Tooling system improves costs, quality and productivity machining aircraft components

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology

ISSN: 0002-2667

Article publication date: 1 October 2003

109

Keywords

Citation

(2003), "Tooling system improves costs, quality and productivity machining aircraft components", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 75 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2003.12775eab.003

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2003, MCB UP Limited


Tooling system improves costs, quality and productivity machining aircraft components

Tooling system improves costs, quality and productivity machining aircraft components

Keywords: Tooling, Machining, Aircraft

Face-grooving tools from the ACT2.2 range have reportedly brought significant improvements in cycle times, tooling costs and the number of out-of-tolerance components for specialist control equipment manufacturer Penny and Giles Ltd (Plate 4).

The company called in Advanced Carbide Tooling Ltd because it was having continuing problems face-grooving a rotary variable inductive transducer for aircraft actuation systems. The component required two face grooves 4.78 mm deep with external diameters of 32.56 and 24.28 mm to be produced to very precise tolerances to ensure long reliable service life for the completed mechanism.

Plate 4 Transducer components produced by Penny and Giles Ltd using ACT2.2 tooling with 30-35 mm diameter for the outer groove (left) and 23-26 mm diameter for the inner (right)

The component is manufactured from radio-metal, consisting of 45 per cent nickel and 55 per cent iron. Rapid insert wear and frequent tool breakages were resulting from the soft, abrasive nature of the material and the fact that a slot across the diameter of the component caused interrupted cutting conditions.

Following demonstrations and trials by ACT, Penny and Giles took the decision to use the company's 122C tooling system with 2 mm wide inserts to produce the face grooves. Now, the company is achieving some 300 components within tolerance per insert – a ten-fold increase on the previous equipment, and total tooling costs have decreased from £180 to £80 for each batch of components. Cycle times have also been reduced by nearly 2 min per component.

"The insert clamping mechanism on the ACT2.2 tooling has been one of the main reasons for the long insert life and accuracy we are achieving" said Kevin Pasmore, the machine shop supervisor. The inserts on the other tools were wedged in and tended to move when they came under pressure, whereas the ACT2.2 inserts are positively clamped and remained in position.

Details available from: Advanced Carbide Tooling Ltd. Tel: +44 (0) 1455 234000; Fax: +44 (0) 1455 234022; Web site: www.advancedcarbidetooling.co.uk

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