Strip produced at PZPS is used for magnetic recording in black boxes

Magnetic recording is a technology widely used in various fields, including aviation, where flight recorders (“black boxes”) are a key tool for recording flight data and preserving valuable information for investigating accidents and incidents. In this article we will examine the magnetic recording process used in black boxes and describe features of magnetic tape production.

How magnetic recording works

Magnetic recording of pulse signals in black boxes proceeds as follows:

1. A pulse signal containing flight information arrives at the recording head.
2. This head creates a magnetic field that changes according to the signal shape.
3. Then the recording head’s magnetic field magnetizes the ferromagnetic carrier material — magnetic tape.
4. A sequence of magnetic domains corresponding to the pulse shape is created on the tape surface.
5. During playback the read head passes over the magnetized areas, creating a pulse signal.
6. This signal is amplified and fed to the system output, ready for subsequent analysis.

After the flight recorder is recovered, data from the tape are read and analyzed by experts, making it possible to identify and understand the causes of events.

Recording onto metal magnetic tape in “black boxes” proceeds as follows:

1. First, information is recorded digitally on a solid-state storage device, for example flash memory.
2. Then these digital data are converted into an analog signal representing a changing magnetic field.
3. This magnetic field magnetizes tiny iron or nickel particles located on the metal tape surface.

In an accident or incident the data tape remains practically intact because it is stored in a metal housing that withstands extreme loads, including 30 minutes of open flame and a month underwater at depths up to 6,000 meters. Such protection ensures information integrity for subsequent expert analysis.

Material for magnetic tapes produced by PZPS

Magnetic recording tape is made from precision alloy grade EP-298. This material was developed in Russia in the 1990s and became a pioneer among domestic alloys used in aviation.

EP-298 has a unique chemical composition that provides high strength and corrosion resistance at temperatures up to 800–900°C. This hard magnetic alloy gives tape about 0.015 mm thick the properties needed to store information under extreme conditions.

Despite its outstanding properties, EP-298 has a number of drawbacks, including high production cost and processing difficulty. Nevertheless its use in “black boxes” ensures reliable, durable data preservation under extreme conditions.

Magnetic tape production is a careful, high-tech process. Specialized machines and equipment used to create tape from precision alloy grade EP-298 make it possible to ensure the characteristics needed for magnetic recording.

To purchase cold-rolled strip grade EP-298 and other precision alloys, call the listed phone number or leave requests on the website. Our specialists will contact you and answer all questions in detail.

‍