Download Center Your browser does not support HTML5 video. Your browser does not support HTML5 video. Nord-Lock Group Insights PLD Space TAKE IT TO THE LIMIT The upper atmosphere can be tough on equipment. Developing a rocket engine for this environment is a huge challenge. If there are complications in the process, the engine and its associated parts might be damaged. Spanish aerospace company PLD Space develops launch vehicles and offers suborbital and orbital commercial launch services dedicated to small payloads and small satellites. Since its foundation in 2011, the company has gone from a small start-up to a flourishing company of 42 employees. Choosing high-quality materials and components has been essential in the design and construction of the company’s MIURA 1 and MIURA 5 launch vehicles. “The materials that we use are very specific. For example, the bolts that join the components need to be extremely robust and reliable. This way, nothing moves out of place during a high-intensity flight,” says Raúl Torres, CEO & Co-founder of PLD. Ismael Gutiérrez, Head of Propulsion, agrees: Quality is key as we push every single part to the limit of its capacity. He continues: “We must test different scenarios that might occur to ensure that we comply with strict regulations and can ensure safety. If we don’t have the maximum properties that we can specify, such as ultimate strength, wear rate, all these type of parameters, we cannot comply with our test.” This is particularly true for the propulsion department, where compromised base material could lead to premature failure due to the high demands of the application. In a highly vibrational environment like outer space, maintaining the preload in the bolt is a top priority. As the traditional locking wire couldn’t offer a viable solution, the PLD Space team started looking for another type of retention mechanism and came across Nord-Lock. We did a good assessment between different types of technologies and decided to go with Nord-Lock as their wedge-locking washers offered incredible robustness,” says Torres. Nord-Lock wedge-locking washers are now used for most of the bolted joints in PLD Space’s rocket engines, as well as on the rocket launch platforms. “We have successfully used their washers for basically every bolted connection in the engine, and they’ve worked really well,” Gutiérrez says. “The preload is kept in our firing testing, and we haven’t seen any loosening of the bolts.” By being able to rely on quality materials, PLD Space is now preparing for their first commercial launch of MIURA 1. The client: PLD Space Business: Aerospace Location: Elche, Spain Application: Launch Vehicles Challenge: Maintaining the preload in the bolts under extreme conditions in outer space Nord-Lock Group solution: Nord-Lock original washers keep the bolts from loosening More insights and references A Wind-Win Situation Wind turbine towers are designed to flex and bend, which helps them dissipate the significant forces being exerted upon them. However, this had been causing dangerous failures in the bolts. Read More Securing Giant Satellite Antenna Radomes in Antarctica Antarctica is one of the coldest and windiest places on earth. These conditions put an extreme amount of pressure on bolted connections to be secured properly. Read More 12345 Share this article Subscribe to our free magazine Stay up-to-date with the latest news, insights and knowledge in the bolting industry by subscribing to Bolted magazine! Subscribe now Nord-Lock product range Nord-Lock Washers Wedge-locking security for bolted joints subjected to extreme vibration and dynamic loads Read More Nord-Lock X-series Washers Maximum security for critical bolted joints exposed to spontaneous bolt loosening and slackening Read More 12345 Secure connections Looking for the right solutions for your bolting needs? Looking for Nord-Lock washers CAD files? Download CAD Get more than just the products you need Technical support Let us help you solve your bolting challenges Contact us The Nord-Lock Group is a world leader in secure bolted solutions. Our mission is to safeguard human lives and customer investments. More about us Select country Nord-Lock International AB S:t Johannesgatan 1D 211 46 Malmö Sweden Contact Us The Nord-Lock Group has a worldwide representation Find a local office Nord-Lock Superbolt Expander System Boltight Download Center Performance Services Technical Support About Nord-Lock Group Contact Us Press Room Construction Forestry & Agriculture Machine Building Manufacturing & Processing Mining & Minerals Oil & Gas Power Generation Railway Shipbuilding & Marine Steel, Forging & Other Presses Transportation Miscellaneous © 2021 Nord-Lock International AB Privacy Cookie Policy Legal Disclaimer