1 October 2013 www.aeromag.com www.aero-mag.com THE EUROPEAN MAGAZINE FOR A GLOBAL INDUSTRY CIVIL & DEFENCE/SPACE/SUPPLY CHAIN JANUARY 2024 DIGITAL MANUFACTURING LEAPING OVER THE CAM PROGRAMMING HURDLE Page 30 SHOW PREVIEW Page 10
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New year, new issue! Editor | Mike Richardson | newsdesk@aero-mag.com | Tel: +44 (0) 1634 825709 Deputy Editor | Ed Hill | ehill@mitpublishing.co.uk | Tel: +44 (0) 1634 825705 Digital content coordinator | Michael Tyrrell | mtyrrell@mitpublishing.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1634 825713 Sales Manager | David McCauley dmc@aero-mag.com | Tel: +44 (0)7557 308369 Sales Director | Andy Morley amorley@aero-mag.com | Tel: +44 (0) 1634 825701 Art Editor | Sarah Blake sarahblake@sablemedia.co.uk | Tel: +44 (0) 1233 770781 Production Coordinator| Ewa Hodden ehodden@mitpublishing.co.uk | Tel: +44 (0) 1634 825703 Circulation, Subscriptions and Database Research | Perception SAS aero@mitpublishing.com | Tel: +44 (0) 1825 701520 Financial Controller | Valerie Prentice | accounts@mitpublishing.co.uk Publisher | Liam McCauley Director | David Rose Published by | MIT Publishing Limited | Featherstone House | 375 High Street | Rochester | Kent ME1 1DA | United Kingdom | Tel: +44 (0) 1634 830566 Published 8 times a year, Aerospace Manufacturing is distributed free of charge to applicants in the UK and certain other countries who meet the publishers criteria. Subscriptions are also available at £150 per annum which represents a 40% saving on the single issue price. While every care is taken to provide accurate information, the publishers cannot accept liability for errors or omissions, no matter how they may arise. Authors opinions do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without the consent of the publisher. Copyright: MIT Publishing Ltd 2024 Printed by: Pureprint Group 5 NEWS EVENTS 10 UK manufacturing looks South – Southern Manufacturing 13 Singapore event highlights sustainable aviation – Singapore Airshow AIRCRAFT PROGRAMMES 14 Lean on the line – Civil aircraft TECHNOLOGY FEATURE 16 Perfect machining performance – Engines 18 Reliability improved and confidence restored – Avionics ADVANCED MATERIALS 20 From black to green – Composites 24 Seeing is believing – Machine tools SPECIAL REPORT 26 A new lease of life – Quality & inspection 28 Take control of tooling – MRO DIGITAL MANUFACTURING 30 Leaping over the cam programming hurdle – CAD/CAM SUPPLY CHAIN 32 It is time to seize the skies – Location report FINAL APPROACH 34 Pole position – Katarzyna Kalisz, head of JPB Système’s Poland-based operations Next issue: Events: JEC World, Electric aircraft, Technology feature: Aerostructures, Materials: Raw materials, Machining techniques: Tooling & workholding, Special report: Surface treatment, Supply chain: Manufacturer focus, Digital manufacturing: Production control software, Final approach Hello and welcome to the January issue of Aerospace Manufacturing magazine. In this latest issue, our Ed Hill speaks to CloudNC about its new CAM programming so ware which aims to dramatically reduce CNC machine tool CAM strategy creation. CloudNC says it is revolutionising this aspect of metal part production with the latest developments of its CAM Assist so ware which turns the programming process into a simple click of a mouse operation. And its developers say it is particularly suitable for accelerating the time it takes to make parts in the aerospace sector. Elsewhere, Boeing discusses the power of Lean, and why the company is so passionate about its e orts in this area. Equally passionate – at least where production savings are concerned - is subcontractor, Oaston Engineering. We report on how the company’s second Cincom sliding-head lathe purchase from Citizen Machinery UK has helped cut seven operations down to just two. And with sustainability uppermost in everyone’s minds, Cascade Engineering’s Grenville Williamson looks at the use of carbon bre, whether it can be recycled or produced more sustainably, and whether there are usable alternatives coming to market. Tradeshows are always good industry bellwethers to kick o the New Year – none more so than the Southern Manufacturing & Electronics show and its co-located AutoAero specialised theme. Previewed in this very issue, the event remains a rm favourite in the industry calendar. Indeed, Southern Manufacturing provides an ideal opportunity for aerospace professionals to source suppliers with skills and experience across a range of engineering disciplines, plus there is also many opportunities to rub shoulders with companies supplying advanced materials, such as composites. We’ll be there as always on stand B260. Next up is our JEC World composites show preview edition. Until then, stay safe and keep the manufacturing ag ying! Mike Richardson, editor ISSN 2056 3434 www.aero-mag.com Aerospace Manufacturing January 2024 3 COMMENT & CONTENTS Volume 19 Issue 172
Convene with aviation’s finest. Discover cutting edge innovations. Participate in strategic conversations. Flying & Static Displays Trade Programmes Sustainable Aviation & Advanced Air Mobility Forums Be Part of Aerospace Transformation AIN logo: C 0 M 100 Y 63 B 12 Hex: D31245 RGB: R 211 G 18 B 69 Scan To Register www.singaporeairshow.com/register
www.aeromag.com Xxxxxxxx 2014 5 NEWS BAE Systems is set for another record-breaking recruitment drive in 2024 with almost 2,700 new apprentice and graduate opportunities available to young people across the UK. The company has more than doubled its early careers intake in the past ve years, making a signi cant contribution to the UK economy and o ering more young people than ever the prospect of exciting long-term careers supporting the nation’s armed forces and security services. The company’s award winning early careers schemes are vital to developing the talent pipeline needed to deliver critical national security capability. They also help to build the next generation of talented industrial leaders, with many former apprentices and graduates reaching the top ranks of the company. Charles Woodburn, chief executive, BAE Systems, said: “As the UK’s largest manufacturer, we have sites located right across the country and we’re investing hundreds of millions of pounds to equip young people with the skills they need to achieve their full potential. “Providing high quality apprenticeships and graduate programmes gives young people a route into long-term employment and helps to grow the talent we need to deliver vital national defence and security programmes, including future ghter jets, nuclear-powered submarines and low earth orbit satellites.” More than 1,400 apprentices will join the company, with the majority of roles based in the North of England and opportunities available across the South of England, Scotland and Wales. BAE also plans to recruit almost 1,300 graduates in 2024 – that’s 1,100 more graduate positions compared to ve years ago. The closing date for apprentice applications is 28 February 2024. There are multiple graduate intakes throughout the year, including January, June and September. www.baesystems.com/earlycareers The Heart of the South West LEP has announced £144,500 to support high-value engineering Factory of the Future digitisation for SMEs. The funding will allow the iAero Centre at Yeovil to install an Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) Factory+ Demonstrator and equipment, to create a dedicated digital data demonstration space. The project will focus on harnessing the power of data to drive innovation and collaboration in the aerospace and advanced manufacturing sectors. iFACTORe will allow companies in the industry to collect and analyse vast amounts of data, with the potential to enhance eciency and productivity whilst also fostering innovation and competitiveness. The region is set to become a leading example of how data can be e ectively utilised in the aerospace and advanced manufacturing sectors in a new era of technological advancement and economic growth. Austin Chick, head of iAero Centre said: “This funding o ers complimentary capabilities at iAero that will bene t SMEs within the aerospace and high value manufacturing sector looking to collaborate on new projects, technologies and skills.” https://iaerocentre.co.uk iAero Centre receives £140k funding boost www.aero-mag.com Aerospace Manufacturing January 2024 Cygnet Texkimp delivers filament winder to NCC Cygnet Texkimp says it has delivered a 4-axis lament winding machine to the National Composites Centre (NCC) where it will form part of a new manufacturing and test facility for hydrogen transportation and storage. The multi-functional lament winding technology has been developed by Cygnet Texkimp to provide the NCC and its partners with the capability to wind all types of lament from towpregs to dry bre and glass bre, and all combinations of bres and resins including high viscosity and fast cure resins. “We’re extremely proud to see our lament winding technology forming part of the NCC’s world-leading Hydrogen Programme,” said Cygnet Texkimp CEO, Luke Vardy. “The work of the NCC and its partners stands at the forefront of an exciting new era of hydrogen tank design and development and plays an important role in anchoring this area of manufacture in the UK. “The technology we’ve delivered o ers high levels of ¢exibility and capability to meet the requirements of many di erent lament winding applications and support the NCC’s pioneering development work.” www.cygnet-texkimp.com BAE unveils 2024 recruitment drive
6 October 2013 www.aeromag.com NEWS January 2024 Aerospace Manufacturing www.aero-mag.com The JEC Composites Innovation Awards annually recognises successful initiatives and collaborative e orts within the composites industry. Over the past 26 years, the programme has engaged over 2,000 companies globally, honouring 225 companies and 573 partners for their outstanding achievements in composites innovation and e ective partnerships. Criteria for the awards include partner involvement in the value chain, project complexity, and commercial potential. The competition is open to any company, university or R&D centre with a compelling collaborative innovation or concept to showcase. The success of participants is closely tied to partnerships and collective intelligence. Beyond being a ceremony, these awards serve as a platform to spotlight potentially undisclosed projects, o ering inspiration and motivation to an expert audience eager to explore new frontiers. The awards ceremony will take place in Paris on February 8th, 2024. www.jeccomposites.com JEC innovation awards finalists line-up revealed Collins Aerospace in Kilkeel has been recognised for its ongoing commitment to STEM activities, receiving the award for Best Small to Medium Enterprise in the UK Space Agency funded, Space Inspiration Awards, which were held during the UK Space Conference in Belfast last year. Space Inspirations is a UK Space Agency funded initiative, which is part of a wider STEM Ambassador programme, which encourages people from the Space Industry or those who have a background in Space education to engage with local schools and communities, with the aim of inspiring the next generation of Space Professionals. Collins Aerospace in Kilkeel was nominated for the award by Space Inspirations’ regional partner, Deliberate Learning, due to the successful running of RTX’s annual Quadcopter Challenge with local schools, having great STEM ambassadors, and also being excellent Nueld Research Placement hosts. The award for Best Small to Medium Enterprise was awarded to Rachel Chambers, Patricia Cunningham and Andrew Gibbons from Collins Aerospace in Kilkeel during the ceremony held at ICC Belfast. www.collinsaerospace.com Collins Aerospace recognised for STEM commitment Aciturri has recently completed the delivery to Lilium of the rst fuselage of the Lilium Jet, the German rm’s fully electric vertical take-o and landing (eVTOL) aircra . This delivery constitutes a milestone in the development of the project in which Aciturri is designing the fuselage in collaboration with Lilium and is in charge of the industrialisation and manufacturing, and represents an essential step towards the rst ight and its subsequent certication with EASA. The development and ne-tuning of the manufacturing processes, as well as the necessary industrial means, was undertaken in record time to support the start of the assembly in September last year. The rst fuselage has arrived at the customer’s facilities in the German town of Wessling, on whose nal assembly line the rest of systems will be incorporated. Aciturri has already begun to work on the production of the second unit which is planned to be delivered to Lilium at the beginning of this year, at the same time that the necessary activities are developed to support the German rm in the certication process of this aircra. www.aciturri.com Aciturri delivers first Lilium eVTOL fuselage
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8 October 2013 www.aeromag.com January 2024 Aerospace Manufacturing www.aero-mag.com NEWS Barnbrook Systems appoints for growth Barnbrook Systems has welcomed nine new faces in a range of roles from trainee to senior positions as part of its strategic growth plans. It comes as the company embarks on the next phase of its development. The business, founded in 1978, is projecting 30% growth in turnover in 2024 and the recruitment of another 10 sta to take its headcount close to 50. Andrew Barnett, managing director of Barnbrook Systems, said: “These appointments represent a major investment in our people and our business. They are in line with changes to the business and our strategic expansion plans for 30% turnover growth as we concentrate on our key solutions and services for markets in the UK and abroad.” www.barnbrook.co.uk Evolito secures DOA approval Space-Comm Expo has announced the rst wave of its keynote speakers, including space scientist and astronaut in training, Professor Suzie Imber and the who’s who of industry CEOs, CTOs and founders from the likes of NATO, Space Florida, and Thales Alenia Space. The place for space to do business, Space-Comm Expo, taking place 67 March 2024, brings together decision-makers across the supply chain to further the commercial space sector with future-altering partnerships and hear from world-renowned experts on the immediate opportunities and challenges facing the industry. Space-Comm Expo is a valued opportunity for the space sector to share future-altering thought leadership, build new partnerships and announce new projects and investment. Across three theatres, including a new stage dedicated to specialised defence and security, the conference programme will highlight the growth areas, barriers, latest innovations and grey areas of the global space industry. Organised by Hub Exhibitions in partnership with Farnborough International, Space-Comm is the UK’s biggest space-focused expo with a presence of over 150 exhibitors and 100 keynote speakers and experts across the programme. Taking place at Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre, Space-Comm Expo’s new March dateline will be a permanent xture for industry calendars. www.space-comm.co.uk Speakers set for Space-Comm Expo Evolito, a pioneer of axial- ux electric motors, power electronics and battery solutions for aerospace applications, has received Design Organisation Approval (DOA) from the UK Civil Aviation Authority for electric propulsion system products. The UK Civil Aviation Authority’s approval of Evolito as a Design Organisation demonstrates that it is satised that Evolito has the technical expertise, facilities and capabilities to design safe and reliable products, and is able to comply with stringent requirements for certication. Evolito is the rst company in the UK to achieve this for electric propulsion systems. Dr Chris Harris, co-founder and chief executive ocer at Evolito, said: “Securing Civil Aviation Authority DOA approval is an important step in supporting our customers’ aircra certication activities and for applying for Type Certicates for our electric propulsion systems. Holding our own Type Certicates will allow aircra customers to integrate our component o the shelf (COTS) electric propulsion solutions saving aircra manufacturers both time and money and enabling them to focus on the aircra certication.” www.evolito.aero
www.aero-mag.com Aerospace Manufacturing January 2024 9 Swiss aerospace group RUAG International has sold all shares in RUAG Aerostructures Germany & Hungary to the German Mubea Group at the end of December 2023. The nal transfer of ownership marks a successful step in the implementation of RUAG International’s privatisation strategy. “Mubea o ers the ideal platform to further strengthen the capabilities of Aerostructures Germany & Hungary in aerostructures and opens up new horizons,” stated André Wall, CEO of RUAG International. “The agreement is above all a result of our employees and an award for their continuous commitment, which has also recently been recognized with the Airbus Global Supplier Award for Operational Excellence.” The RUAG Aerostructures Germany & Hungary sites at Oberpfa enhofen and Eger will become part of Mubea Aviation at the beginning of 2024. www.ruag.com 6-7 MARCH 2024 FARNBOROUGH INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION & CONFERENCE CENTRE Build new partnerships and discuss future-proofing the industry with StartUps and globally recognised Primes. Fuel your knowledge in the new theatre programme stream dedicated to Defence and Security themes. Connect withsuppliers & key decision makers from the commercial space market in the Meet The Buyer programme. ORGANISED BY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SUPPORTED BY Find out more at www.space-comm.co.uk or contact spacecomm@hubexhibitions.co.uk, tel: +44 (0)1483 934381 SCAN ME REGISTER FOR YOUR FREE TICKETS TO ATTEND: CALLING ALL SPACE PROFESSIONALS Mubea Group acquires RUAG Aerostructures
10 October 2013 www.aeromag.com EVENT PREVIEW: SOUTHERN MANUFACTURING January 2024 Aerospace Manufacturing www.aero-mag.com rom 6 8 February at the Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre, Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2024 will co-locate with AutoAero, a specialised theme that runs through the event focusing on suppliers to the aerospace industry in the UK as well as to the automotive sector. Civil aerospace’s importance to the economy cannot be overstated and this will be underlined on numerous stands at the exhibition occupied by rms in the supply chain. It provides the ideal opportunity for aerospace professionals to source suppliers with skills and experience across a range of engineering disciplines, including precision mechanics, electronics, electrical equipment, metrology, testing and certi cation. There is likewise an opportunity to meet companies supplying advanced materials, such as composites. The exhibition, which this year is more international than ever following an upturn in the number of overseas exhibitors, is split roughly 50:50 between rms operating in the mechanical engineering sector and others in electronics. There is no demarcation between the two areas, however, allowing visitors to walk freely between stands and perhaps discover things that they were not expecting. With so many exhibitors operating at the forefront of technology under one roof, it is an ideal venue for addressing multiple sourcing issues quickly and eciently. The show attracts large, o en international manufacturers, but they are not allowed to dominate the space as the organisers operate an open access policy that gives SMEs and smaller vendors an equal opportunity to exhibit. A rich mixture of products and services is presented to visitors and long-term business relationships are o en fostered. So successful is the formula that many of the stands are taken by companies that exhibit regularly, some having attended every year since the show started in 1997. Back then it was a small gathering of regional engineering enterprises visited by people local to the venue, whereas today it is truly international, attracting interest from around the globe. Great expectations Expect to see all the latest in machine tools, tooling, workholding and other production hardware, test, measurement, inspection and metrology, and additive manufacturing platforms and consumables. There will be mechanical, electrical, electronic, electromechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic components and assemblies of all kinds, surface mount technology, PCB manufacture, box build, cables, connectors, mechatronics assembly, plastic injection and rubber The Southern Manufacturing & Electronics show and its co-located AutoAero specialised theme are rm favourites in the industry calendar. With the 2024 edition almost upon us, Aerospace Manufacturing hears more. F UK MANUFACTURING LOOKS This year’s exhibition is more international than ever (below) South
Over 600 national and international suppliers come together to exhibit at Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre this February for Southern Manufacturing and Electronics (inc AutoAero) 2024. Meet the power behind UK manufacturing industry and see live demonstrations and new product launches of machine tools & tooling, electronics, factory & process automation, packaging & handling, labelling & marking, 3D print technology, test & measurement, materials, composites & adhesives, rapid prototyping, ICT, drives & controls, plastics & polymers and laboratory equipment. Free industry seminar programme online @ www.industrysouth.co.uk The exhibition is free to attend, free to park and easy to get to. Doors open at 9.30am on Tuesday 6th February. AUTOMATION DEFENCE FOOD & DRINK AUTOMOTIVE / AUTOSPORT ELECTRONICS AEROSPACE TRANSPORTATION PACKAGING ELECTRICAL & MECHANICAL ENGINEERING ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING LOGISTICS MARINE ENERGY SPACE ENGINEERING R&D MEDICAL MATERIALS / COMPOSITES CONSTRUCTION PLASTICS & POLYMERS 6th -8th February 9.30am - 4.30pm FARNBOROUGH | Hants | GU14 6TQ (3.30pm close Thurs) Where Industry and Innovation converge PRE-REGISTER TODAY for your Fast Track Entry Badge, Preview Magazine and Event Catalogue at: www.industrysouth.co.uk SOUTHERN MANUFACTURING & ELECTRONICS is an ETES event organised by European Trade & Exhibition Services Ltd 01784 880890 | philv@etes.co.uk FREE SEMINARS FREE PARKING Incorporating The Subcontract Engineering Exhibition
12 October 2013 www.aeromag.com EVENT PREVIEW: SOUTHERN MANUFACTURING January 2024 Aerospace Manufacturing www.aero-mag.com moulding services, sensors, drives, encoders, fasteners, pressings, wireforms, springs, gaskets, and more. Other diverse products and services on o er will encompass business and manufacturing so ware, production and planning aids, oil and coolant supply, workshop equipment, dust and fume extraction, humidity control, workplace storage systems, bespoke case and foam manufacture, plastic packaging, injection moulding, hand tools, adhesives, industrial ooring, waste removal and recycling, training, freight services and nancial consultancy. Automation on both the mechanical engineering and electronics sides will feature strongly, driven by a skills shortage in Britain and across Europe. Manufacturing industry is also facing a battle to recover from the impacts of Brexit and soaring energy costs. Mitigation of these challenges is emerging strongly among the exhibitors at the show. For example, there is growth in the area of autonomous handling technology such as robot and cobot machine tool tending, and in Industry 4.0 solutions with the cost eciencies that its endto-end digitalisation brings. There is renewed interest in the reshoring of production, as well as in technologies like green energy and the latest powersaving machinery. Alongside the exhibition and demonstration areas, over the three days there will be free technical seminar programmes, one covering mechanical engineering and the other electrical and electronic engineering. They will give visitors and exhibitors valuable learning opportunities, with a particular focus on the technical, managerial and environmental issues facing manufacturers today. Presentations will include advice for small manufacturers looking to improve their relationship with customers, how to enhance a sales Scan here for more Southern Manufacturing articles team’s performance, CE and UKCA marking compliance, sustainable practices in manufacturing, and management skills coaching including how to address the challenges of hybrid working. Wide diversity on o er A snapshot of three companies exhibiting at the show gives a avour of the wide diversity of what’s on o er, starting with CGTech (stand C215) who will use the event to showcase the latest version of its VERICUT 9.4 CNC simulation so ware. VERICUT 9.4, focuses on increased connectivity between the actual machine and the virtual simulation. The new CNC Machine Monitoring module connects VERICUT directly to CNC machines and streams data to allow users to monitor what their machines are doing on the shopoor, live in real-time. Users can see which NC program or subroutine is running, monitor machine motions and spindle activity, see if overrides have been applied to spindle or feedrates, identify when machining has been interrupted by emergency stops or taken out of productive cycle mode, and much more, all within VERICUT. Elsewhere, XYZ Machine Tools will be exhibiting a selection of machines on stands G260 and H260. The company’s recently introduced TMC toolroom machines that use the same platform and linear rails as its well proven LR VMC range combined with the ease of use of the ProtoTRAK control, ideal for the rapid programming and setup of one-o and small to medium quantity parts. For exible manufacture, the XYZ RMX 2OP forms part of a machining cell o ering a quick and cost-e ective solution for second operations to nish a part. XYZ is also bringing the XYZ 800 HD vertical machining centre to the show, whilst for turning, XYZ PROTURN RLX 355 is a solution for low to medium volumes. For more parts, the XYZ CT 52 LR turning centre gives 52mm bar capacity and has linear rail technology and Siemens 828D. Finally, Matsuura’s MX420 PC10 5-axis vertical machining centre is making its debut appearance at Southern Manufacturing on stand E260 – machining live throughout the show and demonstrating just how exible the 10-pallet changer can be during unmanned operation. Matsuura will also have a separate stand (E270) entirely dedicated to 3D printers, AM so ware and raw parts post-processing, conveniently located opposite its CNC stand. As an awardwinning reseller of HP 3D printers, Matsuura will be demonstrating a wide range of actual customer parts from all industry sectors, including high-quality white parts printed in PA12W on the new industrial mass production MJF 3D printer - the HP 5420W. www.industrysouth.co.uk CGTech’s VERICUT 9.4 CNC simulation software (above left) XYZ will be bringing the XYZ 800 HD vertical machining centre (below) Matsuura’s MX420 PC10 5-axis vertical machining centre (above right)
www.aero-mag.com Aerospace Manufacturing January 2024 13 EVENT PREVIEW: SINGAPORE AIRSHOW ingapore Airshow, Asia’s most in uential aerospace and defence exhibition is back. The highly anticipated ninth edition of the biennial event will o er a larger platform for industry leaders, highlevel government, and military delegations to exchange ideas, drive strategic conversations on sustainable aviation, foster collaboration and chart a course for transforming the aerospace and defence industry. Trade attendees can expect more than 1,000 participating companies from more than 50 countries/regions. In addition to returning exhibitors such as Airbus, AVIC, Boeing, Bombardier, COMAC, Dassault Aviation, GE Aerospace, Honeywell, L3Harris, Leonardo, Lockheed Martin, RTX, RollsRoyce, Safran, ST Engineering, Textron Aviation and Thales, attendees can also look out for rst-time country pavilions from China, Czech Republic, Japan, and Korea. Other country pavilions expected at the event include Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, the UK, the US and Switzerland. First-time participants including JetZero and Panasonic Avionics will showcase blended-wing aircra developments and in-ight passenger experience, respectively. Together with McKinsey & Company, Singapore Airshow will present the Sustainable Aviation Forum as part of its AeroForum series. A panel of experts will take a deep dive on critical topics such as the challenges and opportunities within sustainable aviation including regulatory regimes, technology innovation and R&D collaborations with the goal of achieving net-zero emissions. These include exploring strategies for decarbonising the aviation sector and the pivotal role of sustainable aviation fuel in reducing the aviation sector’s carbon footprint. Beyond sustainability, AeroForum facilitates crucial conversations aimed at propelling the aerospace and defence industry forward; it will present three other key sessions, namely: Aviation CEO, Advanced Air Mobility, and ChinaSingapore Bilateral Aviation forums, through the Singapore Airshow’s partnerships with FlightGlobal, Alton Aviation Consultancy, the Chinese Society of Aeronautics and Astronautics (CSAA), and the Association of Aerospace Industries (Singapore) (AAIS) respectively. “As we prepare to bring together the global aerospace and defence community at Singapore Airshow 2024 once again, we are excited to provide a platform where innovation, collaboration, and resilience converge,” said Leck Chet Lam, managing director of Experia, organiser of Singapore Held from 20£25 February 2024, the ninth edition of the Singapore Airshow returns to the Changi Exhibition Centre following two editions of trimmed scope and scale due to the Covid-19 pandemic. S SINGAPORE EVENT HIGHLIGHTS SUSTAINABLE AVIATION The Singapore Airshow is Asia’s most influential aerospace and defence exhibition (below) Scan here for more Singapore Airshow articles Airshow 2024. “The challenges faced by the industry have only strengthened our determination to drive positive change. With the participation of esteemed exhibitors, partners, and industry leaders, we are condent that Singapore Airshow 2024 will catalyse critical discussions, foster strategic alliances, and inspire ideas that will shape the future of aviation. Once again, the aerospace and defence ecosystem will soar to new heights and chart a path towards a stronger, more sustainable aerospace and defence industry.” The Singapore Airshow 2024 is steadfast in its commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the next generation of aerospace leaders. ‘What’s Next@Singapore Airshow’, is Singapore Airshow’s strategic collaboration with Starburst – the world’s premier aerospace and defence start-up accelerator and strategic advisory practice. It will see 30£40 start-ups from 12 countries, including India, Japan, Singapore, the US, and the UK showcasing their cutting-edge technologies in sustainability, dual use technologies, air traªc management and digitalisation in aerospace and defence industries to a global network of potential investors, accelerators, and corporate partners. These inspiring innovators will receive expert guidance on partnerships, funding, joint development opportunities, and commercialisation opportunities as part of their accelerated journey to establishing a business presence in Singapore and showcasing their innovative products and solutions that will help to reshape the aerospace landscape. www.singaporeairshow.com
14 October 2013 www.aeromag.com AIRCRAFT PROGRAMMES: CIVIL January 2024 Aerospace Manufacturing www.aero-mag.com he Boeing 737 team in Renton, Washington, saved time when they standardised the task of installing sidewall pockets on the 737 MAX. Using a new drill that is safer, faster and cleaner, installers can cut holes in the sidewall and install a pocket in under 10 minutes. That’s an improvement from 90 minutes, saving the team more than an hour on the task. Simply put, what is Lean? Lean is a way of thinking and acting that enables teams to solve problems and make continuous improvements. It’s about listening to the people who do the work, cutting waste and growing more e cient and predictable. Lean is not just a mantra; it’s a fundamental principle of engineering excellence and operational stability. Why are Lean principles important for the aerospace industry in particular? By reducing waste and streamlining processes, Lean helps increase e ciency and productivity. Every Lean improvement – from manufacturing to design and customer support – helps us deliver on our quality, safety and on-time delivery commitments to our customers. What are the challenges of Lean for a global workforce? Let’s talk about some common challenges, but more importantly, how to overcome them. Five tips for going Lean: Cultural alignment: Foster a common Lean culture by providing training and mentorship. Emphasise the shared vision and benets of Lean, highlighting its positive impact on daily work. Encourage leaders to act as Lean champions and drive change within their teams. Communication and coordination: Use digital communication platforms and collaboration tools to communicate and share ideas across dierent locations. Regular virtual meetings, webinars and shared online spaces can help align teams and share best practices. Consolidate Lean initiatives and track the progress to ensure consistency and avoid redundancy. Change: Involve employees at every level when implementing Lean principles. Seek their input, feedback and ideas to engage everyone in the improvement journey. Provide training and support to help teammates adapt to Lean principles. Show them how Lean benets their daily work and expands their skills and competencies, which could lead to new career opportunities. Standardisation: Start with pilot projects in specic areas, and use them as models to scale Lean practices gradually. Identify early successes and share them across the organisation to build momentum. Implement a robust training program for new hires to embed Lean principles in the organisation’s culture from the beginning. Continuous improvement: Promote Lean thinking as an ongoing process rather than a one-time initiative. Encourage others to share improvement ideas and celebrate their successes. Establish regular performance review and feedback mechanisms to track progress and make step-by-step improvements. How are Lean improvements driving innovation? We’re challenging ourselves to crush bureaucracy. We’re questioning what processes are redundant, and rethinking what hinders creativity and innovation. As teams, we’re working together to identify and eliminate bureaucratic practices, streamlining decision-making processes, and empowering one another to take ownership of our work. Reducing unnecessary administrative burdens energises teams to be creative and nd new solutions for the complex problems of the aerospace industry. And that’s driving innovation. www.boeing.com In a Q&A, Boeing’s vice-president, Scott Stocker discusses the power of Lean, and why the company is so passionate about its eorts. T LEAN ON THE LINE Scan here for more Boeing articles Lean is a way of thinking and acting that enables teams to solve problems and make continuous improvements Scott Stocker, vice-president, Boeing Commercial Airplanes Manufacturing & Safety, Chair, Manufacturing Operations Council (below) Technician, Oscar Vilches uses templates to measure and cut the fabric for the CST100 Starliner crew seats (below right) Photo courtesy of Marian Lockhart/Boeing Photo courtesy of John Proferes/Boeing
Established Reliable Memory Solutions for Commercial and Military Aerospace Applications Expert Knowledge Engineering Support Locked BOMs Global Supply Variable Demand EOL Management SSDL For Fit-for-Purpose Form Factors Industrial Grade High Endurance MIL-STD Wide Temperature Range In Use in Aircraft & UAVs SATA, mSATA & mSATAmini PCIe & PCIeDOM CF, CFast & CFexpress SD,microSD ...& More www.solidstatedisks.com 1989 Drill Service (Horley) Ltd UK DISTRIBUTOR OF THE BEST CERAMIC FIBRE DEBURRING TOOLS 01293 774911 sales@drill-service.co.uk www.drill-service.co.uk Defining the detail... With over 40 years of tooling manufacture experience we continue to position ourselves at the forefront of research and development, focusing on being the very best at what we do! Visit our website for our full range of precision cutting tools. Tooling for wood, composites, metals and foam 01277 260340 sales@primatooling.co.uk www.primatooling.co.uk Follow us on: PRECISION TOOL MANUFACTURERS
16 October 2013 www.aeromag.com January 2024 Aerospace Manufacturing www.aero-mag.com TECHNOLOGY FEATURE: ENGINES lp Aviation is a joint venture with Sikorsky Aircra , a Lockheed Martin company, established in 1998. The company’s core competence is its extensive experience in machining and processing titanium, super alloys, aluminium, steel, stainless steel, magnesium and copper alloys. Alp Aviation has four facilities in Eskisehir with a total production area of 50,000m2. What is Alp Aviation’s core competence and which business elds are you operating in? We mainly sell to North America and Canada, but we also deliver to Europe too. The export ratio is about 98%, whereas 90% are being delivered to North America. For manufacturing we only have the facility in Eskisehir, where ve business units are located. One of Alp’s business units is the Aerostructure business unit. The second business unit is the Engine business unit for which I’m responsible. We are manufacturing engine dynamic components, for Pratt and Whitney and Honeywell. At military level, we’re working on the F 135 Engine, and at commercial level, we are working on the Geared Turbofan (GTF) engines. Honeywell is an important customer for engine components too. We began producing tie shas for their commercial engines. For that purpose, we invested in a M40 MILLTURN with 3,000mm centre distance. The third business unit is the Rotary Wing business unit. Their main responsibility is to provide dynamic helicopter components, gears, gearboxes and other dynamic components for helicopters. The fourth business unit is Special Processes. Here we have a huge capability in-house and can do the chemical and mechanical processes ourselves. There is also a h business unit for landing gear. We are working together with Collins Aerospace and Heroux Devtek on the F 35 programme and on other commercial programmes for Boeing and Airbus. What is the main reason for investing in a MILLTURN complete machining centre? At present, we have over 250 machine tools and we are producing a wide range of parts for the aerospace industry. 5-axis milling and MILLTURN equipment is mainly being used for producing those components. On the new M40 MILLTURN we only manufacture shas. The main purpose of the investment was to be at the centre of excellence in sha production Serkan Erten, business unit director of Alp Aviation’s Engine Business Unit reveals how the investment in a M40 MILLTURN - supplied by WFL Millturn Technologies - enables the company to become a centre of excellence for civil aircra engine manufacture. A PERFECT MACHINING The M40 MILLTURN with 3,000mm centre distance and a turning diameter of 520mm (above) Serkan Erten, business unit director, Engine Unit (below)
www.aero-mag.com Aerospace Manufacturing January 2024 17 for engine producers. With the WFL MILLTURN, we have become a tie sha producer for our customers. Tie shas are a critical component of engines and serve as a connection between the turbine and the compressor. The length of the tie shas we manufacture range from 1,000mm to 2,000mm. The main materials used to produce the tie shas are Inconel and maraging steel. We have lots of experience with Inconel production, as we have already started to produce engine components made of titanium or Inconel in 2008. For that reason, we have enough experience with these materials. With regards to the shas we continue to work with Inconel material and high strength steel. Can you tell us about the main requirements for investing in a new complete machining centre? To be able to produce dynamic engine components, we need productive and process-reliable high-tech machines and outstanding technological performance. Nickel alloys are commonly used during engine component production. These special nickel alloys are highly heat resistant. These materials are extremely rigid, dicult to machine and a high level of technological expertise is required to meet the high quality standards in the industry. Which machines or processes were replaced upon the purchase of the M40 MILLTURN? The installation of the new MILLTURN enabled us to produce larger shas for the rst time. Up to this point of time we only manufactured smaller shas starting from 250500mm length on smaller machines. When we received drawings for bigger and longer shas we established contact with WFL, because we knew that WFL has a Scan here for more WFL articles very good reputation in the aerospace industry. We are now producing about 200 shas per year. What are the technological possibilities with the M40 MILLTURN? With the implementation of the M40 MILLTURN we achieved perfect machining performance, high surface quality, high static, and dynamic rigidity, as well as reliable and repeatable accuracy. In-process measurement is an important technology to achieve the tight tolerances. We prefer multitasking machines, as there is no need to move parts from one machine to another one. Timesaving was also a crucial factor for buying the machine. What are the main advantages of complete machining? By doing complete machining on one single machine tool, processing time could be reduced by 30% with an increase in exibility of 60%. Our customers need to rely on our performance, and it is important to work most eciently to achieve low lead-times. Tell me more about the manufacturing of the tie sha s on the MILLTURN? The production of one sha, starting with the procurement of the materials up to the nishing processes, lasts around six weeks. This type of sha requires chemical as well as mechanical processes, such as heat treatment, shot peening, chrome plating, silver plating, grinding or balancing. The fact that the entire process can be done in-house is the main strength of Alp Aviation in order to satisfy our customer’s needs. What are the future strategies of Alp Aviation? We aim to be at the centre of excellence regarding design and manufacturing of engines, as well as xed wing and rotary wing dynamic components. Furthermore, we intend to be at the centre of excellence for the production of shas. Alp Aviation has been approved as a Research and Development Centre by the Turkish Government. This is a major step for gaining even more signi cant roles in national and international programmes as a design and engineering partner. We will be able to be a global subsystem supplier in design and production for our customers. What measures are you taking with regards to Industry 4.0? We have been following all the technological developments. We established a exible manufacturing system with four machine tools and a centralised tool change system two years ago, and thanks to this innovative solution, productivity increased by 30%. Our aim is to reduce labour hours and increase the technological improvements. For that reason, all our investments are the basis for this approach. When we made the decision to invest in a MILLTURN, we also discussed this topic and the future development. As soon as the economic situation improves and requests increase, we will probably invest in further machines as well as automation. www.w .at The production of the shafts covers diverse machining technologies (above) Operator, Yunus Emre Karadayi is responsible for the production of approx. 200 pieces of shafts per year (below left)
18 October 2013 www.aeromag.com January 2024 Aerospace Manufacturing www.aero-mag.com TECHNOLOGY FEATURE: AVIONICS he aerospace and defence sectors are renowned for the length of service systems and platforms must provide. Not surprisingly there are computer-based systems such as ight simulators, radar systems and automatic test equipment (ATE) stations in service today that were built more than 40 years ago. Many of these systems were designed to use removable media such as magnetic ( oppy) disks, magnetooptical (MO) disks or magnetic tapes. For example, some airlines are currently using Airbus A320 aircra that had their maiden ights back in the 1980s, when oppy disk was the primary means of data transfer. These old-technology drives all have moving parts that, over the years, have worn. Their failure might be imminent, potentially resulting in considerable problems when the host system loses its ability to read or write data. Unfortunately, new replacements are obsolete; superseded years ago by newer technologies such as the SD card and USB. Even early generation hard disk drives (HDDs) are now obsolete. However, it is not just that the original storage devices have become obsolete. Alternatives that use the same physical interfaces are not available either. For example, an extremely popular way of connecting computer peripherals in the 1980s (and through to the early 2000s) was the small computer system interface (SCSI, ‘scuzzy’). It was standardised in 1986 as the SCSI parallel interface (SPI) 8-bit wide, single-ended bus. The standard evolved through a number of iterations, doubling the number of data lines to 16 and incorporating dierential signalling (allowing the transfer rate to signicantly increase) before nally being superseded by the serial attached SCSI (SAS) interface. Many data storage device types - including oppy, MO, tape and HDD - adopted SCSI. However, the word ‘standardised’ must be taken with a pinch of salt because OEMs did not always implement the full standard. For example, they o en retained just the SCSI command protocol or the SCSI architectural model. Moreover, many SCSI drives were designed with a specic host in mind, and the latter would only interface with that exact model number (see gure 1). The unavailability of a new or reconditioned drive need not mark the end of the hosts system’s life, though. A number of companies are specialising in the design and Solid-state-based emulators are increasingly replacing oppy drives and other yesteryear storage technologies. Brian McSloy, chief technology ocer of Solid State Disks Ltd (SSDL) explains how solid-state-based swap-in drives are keeping host systems operational and delivering new features. T RELIABILITY IMPROVED AND CONFIDENCE The aerospace and defence sectors are renowned for the length of service systems and platforms must provide (below) Restored
www.aero-mag.com Aerospace Manufacturing January 2024 19 manufacture of solid-state-based storage devices that can replicate the behaviour of these yesteryear units, even if their communications protocols were modied to make them unique to a host. How is this done? Some details of the drive and its interface might be available online. However, in SSDL’s case the company had to develop techniques to interrogate working drives because the level of information available online was insu cient to create emulations compatible with a number of host systems. Alternatively, specialised analysis equipment can be taken to a host system and placed between it and the drive so that signal timings can be captured and programmed into the emulator. This is a worst-case scenario though, as extreme care must be taken when handling a drive that has become fragile over the years - but which is still in use within a host, is relied upon, and there’s no backup/alternative immediately to hand. In essence, an emulator (like the one shown in Figure 2) for virtually any 1980s/90s drive can be created though it oen requires more than simply adopting the same connector conguration and emulating the communication protocol. Legacy drives are for the most part based on logical blocks, where the exact encoding of the data onto the disk is handled internally by the storage device. For some classes of device, such as ESDI or oppy, the encoding has to be implemented within the storage device’s rmware. This is a complex operation that can only be achieved by reverse engineering the particular implementation, including a detailed low-level examination of the format written to the media (which sometimes varies across the surface). Also, the emulator may need to be Scan here for more SSDL articles formatted - in much the same way a USB stick needs to be formatted to at least FAT32 for use with Windows, for example. In addition, some hosts will expect a new drive to be lled entirely with logic zeros. Others will require the old data to be present on the new drive, in which case it needs to be copied. Again, care must be taken as the old drive will most likely be fragile. The new storage medium Because emulators have the same physical connector, interface protocols, memory maps and formatting (and if necessary, data already preloaded), the host system does not need to be modied. It will treat the new drive as if a replacement original had been installed, with the added benet that reliability is greatly improved because solid-state has no moving parts. It draws less power too. The storage media used in emulators tends to be industrial grade Compact Flash (CF) cards, which can be removed and treated like oppy disks, for example, but are far more robust. And if the emulator is replacing an HDD, a CF card is still the storage media; hidden behind a plate so that it cannot be removed. Note, the use of industrial grade CF cards also assures longerterm availability than its commercial equivalent. Based on the end application there are a few things to consider when deciding on the CF card’s capacity and technology. Though solid-state drives have no moving parts, the memory will wear as a result of program-erase (PE) cycles. Flash memory is typically NAND ash, of which there are dierent types. Single-level cell (SLC) technology stores one bit per cell and is the fastest type. Multi-level cell (MLC) stores two bits per cell, thus providing double the storage capacity. However, that doubling of capacity and a cheaper memory comes at the expense of speed (MLC is slower) and a greatly reduced (circa 30x) number of PE cycles; 100,000 for SLC but only 3,000 for MLC. Saving the day As mentioned, a solid-state-based emulator can replicate the behaviour of virtually any 1980s or 1990s drive. Also, the use of modern technology introduces many new possibilities. For instance, the emulator shown in Figure 2 has an Ethernet port. This means it can be networked and accessed remotely; and some emulator OEMs have Windows-based memory management soware for hot-backups and system recovery etc. However, obsolescence is a moving target, and there are systems in use today that have already had their original drives replaced with an emulator which itself has since become obsolete. Accordingly, emulator OEMs must themselves keep on top of obsolescence. www.solidstatedisks.com Figure 1: this Fujitsu SCSI HDD was manufactured in the 1990s to fit a 1980s design for an IBM host computer. The drive has a standard 50-pin connector for data and control, and a 4-pin Molex connector for power. However, the positions of the connectors are such that they will mate only with corresponding connectors in the host’s chassis (left) Brian McSloy, chief technology officer of SSDL (above) Figure 2: A solidstate-based SCSI drive with dual CF cards (below)
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