Aerospace machining - Long-bed travelling-column VMCs reduce cycle times and accommodate pendulum-type machining

摘要

The installation of two long-bed travelling-column vertical machining centres at the Clevedon-based aerospace subcontractor AIM has not only cut cycle times by at least 15% on a variety of three-axis parts - thanks to the machines' high spindle powers - but also allowed more components to be machined in the same set-up, through the use of pendulum machining routines, As a result, spindle downtime is minimised, overall output is increased and operators have been freed to do other tasks while the machines run unattended, According to managing director Rob Kendall, the advantages of increased spindle power, pendulum machining (on parts of a suitable size) and improved operator utilisation were realised when the decision was made to replace a pair of ageing, lower-specification milling machines with the Hedelius machines from C Dugard Ltd, Hove (Tel: 01273 732286), "With their respective X-axis capacities of 2.5m and 5,8m, the older machines had served us well but, in accordance with our programme of continual investment, the time had come for them to be replaced by faster, higher-specification equipment, We process a wide variety of components ranging from one-off development prototypes and wing spars measuring 5.5m long, through to tiny turned parts; and while we regularly use the Hedelius machines' full X-axis capacities on certain single parts, we know we can use the machines' travelling-column design and pendulum machining capabilities to allow us to 'work smarter' on smaller components."