Product category:
Toolholders
News Release from: Nikken Kosakusho UK | Subject: Toolholding/chuck systems
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 13 November 2006
Toolholding investments raise machining
accuracy
A leading Tier 1 supplier to the aerospace industry has made significant investment in tool holding to achieve high volumetric accuracies, surface finishes and removal rates.
Toolholding investments increase machining accuracy A leading Tier 1 supplier to the aerospace industry has made significant investment in tool holding to achieve high volumetric accuracies, surface finishes and removal rates Llantrisant-based CAV Aerospace is a market-leading Tier 1 supplier to the aerospace industry
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 10 Aug 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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Nikken Kosakusho UK were approached by 'IPE', a leading Aerospace manufacturer which was looking to ramp up production using an existing Matsuura RA1, twin pallet, machining centre.
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The mid-Glamorgan site is one of three CAV Aerospace -Aerostructure manufacturing facilities in the UK - the other two being in Consett and Leicester respectively.
CAV Aerospace, established 18 months ago following the merger of Prematec Corporation, Aerospace Systems and Technology 2000 and Castillion Aerospace, designs and manufactures major structural assemblies and components for leading aircraft OEMs - (Airbus, Boeing, etc).
The company has built (and continues to build) its reputation on a number of core business principles - manufacturing quality parts with zero defects; achieving 100% on time delivery; controlling costs to maintain competitive pricing and improving operational performance and productivity by adopting lean manufacturing strategies, investing in new manufacturing technologies and investing in its people.
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The high-integrity and performance-critical nature of the components manufactured by CAV Aerospace means that all manufacturing technology and equipment invested in by the company (machine tools, cutting tools, workholding, etc) needs to be able to perform in what is a tough and demanding production environment.
As an integral element to its procurement strategies - the company has made significant investment in Nikken tooling solutions (BT 50 Milling Chucks, Slim Chucks, etc) to achieve the high volumetric accuracies, surface finishes and removal rates required.
* Llantrisant facility - CAV Aerospace's Llantrisant facility operates around the clock and is involved in many on-going, high profile and successful aerospace projects.
The company's current product portfolio includes the following.
Manufacture of wing ribs for Airbus A330 and A320.
Manufacture of tail-section vertical and horizontal spars for Boeing's 777.
Manufacture of avionic racking systems for Boeing aircraft.
There are a number of characteristics that are common across the company's products and these are as follows.
Components are mainly manufactured/machined from solid aluminium.
Components are also large and complex - with wing rib sizes varying from 0.5m to 4m in size - with spar sizes being considerably larger (15m).
Components are required in small 'ship-set' batches with only one or two identical sized parts required per ship-set.
Part accuracy is of critical importance.
Depending on individual and specific components - part cycle times vary.
However, all parts are complex and exhibit the full range of milling requirements - slots, pockets, thin walls, holes/bores etc - all machined to high accuracy.
CAV Aerospace has invested heavily in large, heavy-duty and sophisticated machine tools.
These include large 5-axis SNK's and 4-axis Matsuura machining centres.
These machines provide the company with the means to achieve high metal removal rates and high part accuracies (+0.13/-0.08mm) required.
But it is the Nikken toolholders (creating, as they do, the rigid interface between the machine tool spindle and solid carbide cutting tools) that ensure the high repeatable accuracy and process reliability demanded by CAV Aerospace.
* Multi-Lock milling chucks - Nikken's Multi-Lock milling chucks are designed to give exceptional accuracy (immediately and over time) even during heavy (roughing) milling operations where high material removal is at a premium.
The number (140% more than competitors) and configuration of the chucks' needle rollers plus the chucks' special steel retainers guarantee increased rigidity and reduced vibration.
Furthermore the chucks' nose rigid clamping capability improves run-out accuracy, extends tool life and optimises cutting performance (heavy milling through to fine finishing).
* Slim Chucks - Nikken's Slim Chucks are designed to give users increased run-out accuracy and improved surface finish even during high speed applications.
The Chucks' have a simple, yet rigid, nut and collet arrangement that deliver high and powerful gripping torque - vital for increased concentricity.
Said Russell Owen, manufacturing manager Machining at CAV Aerospace: "We have a long and well established relationship with Nikken.
We need tooling solutions that can be relied upon to deliver - and Nikken's products have never let us down.".
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