Particle migration through sealed bearings

Tests were performed to determine the ability of various types of shielded bearings to isolate particulate from a clean environment in support of the Direct Optical Initiation (DOI) program. In the DOI firing system, a stronglink mechanism will share the same environment with a high-powered laser which needs uncontaminated optics to perform properly. Two commercially available shielded and sealed bearings were tested along with a sealed bearing designed at Allied Signal Inc., Kansas City Division (KCD). The KCD-designed bearing proved to be the best barrier, but the torque required to function the bearing was magnitudes above the commercial bearings. The commercial sealed bearing was an effective barrier, allowing a small fraction of particles to migrate through, and had a relatively low running torque. The shielded bearing was not acceptable as a particle barrier.