Product category:
5-axis (3+2 axes and continuous path) machining centres
News Release from: StarragHeckert UK | Subject: STC 100 Dixieland high speed, 5-axis VMC
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 27 May 2004
Turbine blade re-processing time to be
cut by half
Adaptive 5-axis reverse-engineering and machining of complex aerospace compressor blades enables blade re-processing time to be cut by half, with production of a more consistent aerofoil surface.
An innovative demonstration of 'on-the-fly', adaptive 5-axis reverse-engineering and machining of complex aerospace compressor blades is to be carried out at the Farnborough Air Show following the high technology partnership established between StarragHeckert UK of Brackley and TTL of Aylesbury The combination of TTL's award-winning adaptive machining technology and StarragHeckert's expertise in multi-axis machining of complex forms enables blade re-processing time to be cut by half, with production of a more consistent aerofoil surface
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 9 Dec 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
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On the joint exhibition stand, TTL will be demonstrating how the geometric data of the component involving topography, twist and angle, is captured from the aerofoil surface of a refurbished welded compressor blade.
This will be achieved using a touch-trigger probe on the latest StarragHeckert STC 100 Dixieland high speed 40,000 revs/min, five-axis vertical machining centre.
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The machining program is then prepared through TTL's adaptive machining software and the blade remachined and polished in a single 'hands-off' automated cycle.
Normally inconel 718 and titanium components, that have been reclaimed by weld build-up on the blade tips are fettled and polished by hand in a bid to restore a technically acceptable aerofoil profile.
However, this process has numerous drawbacks, which TTL has addressed, such as total lack of consistency from blade to blade, health and safety issues attributed to repetitive strain injury and 'white finger' problems experienced by the highly skilled manual operators.
In addition, aircraft engine 'off-wing' time has become an increasingly key issue in the industry.
Through the TTL adaptive machining techniques, the reverse engineering process can be performed with less likelihood of scrap or rejected blades.
And, by eliminating inconsistency from blade to blade, quality and performance issues are addressed with the ability to re-machine within a tolerance window of 0.03mm.
The complete re-machining and polishing cycle, depending on the size of the component, can be completed in as little as eight minutes which provides a significant saving in cycle time against traditional manual techniques.
In the demonstration, TTL's process uses a laptop computer to take over the executive control of the Heidenhain iTNC 530 control system on the STC 100 machining centre via ethernet connection.
This establishes the desired protocol transfer program, incorporates tool data and remotely communicates the variables derived from the component.
The infra-red touch-trigger probe captures the topography of the blade to be processed and presents the scanned information for the software to calculate the 'best fit' and relative datum position to the root form of the blade.
From the data captured, an individual five-axis toolpath is generated through TTL developed algorithms using parametric techniques that can be utilised for both milling and final polishing in the same floor-to-floor production cycle.
Incorporated within the process program is the precise control over speed from the 8kW, 40,000 revs/min STC 100 spindle and axis feed rates to ensure the correct pressure and oscillation rates of the abrasive grinding wheel during final polishing.
Following the single-cycle scanning, machining and final polishing process, the component is ready for any subsequent processing.
Key elements in the construction of the StarragHeckert STC 100, allowing the combined machining process, is its inherent rigidity and stability through the monobloc machine bed, with moving column and longitudinal slide which fully supports the vertical slideway and headstock.
It has an X-axis stroke of 400mm, Y-axis of 220mm and Z-axis of 350mm.
A 360 deg rotary table creates the A-axis and a separate swivel axis enables +110 deg to 15 deg movement.
This is all achieved within a compact floor space requirement of 2.1 metres by 1.65 metres and the process can be further automated with an integrated multiple pallet and fixturing set up.
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