Aerospace Manufacturing: RSS News Feed

Hampson to supply tooling for CSeries

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:44:46 GMT

Hampson Industries' subsidiary, Coast Composites has been selected by Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast to manufacture the outer mould line tooling used to fabricate the composite wings for the new CSeries aircraft.

“Precision and dimensional stability on very large tools such as these are core competencies for Coast,” commented Coast’s president, Paul Walsh. “We built the developmental wing tools as part of the technology demonstration phase of the CSeries aircraft wing programme and are pleased to be working with Bombardier again on this exciting and technologically demanding project.”

Jerry Anthony, divisional chief executive, added: “Bombardier and Hampson have a longstanding relationship. We are delighted to consolidate that relationship through our support to the prestigious and important new CSeries aircraft programme.”

www.hampsongroup.com

Sonatest reinvents the wheel

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:44:46 GMT

Sonatest has launched its new Radius WheelProbe, which has been designed for curved surface mapping applications often found in the aerospace and composite sectors.

Application subjects include areas such as aircraft wing leading edge, aircraft horizontal tail piece, engine cowlings, aircraft radome, helicopter and fuselage components.

The Radius WheelProbe offers smooth handling, good control with comfortable grip positions for scanning around curved surfaces, and improved performance in overhead working environments. Circumferential and Longitudinal scanning are both completed rapidly and can be performed on curved surfaces with diameters as little as 4 inches. Fast and easy configuration for different diameters is adjustable in the field, thanks to the Surface Curvature Scale on the WheelProbe, enabling quick adjustments and fine tuning.

The Radius WheelProbe is not only compatible with NDT Systems and instruments available from the Sonatest range, such as the Rapidscan Series, but also with a wide range of industry standard ultrasonic array based instruments.

www.sonatest.com

Nadcap announces new Task Group

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:44:46 GMT

In response to feedback, Nadcap has launched a new Task Group for Conventional Machining. The audits will cover a variety of hole making processes, broaching, turning, milling, grinding and edge treatment, such as hand benching, mass finishing and automated processes.

“Many major aerospace companies have internal systems to qualify and audit suppliers performing critical conventional machining processes,” explained the Chair of this new Task Group, John Pfeiffer of GE Aviation. “It makes sense to utilise the infrastructure of PRI - which already administers many process accreditations through Nadcap - to identify common industry requirements that can be audited through one series of checklists, assuring compliance while saving both the primes and suppliers time and money.”

Following more than a year spent in checklist development and four pilot audits to validate the checklists, the Conventional Machining Task Group was approved by the Nadcap Management Council at the February 2010 Nadcap meeting in Rome, Italy.

Arshad Hafeez, PRI’s executive director of global business operations welcomed this development: “By adding a new Task Group to the fourteen already in operation, aerospace quality experts are further demonstrating their trust in the Nadcap programme to delivery timely, accurate and cost-effective accreditations throughout the global industry as part of PRI's Customer Solutions & Support (CS&S) mandate.”

www.pri-network.org

Trimite responds to environmental regulations

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:44:46 GMT

Trimite Global Coatings is responding to the introduction of tighter regulations on the use of chemicals by the European body commonly known as REACH, by offering aerospace customers a new pre-treatment known as Surtec 650.

Providing an alternative to Hexavalent chrome, Surtec 650 is the only Hexavalent-free product to meet both the high corrosion demands and the electrical conductivity requirements stipulated by US military specifications, notably MIL-DTL-5541F subsections 1A and 3.

Originally developed by Navair, the US military research facility, Surtec 650 is said to offer excellent corrosion resistance on unpainted metal and promotes the bonding of organic coatings. Compliant with WEEE and RoHS legislation, Surtec 650 is non-toxic which makes it suitable for repair and maintenance uses, as it can be applied quickly and easily using simple spray or brush equipment.

“We understand fully the increasing pressures our customers are facing in having to comply with industry legislation without compromising on product performance,” said Trimite’s business development manager, Andy Thomas. “We’re committed to providing our customers bespoke solutions to their pre-treatment needs, which is why we fully support new innovations such as Surtec 650.”

www.trimite.com

UAC launches commercial airliner production with MAG

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:44:46 GMT

MAG Industrial Automation Systems has announced it will supply the first automated composites processing system ordered by the Russian aerospace industry as part of a new sale to Russia's United Aircraft Corporation (UAC).

The purchase of three machines – a MAG VIPER Fibre Placement System and two HyperMach vertical profilers, valued at more than $9 million – is the first made to support production of UAC's MS-21 series of commercial, medium range airliners. The machines, all featuring patented technologies, will be delivered in the first quarter of 2011.

The sale broadens MAG's footprint in Russia, which was firmly established with recent sales of 26 large machine tools to Ural Boeing Manufacturing and VSMPO-Avisma. Both companies produce titanium components in Russia for Boeing and Airbus commercial planes.

“Our newly created Aerospace Industry Team was a key enabler for us in this sale,” said Chip Storie, MAG executive vice president, aerospace. “It brings into focus our strength as the only globally capable company integrating core aerospace manufacturing technologies – metalworking and automated composites processing – engineered, built and backed by a single source with local sales and service in Russia. The team consulted in depth with UAC, even hosting three aerospace manufacturing workshops in Russia that included a design and review of an entire wing factory.”

The two HyperMach profilers acquired by UAC are single spindle, 5-axis designs with 85 kW, 20,000 rpm spindles and X axis travels of 12.6m and 18.2m respectively. The longer machine has dual work zones and a dust collection system.

The VIPER 1200 Fibre Placement System precisely lays 12 tows of 6.35mm composite prepreg tape, and has 9m carriage travel and 3m diameter mandrel station. The VIPER family of machines is highly modular, offered with 12, 16, 24 or 32 tows to support a wide variety of parts production from small to very large, and is available in both vertical and horizontal platforms.

www.mag-ias.com