In the aerospace world, as in all sectors of manufacturing, the race is on for faster, more automated and connected machining operations. Aerospace builders have steadily pushed for more automotive-like automation over the past several years in order to improve productivity and more effectively handle large order backlogs in commercial aviation.
New work materials are developed continually to improve the capabilities of finished parts, making them lighter and stronger, among other properties. When these materials catch on, cutting tools must adapt to their often challenging properties.
It is common sense—a vehicle that weighs less requires less fuel to move it. A number of studies show that reducing the mass of a vehicle by 10% results in anywhere from 4.5 to 6% better fuel economy—well worth the effort.
From Boeing 787s to new Navy destroyers, fiber-reinforced composites are gaining in use. As production scales up, more-efficient manufacturing remains a focus. One key to that efficiency is tooling for composites. These molds and forms give the final shape to a part, and are often integral to their final curing.
While recent advancements in machining centers have allowed for increased capability around high-volume operations, there are several factors that still necessitate the need for grinding.
Christoph Fedler, project director for equipment management at Rolls-Royce Germany, was facing a challenge: He needed to increase the available capacity of the prime discipline at the Oberursel facility, namely micrometer-precise grinding of curvic couplings.
Betting that the worst of the pandemic will be over and travel restrictions lifted, the 2021 edition the machine tool exhibition is putting out the welcome mat to the world.
As laser manufacturing systems for sheet and tube grow more sophisticated—powerful, automated and scalable—navigating the wealth of choices might feel daunting.
3D Systems announced an expansion of its plastics materials portfolio.
Prima Power Laserdyne has relocated and expanded its manufacturing and operations center. During February, Prima Power Laserdyne moved from its old location in Champlin, Minn., to the new facility in Brooklyn Park, Minn.
