Halpin Engineering, LLC

Engineering consulting for space-qualified mechanical systems including precision pointing and tracking gimbals, actuators, deployment devices, and advanced mechanisms. Areas of expertise include mechanism design (DC motors, resolvers, rolling-element bearings, harmonic drives, spur gears, RF rotary joints, cable wraps/twist capsules, stop mechanisms, ball screws), engineering analysis (bearing analysis, modal/frequency, damping and vibration, fatigue and fracture, bolted joints, torque/force margins, non-linear contact simulations, kinematic simulations), and failure investigation/root cause analysis.

ORBIS is a computational tool for analyzing the nonlinear elastic behavior of rolling-element ball bearings. It models ball-to-raceway contact across all bearing rows, delivering internal load distributions and raceway attitudes. Features include ring compliance model, FEA Load Tool, sensitivity analysis, tolerance analysis, flexible shaft analyzer, Dahl torque hysteresis, Hertzian contact analysis, and load case batch processing. Trusted in the aerospace industry since its initial release in 2009.

Precision cleaning and lubrication of bearings for high-reliability aerospace applications in a Class 10K clean room. Services include visual inspection at 10X magnification, vacuum oil impregnation (Pennzane, Brayco), grease filling (verified to milligram accuracy), and COTS up-screening for demanding deep space environments. In-house machining capabilities (3-axis milling, engine lathe, 3D printer) for custom tooling and fixtures.

Structured training on rolling-element bearings: (1) Bearing Fundamentals and Mechanics - covering geometry, kinematics, Hertzian contact mechanics, internal load distributions, preloading, stiffness, and bearing row configurations; (2) Bearing Analysis with ORBIS - hands-on use of ORBIS for aerospace mechanism bearing analysis. Courses offered in-person at events such as the Aerospace Mechanisms Symposium.