Maintenance of these products requires proper tooling. Buying high quality bearing products is only the first step to achieve a complete satisfaction on bearing applications. Installation is the crucial step that allows bearing design capabilities to be transformed into in service performance by the user.
Some of the common methods used today include:

An Anvil Stake
The Wheel Roller
And the Shafer Tri-Roller Swaging tool

1. An Anvil Stake

The anvil method maybe less expensive, because a simple die is needed. However the tooling must be inserted into the large hydraulic press. The set up is cumbersome and large hydraulic presses are tough to find. Important thing here is that operator does not have a complete control of the operation. Often times something called “lip spring back” occurs, with the material not properly formed over the housing. If this happens, often times an additional swaging process is required.

2. The Wheel Roller

The Wheel Roller tool is a common tool used today in the industry. It features two rollers that can be adjusted for many size bearings. The drawback of this tool is that the friction created in the groove is caused by the rollers not turning as the same diameter as the tool does, galling the material.

3. And the Shafer Tri-Roller Swaging tool

Lack of repeatability and other installation problems led Rexnord Aerospace to develop its own tools to eliminate these problems.The tri-roller swaging tool features three rollers: 120 degrees from each other. Such a design enables the roller path to set in the groove and creating a true rolling friction forming the material over the housing chamfer in an orderly fashion.

Because swaging inconsistencies can be a major cause of rejects and expensive bearing replacements, Rexnord designed the tool to be easy to use even by inexperienced personnel.
Equipment requirements are minimum, they include a hand fed drill press - a vertical mill can be used in the same instance, a swaging tool set.
These tools are particularly suited to usage at all levels of maintenance and overhaul as well as airframe manufacturers and their subcontractors.
Buying high-quality bearings is the first step toward achieving complete satisfaction for bearing applications. Proper installation is a critical step that allows a bearing’s full design capabilities to be converted into the expected performance desired by the end user. That’s why we offer a complete installation, swaging and bearing removal offering to our customers. Our extensive experience in bearing installation and removal tooling design and application makes us uniquely qualified to meet all of your installation, swaging and bearing removal needs.
Features and benefits
• Designed for use in all Rexnord Shafer Aerospace Roller Bearing installation applications
• Simplicity of operation under complete operator control
• Easy to use with readily available shop equipment, fits standard drill press
• Minimal effect on outer ring size, bearing internal free play and bearing torque
• Ensures uniform swaging around the entire bearing circumference
• Repeatable swaging quality
• Specified by all major airframe manufacturers
• Standard series of Rexnord Tri-Roller Swaging Tools is available for all Mil-Spec bearings
• Can be custom designed to fit your specific bearing installation needs
• Swage all MIL Spec-grooved series, Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and metal-to-metal bearings, as well as Rexnord Roller Bearings
• Special installation tools available for almost any grooved bearing configuration

Click here to learn more about our tools.

Rexnord Aerospace

For over 60 years, Rexnord has provided quality bearings, seals, gears and electrical components used in the aerospace industry all over the world. As the premier leader in the supply of highly engineered specialty bearings and mechanical seals, Rexnord products can be found in every aspect of the aerospace industry, from engine systems and flight controls, to landing gear and aircraft structures.