• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.33-39
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• 2014

Feathering spindle is one of the critical parts of the rotor system in the Smart Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(SUAV) that it was manufactured with special material, Maraging C300. During the initial ground and tie-down flight tests of the SUAV, surface of the feathering spindle contacting to the needle-roller bearings showed excessive wear and dent due to high vibrating loads transferred from the rotating blades. Gas nitriding process was applied to the bearing contact surface of the feathering spindle to increase surface hardness so as to improve the surface defects. This paper briefly presents the gas nitriding process adopted and the spindle quality improvements including wear and corrosion resistance.