Aircraft rely on self-lubricating bearings in safety-critical systems such as landing gear and helicopter rotor controls. These bearings use a sacrificial composite liner to enable low-friction motion, but wear of the liner is difficult to predict. As a result, bearings are often inspected frequently or replaced well before their true end of life, leading to unnecessary manufacturing, increased waste, extended maintenance downtime, and avoidable carbon emissions.

This PhD project will develop a novel self-indicating bearing liner that provides a clear visual signal when the liner has reached its functional wear limit. The approach uses dye-impregnated fibres embedded within the composite liner, which release dye at a predetermined wear depth.

Aircraft rely on self-lubricating bearings in safety-critical systems such as landing gear and helicopter rotor controls. These bearings use a sacrificial composite liner to enable low-friction motion, but wear of the liner is difficult to predict. As a result, bearings are often inspected frequently or replaced well before their true end of life, leading to unnecessary manufacturing, increased waste, extended maintenance downtime, and avoidable carbon emissions.

This PhD project will develop a novel self-indicating bearing liner that provides a clear visual signal when the liner has reached its functional wear limit. The approach uses dye-impregnated fibres embedded within the composite liner, which release dye at a predetermined wear depth.