TechView Processing Knowledge to Optimize
Aerospace Frame Production
By all accounts, aerospace manufactur- ing is entering a boom cycle. Te exist- ing global fleet is aging; simultaneously, emerging markets are ramping up the demand for new aircraſt. All the while, the frequency of technological advance- ments is accelerating, speeding up obsolescence and shortening the useful lives of air fleets across markets. What will differentiate OEMs in
this smorgasbord of business will be their ability to best deliver in the face of increased demand. Among many other measurements, aerospace manufactur- ing can be measured in feet per day. If an aircraſt is 150' (46-m) long, then a line would have to move at 150' per day to hit one plane per day—which may be too loſty a goal, but is a useful metric: It hightlights the need for efficiency in order to optimize processes and squeeze as many inches out of a line as pos- sible. Even in manufacturing massive structures like airframes, it really comes down to a game of inches. And aerospace has a unique set
of circumstances that forces OEMs to constantly be able to adapt. With difficult-to-machine new materials and complex geometries, aerospace structural components require total machining solutions, from tooling selection and application to spindle interface. Tese solutions need to meet the tightest of tolerances, as air travel safety exists in the balance between microns. Meeting such high demands requires more than the right equipment and tooling; it requires the processing knowledge that will optimize every step of the machining process and the impact of the cutting tool.
Holemaking: With thousands of holes
in every aircraſt, optimizing the holemak- ing process in aerospace machining is essential in achieving top efficiency at the closest tolerances. Considerations in both tool selection and application are impor- tant for optimal success, speeding up that inch-by-inch movement down the line. Achieving top hole quality is chal-
lenging when it comes to machining carbon-fiber and titanium- or alumi- num-stacked materials, all commonly encountered in aerospace manufactur- ing. Stacked materials are common in frame components, but the difference in material properties comes with its own set of demands.
Considerations in both tool selection and application are important.
Fiber splintering, for example, is
a common occurrence when drill- ing stacked materials. Te CoroDrill 854/856 is designed with a unique point geometry and diamond coating to re- duce splintering and burr formation on exit. A small point angle and high rake angle also help reduce axial forces. Process security: Choosing the right
machine tool interface is just as impor- tant, if not more so, than choosing the right tooling. Without an interface that will deliver superior process security, the entire machining process is at risk. Coromant Capto provides simultane- ous face and taper contact for improved accuracy and strength in all application areas of frame machining: milling, drill- ing and turning. It also has the flexibility to optimize the length required to keep
Michael Standridge
Aerospace Industry Specialist Sandvik Coromant Fair Lawn, NJ
maximum stability and radial runout, in high metal removal. CAM programming: Today, CAM
programming has a tremendous impact on manufacturing productivity. Te ad- vanced soſtware options are vast, from 3D modeling CAD systems to CAM systems that read and interpret CAD models for easy machine programming. Te toolpath can impact the cut-
ting tool as much or even more than the spindle and machine tool. While the spindle and machine tool must be properly designed and possibly even customized for efficient machining of aerospace alloys, machining productiv- ity comes from removing metal in the cutting zone. Optimized toolpaths occur by con-
trolling and maintaining cutting tool position, as a percentage of the diameter of the tool engaged into the workpiece and that engagement’s effect on feed rate. Tis is the foundation for both produc- tivity and machining security. Te key to successful, low-cost machining is having a CAM system that can adapt to the com- plex features of aerospace components while maintaining optimized parameters. Aerospace alloys are designed to re-
tain strength under load forces and heat while resisting corrosion and fatigue. Te elements and processes that create these alloys make them difficult to ma- chine securely and consistently at a high productive rate. Te challenge today is for machine tool systems, cutting tool systems and CAM systems to be opti- mized and applied to support each other in order to achieve high performance output—increasing productivity, and controlling production costs. ✈
Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing 2013 55
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