Climbing to new heights for business

Farnborough International Ltd (FIL)
The Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) is the stage to display some of the aerospace sector’s most advanced manufacturing technologies. Ed Hill hears how the organisers are helping companies in the supply chain to secure new business.

Taking place this year from 11-17 July, the Farnborough International Airshow is always an eagerly anticipated event for the aerospace community. The show will not only feature the usual exciting range of aircraft, but also a comprehensive gathering of exhibitors, involved in every aspect of the aerospace supply chain.

During its last outing in 2014, a record amount of orders were announced for the tradeshow – in total US$204 billion. Although it’s unlikely that the record will be broken again, the show still provides an ideal opportunity for those involved in the aerospace manufacturing to attract new business. It also provides a great prospect for companies new to the sector to try and make inroads into the market.

Organisers, Farnborough International Ltd (FIL) at the time of going to press says 95% of the exhibition space has already been sold with 67% coming from overseas and 32% of exhibitors new to Farnborough.

Shaun Ormrod, chief executive of FIL comments: “I am expecting to see a bigger presence and more activity within the SME market and supply chain at the show in 2016. The industry needs to work together to meet the demands and backlog that was created when we had so many orders back in 2014. Airframe and engine orders may be lower this year but that’s no indication that we are going through a downward trend. We are very much at a catch-up point in the industry at the moment.”

Worldwide involvement

The airshow’s reputation is reflected in the international participation involved in the show. Twenty two nations will be hosting pavilions from Europe, the US, Canada, South America, Russia and the Far East. New countries with pavilions at the show include Brazil, Austria, Ireland and South Korea. Chinese participation will be the largest it has ever been this year with a dedicated Chinese pavilion; representing a 103% increase in footprint and a 98% increase in spend compared to the last show.

Ormrod continues: “There is a lot of demand out there that has yet to come to fruition. We are going to see bigger announcements of orders for aircraft outside of the traditional markets of Europe and North America, such as those from China. There are new opportunities for companies to get involved in those programmes and we are working hard to bring those opportunities to the airshow. However, there is still a lot to do in terms of cultural engagement and understanding and being prepared to do what is necessary to move into these newer markets. My colleagues and I are working very hard to develop this and create a win-win situation: both for the UK and Chinese industries, as part of the ‘One belt, One road’ initiative announced by the Chinese government.”

Strong international attendance is also expected via various delegation visits. The civil and commercial programmes have exceeded expectations with 20 representative groups already confirmed from the UK, Australia, Italy and the Middle East. The military delegations programme has also progressed well with the organisers in discussions with all the key and emerging markets around the globe. More than 80 military delegations are expected from around 50 countries.

Amanda Stainer, FIL’s commercial director comments: “Our delegations programme gives business people the chance to meet with senior government officials, airlines, procurement companies, tier 1 manufacturers and MRO providers. This service is included in our exhibitor’s package and we encourage them to take it up.”

Striking a light

A major highlight for the show will be the appearance of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. For the many companies involved in the development of the aircraft who will be present at the show, the F-35’s appearance is a major opportunity to promote their achievements in the making of the aircraft to an international trade audience.

As well as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, other aircraft anticipated to be either on flying or static display include the Antonov 187, Airbus A350, Bombardier C Series, Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet and Boeing C727.

Networking and business engagement is a major focus for SMEs at this year’s show. There will be an increased number of briefings and workshops taking place, led by the UK’s ADS Group, whilst SAE International will be running an MRO workshop.

Additionally, the EU Project Innovation Centre will be hosting a conference regarding aerospace business opportunities in China. Alongside the popular Meet-The-Buyer event and Welcome Reception the show is expected to provide excellent business networking across all five days of the show week.

Other areas seeing growth at the show include additive manufacturing and MRO, which have both seen an increase in exhibitors this year, as well as Unmanned Systems (UAVs) and Space. Hybrid Air Vehicles is also hoping to demonstrate its Airlander airship, the world’s largest aircraft which is currently in the earliest stages of a flight test programme.

“The SME market is a very important growth area for the show, both in terms of exhibitors and attendees,” Stainer adds. “In our Meet-the-Buyer programme we will have over 30 buyers engaging with suppliers. This gives SMEs in particular, the chance to meet buyers face-to-face and demonstrate their products and services. It gives business people a foot in the door to meet with representatives from the major manufacturers and OEMs.”

Centenary celebrations

This year the airshow coincides with Boeing celebrating its 100th anniversary. To mark the occasion the aerospace company, which has strong links to the UK, will be staging its ‘Above and Beyond’ exhibition at Farnborough.

Sir Michael Arthur, president of Boeing UK and Ireland comments: “The UK and Boeing have a long and close partnership, dating back more than 75 years. With such a strong partnership, supporting Her Majesty’s Armed Forces and the UK’s leading airlines since 1938, I am really delighted that we are able to share Above and Beyond with the UK. It is an exciting time for Boeing and for our wider aerospace community in the UK.”

Other features in the halls include the Space and Innovation zones. The innovation zone will include some of the latest advanced engineering research from universities and research agencies keen to market their innovations to the industry.

“No other event offers as much opportunity for visitors and exhibitors to meet new and potential business partners, government officials, colleagues and existing business customers than Farnborough,” Stainer affirms. “Final preparations are well underway. There will always be a role for head-to-head meetings, whether it’s establishing new relationships or reinforcing the ones that already exist and this is where airshows really show their strength.”

Ormrod concludes: “Farnborough is a great place to get involved in the aerospace supply chain. It’s about companies getting involved and engaged in the industry. My colleagues and partners from ADS really want to help companies get involved in the B2B side of the show. A starting point is having a presence with a stand of course, but it’s also about networking and really making the most of the opportunities available.”

www.farnborough.com

 

Cryogenic machining technology

Okuma (hall 3, stand D100) and 5ME, a pioneer in cryogenic machining have joined forces to educate the machining world on the benefits of using internal Liquid Nitrogen (LN2) instead of coolant during the cutting process.

Currently, there are 12 Okuma machine models that can be ordered with 5ME cryogenic machining technology, including vertical machining centres and horizontal machining centres specifically designed for aerospace parts processing. In some instances cryogenic machining can also be retro-fitted.

Cryogenic machining is said to be an advance in metalcutting technology that increases throughput, quality and tool life while reducing cycle times. It is especially profitable when processing exotic metals commonly used in aerospace part production, such as titanium and Inconel. Whilst this technology is fairly new to machining and many questions arise when people first consider using it is environmentally-friendly and there are no hazardous fumes or mist from coolant on clothes or in the air, so no health risks for operators, according to Okuma.

Chips are much easier to manage without coolant making them sticky and weighing them down. They are dry and lighter making them extremely portable. Additionally, the risk of slips and falls when clearing chips is reduced since there is no oily residue from coolant. Okuma machines are exclusively available in the UK from NCMT.

www.okuma.eu

V.I.P. service for visitors

Industry specialists attending the airshow can take advantage of a VIP service being offered by carbide rotary cutting tool manufacturer, Kyocera SGS (hall 1, stand B140).

Each morning, the company is offering a secure parking space, a free ticket to the show, breakfast, a brief demonstration of its cutting tools and a transfer straight to the exhibition entrance, just 12 miles away.

Times are 9.30 am arrival at Kyocera SGS and 11.00 am departure for the show. Return transfer will be from main gate B at 4.30 pm each day. Anyone interested in participating should register online at www.sgstool.eu before the end of June so that preparations can be made.

Representatives from the UK subsidiary of German machining centre manufacturer, Grob, will be present at the breakfast meetings. The company’s G350 universal 5-axis machine in the Wokingham showroom will demonstrate the capabilities of the latest Kyocera SGS tooling.

A particular highlight will be the Z5 HPR range of high performance, solid carbide end mill roughers. Kyocera SGS has recently introduced a Tool4Life service whereby it offers to regrind and recoat tools of 10mm diameter and larger free of charge, provided that they are not irreparably damaged. Alternatively, to ensure continuity of production at a customer’s factory, a replacement milling cutter can be exchanged for a worn tool within 24 hours.

www.sgstool.eu

Neat with heat

Alloy Heat Treatment (AHT), (hall 1, stand B90) is a Nadcap-accredited company and preferential supplier to many aerospace primes. The company, who will be part of the Midland Aerospace Alliance in the UK Pavilion, has over 40 years’ experience as a subcontractor focused solely on the heat treatment of aluminium alloys.

AHT can offer various sizes of heat treatment ovens to cater for the needs of the sector ranging from very small items all the way through to large structures, such as landing gear with a process capacity of five tonnes.

AHT director, Ian Perks says: “This show will provide us with a fantastic opportunity to meet potential new customers within the aluminium sector, being a weeklong event it will allow me to spend time with existing customers and offer help with regards to any current and future projects.”

www.alloyheat.co.uk

Focus on the future

Aertec Solutions (hall 1, stand B80), is a multinational consultancy and engineering firm specialised in aerospace and with presence in the world’s largest aerospace programmes.

The company will present its new technological solutions focused on the implementation of the Factory of the Future or Industry 4.0 in the aerospace sector at Farnborough.

In addition to these new applications for the Factory of the Future, Aertec Solutions will show its own technology aimed at its aerospace systems division, especially unmanned aerial platforms for the aerospace and defence markets, with own technological solutions for onboard mission and guidance systems.

www.aertecsolutions.com

A place for everything

As engineering managers come under increasing pressure to deliver improved productivity, often with fewer skilled hands, the benefits of optimised tool storage and management grow stronger.

Bahco’s (hall 4, stand C90) Ergonomic Tool Management system is flexible enough that customers can specify precisely what they need. It is a cost- effective system particularly within aircraft manufacturing and MRO workplaces.

Engineers whose top priority is safety, coupled with speed and precision, gain time and ease stress by knowing exactly where to find every tool they need, when they need it.

Bahco’s Configurator software is a key benefit, enabling customers to choose the size, format and colour of tool cabinets and trolleys, decide how many drawers they need and where everything should go. They can even select trolley wheel and locking mechanism types.

Customised foam inlays in each drawer provide a logical layout of tools and equipment. Empty spaces help engineers guard against the risk of foreign object damage due to tools being left in the workplace. A free consultation is available from a Bahco tool storage management expert.

www.bahco.com

Surface finishing gains

Fintek (hall 4, stand H40) will show how minor improvements in surface finishing can yield significant gains in part performance for aerospace component manufacture at the show.

Fintek is certified to AS9100 and can advise on super fine surface finishing for most complex engineered aerospace components. The company provides a complete subcontract service from free trial processing to full scaled-up mass finishing. One-off components are also catered for. Sometimes more than one surface finish can be achieved in a single process – for example deburring and edge radiusing, fine grinding and polishing or other combinations.

One example of this is when a leading second tier aerospace component manufacturer hit a serious month end bottleneck. A hand-deburring process for connectors, with notoriously difficult external threads, was causing the backlog. Despite a dedicated team whose sole task was to hand deburr, product completion was being delayed.

The manufacturer sent two parts to Fintek for a test. First Fintek designed and made the tooling necessary to hold the parts and then used one of its Otec pulse head centrifugal deburring machines. After a little time experimenting with various media and cycle times, the company was able to precisely deburr each part in five minutes per part to the required standard of finish.

Not only was this process a vast reduction in the time spent in costly hand deburring, it achieved additional surface finishing in the same process that was repeatable with a consistency impossible to produce by hand. A bonus benefit from the automated process was a degree of edge radiusing that improved the strength of otherwise brittle and easy to damage edges.

The aerospace manufacturer rushed the backlog of components to Fintek who cleared them in just three days. Fintek continues to process up to 300 components a month for the company.

www.fintek.co.uk

New focus on surface treatments

Hycrome Europe has announced the launch of a new company, Hycrome Aerospace (hall 4, stand A59) that will focus solely on the manufacture and protective treatment of aerospace products.

The Group has established itself as a market leader for advanced manufacturing and surface technologies. Whilst the latter continues to be a core strategy to its business development, the aerospace sector is growing at such a rapid pace that the company’s board has focused special attention and made significant investment in the area.

Around eight years ago the company took the decision that aerospace would be an area of strategic growth. The company drew up a plan to focus investment to meet forecasted growth and accommodate changes in the industry such as those brought about by REACH legislation.

Hycrome says it was the first company in the UK to achieve Airbus approval for Tartaric Sulphuric Anodising and is now close to completion of a second automated line that will allow it to process components up to 3m in length.

Additionally, its Nadcap-approved, robotically-controlled, thermal coating booths are routinely coating products for aerospace primes, as the industry transitions away from traditional electroplated coatings.

www.hycrome.com

Out of the box

Boxarr (hall 1, stand B120), a provider of Independent Systems Management (ISM) software will be unveiling the newest version of its software platform during the airshow.

Known as an effective solution for solving complexity, the latest release will provide greater levels of usability and performance in deriving insight, clarity and simplicity from the aerospace and defence industry’s most complex challenges.

Boxarr enables better risk understanding, visibility of mitigations, identification of cost reduction opportunities, planning more realistic schedules and enabling consistent product quality and regulation compliance. The software saves companies time and money, whilst reducing risk and it is already embedded in several of the aerospace industry's biggest players.

www.boxarr.com

Specialist metals for aerospace

Böhler (hall 4, stand C88) has built a reputation in producing special materials for the aviation sector. Last April a new UK Aerospace Division was formed to give greater focus to the growing sector.

The new division offers tailor-made solutions for aerospace, with access to special material grades, including creep-resistant stainless, nickel-based alloys and high temperature alloys. The steel can be supplied in many forms from bar, billet, sheet and plate to custom forged and finished products for rotors, shafts, blades and disc applications. A newly-expanded warehouse and service centre in Oldbury, West Midlands provides machining, cutting and ‘just in time’ deliveries to production schedules in both the aerospace and power generation sectors.

Böhler says that its success in supplying to the aerospace industry has only been achievable by gaining the relevant approvals from many of the top OEMs throughout the world. In addition to investing in a new distribution facility the company has enhanced the UK team to ensure it provides the best products and service.

Paul Chruscinski heads up the new division. Alongside Chruscinski at the new division will be Alison Delaney, segment manager aerospace and power generation, and business development managers Mark Cowley and Stephen Heeley.

www.bohlersteels.co.uk/aerospace

Spanish aerostructure expertise

Spanish company, Sofitec (hall 2, A80) specialises in the development of aerostructures and comprehensive manufacturing of composite and metallic components and metal materials for the aerospace industry.

Recently the company has reinforced its production capacity with an investment of over €20 million in new facilities. The new plant has 25,000m2 and a second phase of 75,000m² is due to be completed in late 2017.

The expansion is due to the growth experienced by the company in recent years. With the second phase the company will mainly improve its aerostructure assembly capacity, metallic fabrication, surface treatments and the entire logistics chain management, thanks to the implementation of new processes and facilities based on robotic automation, concentrating full productive capacity productive in the same workspace.

The company says it has gained the confidence of major OEMs in the industry: Airbus, Embraer, Bombardier and tier ones, such as Spirit Aerosystems. Sofitec is currently working on aerostructure programmes including: Airbus’ A350; A320; A330-340; A380; A400M; A330 MRTT and the C295/CN235 in addition to the Boeing B777; Legacy 450/500 and Embraer KC390; Comac C919, Bombardier DASH-8, and Eurofighter 2000 programmes.

The company achieved €26 million turnover in 2015. In the medium-term, growth forecasts are optimistic with €50m turnover anticipated in 2022. This milestone will be possible as a result of the ramp up of the programmes in which Sofitec is currently participating and the workload expected from new customers.

www.sofitec.es

A blast of technology

Vapormatt (hall 3, stand D109), a specialist in advanced wet blasting technology will be unveiling its latest high performance systems, developed specifically for use in the aerospace sector for surface preparation and finishing. On show will be the company’s Puma wet blasting system, which will be seen preparing a range of aircraft components, including cast, machined and composite parts.

The latest wet blasting systems use a combination of specially developed abrasives including: silicon, ceramic, compressed air and high purity water. These are mixed in precisely controlled quantities, before being directed onto the work surface via a precision engineered blast gun. This typically incorporates a series of nozzles, each designed to allow the flow of gas and slurry to be optimised to meet the needs of each application. The operator has control of the pressure, flow and temperature of the process stream, and is able to manipulate the blast gun to produce a range of finishing effects, from the removal of paint, rust, grease and scale, without damaging the substrate material, prior to NDT, to the fine finishing of surfaces for coating, bonding and painting, and precision peening of turbine blades to an accuracy of just a few microns.

The Puma system is a compact, manually operated wet blasting system, ideal for larger components such as aircraft wheels. The system is front loading, has a robust stainless steel construction and is designed to be quick and simple to setup, operate and maintain.

The Puma system is part of Vapormatt’s comprehensive series of wet blasting machines. These range from small, manually operated workshop units and self-contained machines for use in R&D facilities, to highly advanced, computer controlled systems, designed to be integrated into automated production lines.

The latter include machines such as the Leopard and Sabre, the former of which is available in vertical and horizontal formats, capable of extremely large components but on a small footprint with a unique low level sump, while the latter features a special hybrid design for edge preparation, surface conditioning and cleaning of cast parts such as turbine vanes.

www.vapormatt.com

Calibration with a spin

Trescal (hall 4, stand H80), international specialist in calibration will be participating for a third time at the Farnborough Airshow.

Visitors will have the opportunity to speak with representatives from across the network of Trescal UK laboratories, and learn how the calibration specialists support major manufacturers in the control of measurement equipment used in aerospace manufacturing.

The Trescal group will also be represented by deputy general manager of Trescal France, Jean-Marc d’Hulst at the show; who will perform an aerobatic demonstration in the Trescal branded Starduster aircraft every day from Monday to Sunday.

Trescal will showcase its expertise and explain its service offer, including the measurement process for the production, electronics, hydraulic equipment, control and maintenance of mechanical parts, in addition to engines, wings, rotors, and landing gear.

The company has over 20 years’ experience within the aerospace industry across a variety of technical fields and its presence at the show is a reflection of the businesses investment in the aeronautic and spatial sector, which achieves 57% of Trescal sales.

This is further proven by the signature of €10 million per annum of multi-year contracts won by the group with the biggest players in the sector, 4,000 of its clients are based in the UK alone.

www.trescal.com

First time for grinding specialist

Haas Schleifmaschinen (hall 4, stand D50), represented in the UK by Coventry-based Advanced Grinding Solutions, is exhibiting at Farnborough for the first time.

Haas has made numerous sales to the UK aerospace industry as it continues to provide highly flexible manufacturing platforms for the production of parts, such as aero-engine compressor blades and similar components. After securing a number of sales to UK based aerospace part manufacturers, Haas felt it was the right time to exhibit at Farnborough to meet up with its existing customers and to show others the very latest grinding technology.

The company will be exhibiting its wide range of solutions using its award winning CA and CB Multigrind multi-axis CNC grinding machines. This will include demonstrating how its Multigrind CA machines can produce the actual turbine blade, with all of its complex freeform surfaces, filleting and rounding; the blade footing; and the root form with its ‘Christmas tree’ profile.

Haas employs a newly-developed special grinding process for blade geometries whereby a wheel that has been dressed at an angle and is slightly rounded, is inclined at an angle to the workpiece. This process rapidly produces high contour accuracy without notable edges or wave shapes. Consequently, machinists are able to obtain an excellent workpiece contour with relatively few passes along the workpiece axes.

Furthermore, the associated machine configuration reduces the risk of collision considerably and the 27 station automatic tool changer and option of using multiple dressing rolls completes a highly flexible solution for machining aerospace parts.

www.advancedgrindingsolutions.co.uk

Super seven from Germany

Visitors to the Farnborough will be able to observe the merits of using top-quality CNC turning and prismatic metalcutting equipment from seven different German machine tool builders.

The seven machines feature on the Geo Kingsbury stand (hall 4, stand H31) which is the sole sale and service agent for the brands in the UK and Ireland.

The machine producers are Index and its subsidiary, Traub, which offer CNC single- and multi-spindle lathes; Hermle, which builds 3- to 5-axis machining centres; and four large prismatic metalcutting machine manufacturers, Burkhardt + Weber, F Zimmermann, SHW and Waldrich Coburg; the latter also produces vertical turning lathes.

Geo Kingsbury is promoting some of the lesser known benefits of these machines. For example, one advantage of F Zimmermann’s high-speed, portal machining centres is the option to fit a patented M3 ABC 3-axis head. Full 6-axis CNC machining may be undertaken continuously because the ±15° B-axis avoids the pole position problem of traditional 2-axis A/C rotary-tilt heads, whereby when A is at zero degrees it cannot move.

The M3 ABC can swivel, tilt and incline to any angle, significantly reducing machining times and improving component surface finish, as cutter chatter on the surface of a component due to excessive C-axis movements is eliminated. As a result, a cavity with sloping walls in an aluminium aerospace component can be machined between 30 and 40% faster – a massive productivity advantage.

Burkhardt + Weber and Geo Kingsbury have used the latter’s experience in machining titanium airframe parts to develop this side of the German machine builder’s business. With pallet sizes ranging from 630mm to 3m, the structure of the machines is perfect for titanium machining due to the high torque on the spindle and rotary axis, stable build, large working envelope and the ability to automatically exchange long tools.

In the realm of smaller machining centres with working volumes up to 1.4m³, Hermle is a supplier to the aerospace sector. The trunnion design and 5-axis configuration of its machines allow, for instance, efficient automated milling of radii or chamfers on edge features of aero-engine parts.

Removal of sharp edges with a milling cutter eliminates possible stress points, takes away material that could otherwise detach and cause blockage or wear, improves a component's appearance and promotes safe handling. Titanium aerospace components can be profiled so that edge radii are within ±25µm and surface finish is better than Ra0.8.

www.geokingsbury.com

Geared up for take off

Gibbs Gears (hall 4, stand E30) will be exhibiting its production capabilities for gears used in aerospace applications at this year’s show.

With AS9100 accreditation for gear and spline manufacturing, the company services customers with high-precision components locally and has the advantage of having the capability to produce larger volumes of scheduled parts at low cost for the international market.

Gibbs Gears UK and India are established and proven manufacturers of aerospace gears, shafts and splined parts suppling to Tier 1 and OEM customers.

Currently, the company manufactures parts for military and civil programmes such JSF, Tornado, A320, A350, A380, A330, Embraer, and the Sukhoi Superjet.

www.gibbsgears.com

On the grind

NCMT, the sales and service agent in the UK for Makino machine tools, will be present in the Japanese manufacturer’s chalet (Chalet C4) during the show to promote four distinct areas of production in the aerospace industry.

One is milling of aircraft structural parts in titanium alloys using Makino's T-series of horizontal machining centres. Another is machining of aluminium aerostructures on the latest MAG and -nx series of 5-axis horizontal-spindle machines. A third highlight will be production of nickel alloy engine parts and other components using multi-axis, creep-feed VIPER grinding, combined with other machining operations. Finally, EDM drilling of holes in turbine blades will feature.

Very high metal removal rate is a hallmark of Makino T-series machining centres, which are typically able to hog up to 500cm³ of titanium Ti-6Al-4V per minute. Despite having such notable roughing performance, the machines are also capable of 5-axis simultaneous finishing to very high precision.

A significant technological advance is the use of three rotary CNC axes, a ±110° A-axis and a 360° C-axis on the spindle head, plus 360° of continuous movement of the B-axis table. The user is able to choose A/C mode and position B for machining airframe parts, for example, or can select A/B for efficiently machining engine casings and other circular components. In either case, the sixth CNC axis can be repeatedly repositioned during a machining cycle.

When it comes to aluminium machining Makino offers its MAG series of 5-axis, horizontal machining centres for producing large aircraft structural components but at the smaller end of the scale, the a51nx, a61nx and a81nx models offer raised productivity, accuracy and reliability.

The most recent development from Makino is the 7-axis i-Grinder G7, which like other VIPER machines is based on a machining centre platform. It allows grinding wheels and other metalcutting tools to be exchanged automatically between the tool magazine and the spindle, allowing a variety of machining operations to be carried out in the same cycle.

The smaller Makino i-Grinder G5 accepts parts nominally up to 300mm diameter, but with increasing aircraft engine size, some larger vanes were falling outside the machine's working envelope. The 730mm x 650mm x 730mm capacity of the G7 addresses the problem. Increased space in the machining area also allows room to house two roll stacks to dress the grinding wheels, allowing flexibility to produce a greater variety of components without having to change the rolls.

Also featuring at Makino’s chalet will be its EDM machines. The Makino’s EDBV (electrical discharge blades and vanes) series of EDM machining centres for hole drilling have been specifically designed for the production of cooling holes and diffuser shapes in aerospace blades and vane segments.

www.ncmt.co.uk

Focusing on cutting performance

Heckert’s new cost-competitive Focus line of horizontal machining centres will prove attractive to engineers visiting the Starrag UK (hall 4, stands A28 and B20) this year.

Heckert is one of nine established machining brands within the Starrag Group, which includes the TTL software division that specialises in multi-axis CAM applications, automated CNC machining systems and adaptive machining software. The result is a comprehensive array of machining solutions for every aspect of aerospace manufacture.

The new three-machine Heckert Focus line offers up to 10% increases in throughput via reduced machining times, up to 20% savings in energy costs via the adoption of Blue Competence policies, and up to 10% savings in service and tool costs.

The new machines complement the Starrag Group’s expertise in the heavy machining of large gear casings, as well as the production of primary structural components for fuselage, tail unit and wing areas. Starrag is also especially adept at providing solutions for turbine blade, blisk, casing and fuel system machining, as well as gyroscope components, electrical connections, sensor parts and gear components.

The Starrag range includes the 800X which boasts a 30,000rpm 120kW spindle for fast and effective machining. The machine also features an A-axis range of -110°/+60°, so no angle heads are required for completing a range of complex features in a single set-up.

In addition, the machine – which has feed rates of 60m/min in X, Y and Z, a maximum workpiece swing diameter of 1,400mm and pallets of 800mm by 1,000mm to handle loads of 2,000kg – can accommodate up to 465 tools.

Visitors to the Starrag stand (in the Swiss members area), will be able to gain details of all Starrag solutions, including Droop + Rein machines for landing gear applications; Berthiez engine casing boring/grinding, Starrag 5-axis blade machining centres and well as Ecospeed high-speed machining centres which, on aluminium workpieces, can achieve floor-to-floor time savings of 60% by transforming a four-tonne billet into a 120kg complex structural part in less than 20 hours.

www.starrag.com

Simulation software for improved machining

CGTech will showcase its expanded range of software applications for the aerospace industry on its stand (hall 1, stand B140).

The company’s Vericut software is widely used in aerospace and defence to improve the efficiency of all types of CNC Machine Tools. Vericut is CNC machine simulation, verification and optimisation software that enables users to eliminate the process of manually proving-out NC programs. It detects collisions and near-misses between all machine tool components such as axis slides, heads, turrets, rotary tables, spindles, tool changers, fixtures, workpieces and cutting tools.

The software simulates all types of CNC machining, including multi-axis milling, drilling and trimming of composite parts, waterjet cutting, robotic machining and mill/turn centres. Vericut runs standalone, but can also be integrated with leading CAM systems used in aerospace. Aerospace applications featuring leading CNC machine tool suppliers, including: DMG Mori, Mazak, Starrag, Grob, CMS and Hermle will be featured.

Throughout the show, CGTech will be demonstrating Vericut Composite Applications: Vericut Composite Programming (VCP) and Vericut Composite Simulation (VCS).

The exhibitor will feature projects that highlight the use of offline NC programming and simulation software for Automated Fibre Placement (AFP) machines and Automated Tape Laying (ATL) machines including robot cells. Vericut composites applications are machine independent and machines from leading composites machinery suppliers, including Electroimpact and MTorres, will be featured.

Vericut Drilling and Fastening (VDAF) is software for simulating and programming auto-drilling and fastening machines. These machines are used to assemble large aerostructures and it is essential to avoid programming errors and collisions at such a late stage in the aircraft manufacturing process.

Vericut allows the user to program drilling and fastener assembly operations in a virtual machine tool environment and provides simulation to check for a variety of potentially disastrous error conditions. Like all CG Vericut software VDAF interfaces to leading CAD/CAM/PLM systems and is independent of the assembly machine manufacturer.

www.cgtech.co.uk

Springs and rings

Following the success of its inaugural airshow in 2014, TFC (hall 3, stand D129), a leading technical fastener and component supplier, is returning to Farnborough to exhibit its stock management services and wave spring and retaining ring products to visiting engineers and procurement personnel.

2015’s creation of a dedicated aerospace division and approval to AS9100/9120 quality standards has aided TFC’s success in the sector with its flexible hardware supply options and direct line feed (3PL) solutions of particular interest to manufacturers at the show. The company’s components can be stocked at one of its multiple UK, German or Czech sites, and supplied directly to stores or production lines to assist the procurement process and maintain production efficiency.

TFC's range of space-saving wave springs and Spirolox retaining ring products will also be promoted with senior engineers from the US-based manufacturer Smalley present at the TFC stand to demonstrate the potential to save up to 50% spring space when using wave springs, and to answer any design and application questions from visiting engineers.

Smalley is one of the world leaders in flat wire coiling technology with a wide range of spring and ring applications in various industry sectors. Recently Smalley extended its manufacturing capacity to produce springs as small as 4mm/0.157" in diameter to meet the increasing demands that designers face to reduce assembly size and weight.

www.tfc.eu.com

Joined up supply

FSL Aerospace, a leading supplier of fastenings, fixings and associated components for the aerospace and defence industries, has booked its biggest stand yet at Farnborough (hall 4, stand D38).

The company will be showcasing its complete range of AGS fasteners and components to the aerospace/defence sectors. As a stockist and distributor, the company specialises in logistical solutions which add value and reduce costs, including stock management/vendor reduction systems.

The aerospace and defence industry sector demands the highest quality levels of products and service. FSL Aerospace provides this by ensuring its quality management system meets and exceeds the requirements of AS9120 and BS EN ISO 9001.

FSL has also achieved SC21 bronze award level status in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 and the company says it is well on the way to reach silver award targets.

FSL will also be representing the Precision Coil Spring Company as its European distributor, with capabilities in exotic alloys and highly engineered formed products. Its range includes compression, extension, torsion springs and a range of wire forms/flat forms made to order against customers’ drawings and specifications.

www.fslaerospace.co.uk

Heat treatments and surface coatings

Since the last Farnborough Airshow, aerospace heat treatment and hard coatings specialist, Wallwork Group (hall 4, stand G121) has invested an additional £2.5 million in buildings, plant, training and research to extend and deepen services for the aerospace industry. The company has also gained more aerospace approvals for processes at all of its UK sites.

Capacity to produce complex components by vacuum brazing has been doubled at the Cambridge site and a new state-of-the-art vacuum brazing workshop has been established at Manchester. A new building at Cambridge increases the plant size by 25%, creating capacity for expansion of existing processes and the introduction of new services such as mechanical testing.

Advanced heat treatment services have also increased. The aluminium HT service is now firmly established and augmented by services to heat treat magnesium. Nitriding capacity has grown and can now accommodate much larger components whilst the extended range of treatments now includes low temperature nitride processing in addition to thermal techniques.

Aerospace coating services continue to advance. Nitron Flight and Nitron O, patent processes to improve engine performance and extend the life of titanium bearings respectively, continue to attract new users. A new environmentally friendly process, Nitron CA, to replace hard chrome plating (HCP) is attracting interest as deadlines near to phase out HCP because of the toxicity issues.

Wallwork Group continues to be the only official partner in the UK for the CemeCon range of specialist carbon (diamond) and other aerospace coatings for carbide tooling used to significantly prolong tool life in composite drilling and cutting.

www.wallworkht.com

Grouping together

The P.P. Group (hall 1, stand B140) provides material profiling and processing services, offering: waterjet, laser, plasma, saw and bevel cutting; as well as surface grinding, weld prepping, welding, heat treatment, rolling, press braking, polishing and CAD services.

The company says it has a proud history of providing innovating solutions to challenging projects across a number of sectors, including aerospace. The Group holds a number of certifications, including AS9100 Rev C and has a designated QHSE department. The Group is excited to exhibit at the show again, but this year it’s going to be the first time ever this is done as a group of companies.

Peter McCabe, group managing director explains: “We have exhibited in the past mainly just as P.P. Plasma, but this will be the first time focusing on what the whole group can offer to the aerospace sector.”

www.ppgroupltd.co.uk

Clean as a whistle

Turbex, (hall 4, stand H30) has been providing washing solutions to the aerospace sector since 1981.

One area it will be focusing on is its high precision, ultrasonic cleaning machines, from small bench-top units to bespoke, multi-tank cleaning and drying lines with automation. A hallmark of their construction is multi-frequency ultrasonics, where a single transducer can generate two different ultrasonic frequencies. Consequently, dissimilar components and materials can be processed optimally in the same tank.

Turbex supplies modular equipment that can be built up from a single unit into a fully automated cleaning and drying line. For processing larger parts, such as casing and landing gear components, as well as aerostructures, Turbex offers the AC range of front-loading, spray washing and rinsing models. These are particularly popular in the UK for degreasing and precision cleaning.

Manufactured from stainless steel, the machine programme comprises single- and multi-stage units with options for one, two or three process tanks. Standard sizes range from 1m to 3m in diameter, although larger machine sizes are available.

The PLC-controlled machines provide a high level of cleaning performance due to ingenious design principles combined with high spray pressures and liquid flow rates achieved by the powerful pump. The spray system, also of stainless steel, rotates around a fixed load that can weigh several tonnes. Acoustic as well as thermal insulation protect operators from undue noise and heat.

A recent addition to the company’s product portfolio is the Galvatek range of surface treatment lines, notably for chemical cleaning and anodising. The manufacturer has designed, delivered, installed and continues to service more than 600 turnkey installations in over 35 countries. The equipment is normally fully automated to ensure efficiency.

Galvatek is well-known in the aerospace industry, as its multi-stage lines for chemical cleaning, anodising and etching are widely used.

www.turbex.co.uk

NATEP projects to the fore

With the UK’s National Aerospace Technology Programme (NATEP) in full swing, some of the new technologies being developed by the 68 supply chain organisations participating in the Midlands will be on show for the first time with the Midlands Aerospace Alliance (MAA), located in (hall 1, stand B90).

“This is an ideal opportunity for visitors and other exhibitors alike to get a glimpse of what Midlands suppliers will be offering the market place in future years,” says Peter Knight, NATEP technology manager at the MAA. “With all projects backed by primes and tier ones like Rolls-Royce or Meggitt offering expert advice from the end-user perspective, our companies are focused on innovative products and manufacturing processes that we know the market is demanding.”

As examples, Mettis is a partner in three projects with new materials including magnesium, Nasmyth is working with Hucknall Sheet Metal on new manufacturing methods for combustion systems, and Kyocera and Teer Coatings are developing techniques for dry drilling of aluminium. Several projects involve overseas end users with the obvious export potential this implies.

“Run at the scale NATEP has now reached it can make a real difference to the innovative potential of our aerospace cluster as a whole,” says Dr Andrew Mair, chief executive of the Midlands Aerospace Alliance.

www.midlandsaerospace.org.uk

Iberian aerospace advances

The Centre for Advanced Aerospace Technologies (CATEC) will attend Farnborough sharing a booth with other Andalusian aerospace companies (hall 2, stand A80).

It will present its technological capabilities and advanced services in the European aerospace industry, with state-of-the-art technology and equipment at disposal of companies that want to improve competitiveness and boost investment in R&D.

In just nine years, CATEC has established itself as one of the most active institutions on R&D and development of new technologies for application in the European aerospace sector thanks to its leadership in fields such as robotics, new techniques linked to the factory development, materials and new advanced manufacturing processes, or avionics and systems, especially UAVs.

Among its research areas it highlights the development of specific solutions for the ‘Factory of the Future’, which is already a reference for developing multiple solutions of specific industrial application in aerospace processes, adapted to the requirements of the sector.

These areas include: additive layer manufacturing; flexible and more productive inspection systems; manufacture and in service monitoring; automation complex processes (drilling and edge milling, sealant application, aircraft painting); collaborative robots; SCADA; reconfigurable and flexible stands; laser projection for assembly; application of automatic guided vehicles and unmanned ground vehicles to plant logistics; RFID process control connected to the ERP and WMS; indoor location systems; virtual and augmented reality systems applied to manufacturing and troubleshooting; process simulation; interactive workbench and the industrial Internet of Things.

Fostered by the Andalusian Foundation for Aerospace Development (FADA), CATEC has a highly-qualified workforce of more than 65 specialists and technicians. Currently, it works in more than 60 R&D projects both with public research organisations (PROs) as companies, and leads and participates in several projects under the new Horizon 2020 programme of the European Commission related to robotics and unmanned aerial systems for application in different fields and sectors.

www.catec.aero

Cluster companions

The Hélice Cluster (hall 2, stand A80) will represent the Andalusian aerospace sector at the show.

Hélice will present the main capabilities and potential of the Andalusian and Spanish aerospace industry, which has become one of the three major aviation hubs of Europe, thanks to its development and growth in businesses, turnover and R&D in the last decade, and because of hosting one of three Final Assembly Lines of large aircraft in Europe, the A400M FAL of from Airbus Defence and Space.

The Andalusian aerospace industry has more than €2,200 million in turnover; employment reaches 12,600 direct jobs and 12,000 indirect jobs. It participates in programmes with Airbus, Boeing, Eurofighter, Embraer and Bombardier, with infrastructure and technological services of excellence for the support of aerospace companies.

The aviation industry in Andalusia has 114 companies, of which over 90% are concentrated in the Seville-Cadiz axis. These include the presence of the large manufacturer Airbus Group, with the A400M FAL and manufacturing plants in Seville and Cadiz; and the three Spanish tier 1 aerostructure companies, Alestis Aerospace, Aciturri and Aernnova. It also counts on other infrastructure such as Aeropolis in Seville.

http://helicecluster.com

It’s a material whirl

TenCate Advanced Composites (hall 3, stand A50) is a leading supplier of advanced thermoset and thermoplastic composites materials to the aerospace industry.

Following the recent opening of its European Centre of Excellence for thermoset prepreg systems at its UK facility, the company will be discussing its thermoset materials for aerospace, space and satellite and communications markets.

Together with a doubling of capacity, the extended facility in the UK now houses a carbon-free manufacturing line, which is dedicated to the manufacture of electrically pure materials. Radomes manufactured using TenCate’s low loss, low dielectric constant thermoset prepregs will be on display during the event.

Also on display is a thermoplastic composite rudder demonstrator, made using TenCate Cetex reinforced thermoplastic laminates (RTLs), which demonstrates a innovative induction welding technique in the processing of thermoplastic composites for aerostructures.

www.tencate.com

Bright future for silver status supplier

SC21 silver company, Groveley Precision Engineering will exhibit at Farnborough as part of the WEAF display (hall 1, stand B80) at the UK Pavilion. It will show its capabilities in supplying precision-engineered components for the aerospace and defence markets – and will explain how it has embarked on project management as a discipline within its manufacturing processes.

Five of Groveley’s staff achieved PRINCE2 qualifications since taking part in The Employer Skills Programmes, a Government project supported by Airbus. The scheme was trialled as a way to enable project management skills and experience to be practised and consistently demonstrated throughout the SME community in the aerospace sector.

Groveley’s operations manager Stuart Leaper said: “Groveley had always been a make-to-print company, but this initiative by Airbus and the assessment model used for Project and Risk Management by the North West Aerospace Alliance will transform the way the company works. We can now embark on projects with the confidence of meeting our customers’ goals in an efficient and timely manner.”

The company has maintained its SC21 silver award since it was first presented at Farnborough in 2012. Its SC21 ratings show 100% on time, with 99.99% quality.

www.groveley.co.uk

New tie technology

Specialist tooling distributor, Heamar (hall 1, stand A99) will be unveiling the LaceLok Cable Lacing Fastener System (CLF) from Ideal Industries.

Distributed by Heamar in the UK, LaceLok is a US-made secondary support for cable and wire bundling, created to cost-effectively reduce aircraft fuel costs, labour installation time and aid in prevention of worker related injury.

For every thousand cable ties (medium duty 22kg tensile strength) that are replaced by the new LaceLok Cable Lacing Fastener 0.5kg can be saved in weight. On average there are more than 200,000 cable ties on an aircraft, meaning up to a 90kg weight can be saved, providing significant fuel savings, according to Ideal.

Also the innovative design of the LaceLok installation tool helps to prevent repetitive motion related injures such as carpal tunnel. A key benefit to installers, as the new LaceLok CLF also provides the ease of connection similar to a cable tie with the preferred properties of the lace.

LaceLok CLF’s are constructed of Nomex and a liquid crystal polymer head, which aids in heat and chemical resistance, resulting in a competitive edge over conventional cable ties and hand-tie knots, because they’re less chemical resistant and can create foreign object debris (which caused the military to ban the use of cable ties). The small, rounded fastener head is able to withstand temperatures of -60°C to 200°C (-76°F to 392°F).

The head was also designed to reduce damage to wire bundles and surrounding components. For increased tensile strength, the LaceLok CLF can be single, double or triple wrapped around wire bundles.

www.heamar.co.uk

Give it a lift

Asco (hall 1, stand B10) a world leader in design and manufacture of high-lift mechanism devices, complex mechanical assemblies and major functional components for the aerospace industry focuses on innovative solutions to offer a complete, environmental-friendly, cost-effective and safe solution to its customers.

To achieve operational excellence, Asco has invested in the past couple of years to offer a one stop solution including research, technology and design, certification, industrialisation, manufacturing, special processes and MRO services under the same roof.

Also, excelling in preparation to face future challenges, Asco, one of the biggest titanium manufacturers in Europe, has developed innovative hybrid solutions, integrating titanium and CFRP in order to improve weight and performance, as well as entire aerostructure composite solutions.

As a specialist in high-lift mechanism devices – the retractable surfaces of wings used to generate more lift during take-off and landing – Asco proposes its solution for the future aircraft through the Krueger flap, a lighter composite version of a lift enhancement device that is deployed through a rotating mechanism. The Krueger flap designed by Asco concentrates on natural laminar flows to improve fuel efficiency, and further enhances security, since it is totally bird strike resistant and includes a de-icing function.

www.asco.be
Heavy metal pair

Two members of the Engineering Technology Group’s portfolio of high end machine tool manufacturers will be present at the show highlighting their capabilities for large format, high capacity machining.

ETG partners Handtmann and Pietro Carnaghi will both have trade stands at the event and ETG representatives will be present on both stands for UK customer enquiries.

Handtmann A-Punkt Automation (hall 2, stands B120 and C118) is a long-standing ETG partner which specialises in large format machining centres primarily for the aerospace manufacturing industry. Its machines offer significant productivity gains in comparison with traditional machining methods and processes while providing solutions for complex composite, aluminium, steel and titanium applications throughout aerospace manufacturing worldwide

Its range includes 5-axis portal and gantry machines for large scale components and many incorporate Handtmann’s own developments – notably the AeroCell and CompactCell 5-axis horizontal machining processes.

The Italian Pietro Carnaghi company (hall 3, stand A67) is the most recent addition to the ETG portfolio and is a world leader in the production of large vertical lathes and gantry type milling machines. It supplies not just the machine tools but the advanced machining technologies and automation necessary to optimise the machines in customer’s manufacturing plants.

The machining of large aero-engine components and casings is a particular area of expertise for Pietro Carnaghi and it supplies high capacity machine tools to most of the world’s leading OEMs.

Pietro Carnaghi vertical lathes are involved in the production of the most sophisticated aeronautic projects machining disks, casings, drums and rings that require capability of turning, milling, drilling, grinding on materials such as Inconel and titanium.

www.engtechgroup.com

An agent for shielding

Chomerics (hall 4, stand E50), a division of Parker Hannifin is previewing a new conductive gasket for aerospace applications at Farnborough.

Exhibiting on the Parker Aerospace stand Chomerics will also be showcasing a range of solutions for complex EMI/RFI shielding and thermal management.

Conductive gaskets deliver a combination of electrical shielding, grounding and environmental shielding. The new urethane filled expanded aluminium gasket provides an electrically conductive fluid and pressure sealing solution for a variety of flange-to-flange assemblies. Examples include aircraft fuselage mounted accessories, such as antenna and exterior lighting; access panel assemblies; and connector/waveguide assemblies.

The increasing deployment of sensitive analogue circuitry alongside power electronics in safety critical aviation systems has highlighted the importance of effective shielding solutions to ensure safety and reliability. Chomerics has extensive experience of working with the world’s leading aviation companies to deliver solutions in areas including: lightweight cable shielding products; lightning strike protection using conductive materials; and shielded optical windows for cockpit displays and in-flight entertainment systems.

Chomerics is also showcasing thermal management solutions that help to regulate operating temperatures and ensure that electronic systems are maintained at the optimum temperature. This delivers stable performance, enhances reliability and increases expected life.

www.parker.com/chomerics

Making sense of composites

Composite innovation and design consultancy Cecence (hall 4, stand FT20) is exhibiting at Farnborough for the first time this year.

It will be presenting a number of innovative materials and processes that could revolutionise the way in which aerospace seating and other components are manufactured.

Two years of experimentation and innovative thinking has resulted in a number of game changing products. Cecence has developed a portfolio of composite materials that satisfy the demand for lightweight shaped panels which pass FST standards - Aerospace Interiors FAR 25.853 and Rail Interiors: BS6853 & EN45545.

Cecence also design and manufacture composite cabling systems across multiple industry sectors. Its carbon fibre catenary system was awarded the Modern Railways Innovation in the Environment Award 2015 and the company was selected as one of the top 30 companies exhibiting at the Advanced Engineering Show last year.

In production terms, it claims its materials reflect a seismic shift in how composite manufacturing is viewed. Cecence have had an attitude since the beginning that in order to facilitate the introduction, and ultimately upscale the use of composite materials, the manufacturing process must be adapted to allow for large scale production. Ultimately the speed of the composite manufacturing needs to be increased and deskilled, to allow more cross sector integration.

In addition to its position as a supplier of innovative materials, the problem solving composite engineering company undertakes a number of bespoke projects, from bicycles and boats, to interior design and architecture and motorsport.

www.cecence.com

On the wire

Alloy Wire International (hall 1, stand B90) (AWI) is a leading manufacturer of precision, drawn, flat and shaped wire.

The company, which is celebrating 70 years in business in 2016, will be showcasing its extensive range of more than 50 nickel high performance alloys that are commonly used in aircraft fire detection, engine retaining rings, fasteners, high-temperature seals and engine compression springs.

Approved by BAE Systems, Raytheon Jets and Westland Corp, the company produces 0.025mm to 21mm custom-made wire in exotic alloys, including Nimonic 90, Inconel 600, Nimonic 75, Waspaloy, Titanium Grade 5 and Monel 400. There are no minimum order quantities and lead-times are just three weeks from the client making the first enquiry.

AWI has grown into one of the world’s premier manufacturers of wire, supplying 4,000 customers in 15 sectors across 45 countries. The company recently completed a £700,000 investment drive that has seen it install three Zwick tensile and hardness testing machines, PMI material X-ray guns, fully-automated multi-spindle spooling machine, a 5m strand annealing furnace and a bespoke wire finishing line.

www.alloywire.com

Adding value

MEP (hall 1, Stand B120) says it continues to invest in advanced manufacturing technologies to improve productivity, quality, cost and lead-times.

Over the past two years it has introduced new multi-axis milling and turning machines together with highly accurate multi-tonnage presses. This improves its already comprehensive range of manufacturing capabilities to ensure it maintains high quality at competitive prices.

The introduction of these multi-axis machines has already realised a greater than 80% reduction in manufacturing time within the Machining Value Stream, substantially reducing the cost-base. With additional moulding presses MEP is able to offer a broader range of capability and size, therefore giving its clients the full benefits of MEP’s centre of excellence for moulding.

The company says it prides itself in being different, with excellent service levels, reliability and wide capabilities to reduce risk and promote trust.

www.mep.co.uk

Advanced machining skills on show

Following the gaining of AS9100 Rev C and ISO9001:2008 approved aerospace accreditations, Mollart Engineering (hall 1, stand B120) is exhibiting at the airshow for the first time.

The company will be presenting its capability in subcontract manufacture and tooling linked to its aerospace and defence customer sectors.

Mollart has built up a wide ranging level of expertise in the aerospace and defence sector producing components for aero engines and helicopter transmissions. Now the company has gained AS09100, and having invested over £2.5 million in facilities, plant, equipment, software and services over the past two years, it says it is competitively placed to provide extended services to the sector.

Mollart Engineering also has an extensive range of special tooling linked to hole creation and feature machining tasks including grooving, deburring and surface finishing. This is in addition to its traditional deep hole gundrilling and production of large depth-to-diameter holes in a wide variety of materials and in particular, high alloy and super alloy steels.

Key to the interest of visitors will be its multi-feature, single cycle subcontract capability, often involving 5-axis cycles, plus the in-house expertise in welding and fabrication, abrasive flow deburring and surface finishing as well as ultrasonic cleaning and ISO7 (Class 10,000) cleanroom assembly and test.

www.mollart.com

High-end surface solutions

Oerlikon Balzers and Oerlikon Metco (hall 4, stand F30) will be displaying its complementary surface solutions for the aerospace industry at the airshow.

Protected with Balinit coatings from Oerlikon Balzers, the lightweight materials and components used in the aerospace industry permit greater loads, meet closer tolerances, and lower the cost of maintenance.

They exhibit excellent wear resistance, low co-efficient of friction and functional stability at high temperature while also improving the corrosion resistance. Consequently, this facilitates a longer service life and prolonged maintenance intervals, reduced energy consumption in flight systems and dry running operation in oil-free systems - thus giving the lowest cost of ownership.

Oerlikon Metco’s thermal spray materials, coatings, specialised machining services and components for aircraft engines significantly increase efficiency and fuel economy and reduce emissions in engine operation. They protect the base material of critical turbine parts from oxidation, hot gas corrosion, erosion, wear and excessive heat. In particular, thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) reduce heat transfer into the base material of turbine parts allowing high operating temperatures and thereby improved efficiency, mechanical properties and life expectancy.

Customers of Oerlikon Metco and Oerlikon Balzers, with its Airbus and Nadcap certified Customer Centres, benefit from a broad range of surface technologies, coating solutions, application equipment, materials, services and manufactured engine components.

www.oerlikon.com/balzers

Twenty five years of innovation

Cyient, the global provider of aerospace engineering, data analytics, and product manufacturing, will be at the (VIP Chalet, Suite 2) on the 12th and 13th of the airshow.

The company, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, delivers aerospace engineering and manufacturing solutions, with expertise in engines, avionics systems, structures, aero systems and interiors, including value driven services in MRO.

Working with the industry’s prominent aero-engine organisations, it plays a major role in developing some of the most promising and innovative programmes across the entire aerospace sector.

In structures and systems, Cyient works with OEMs and tier 1 suppliers to support their latest programmes to produce value driven outcomes. This involves supporting product and process engineering from concept to aftermarket support, bringing expertise to maximise its client and partners market value to the fore. The company provides true collaboration with aerospace and defence companies across the globe. Cyient is an official sponsor of the mobile app for the show.

www.cyient.com

Normandy’s French flair

For the first time, 11 companies from the Normandy aerospace sector (hall 1, stand A1) will be taking part at the Farnborough Airshow.

Companies at the pavilion include: Correge, Arelis, Dedienne Multiplasturgy, Efinor, Electropli, Einea, Factem, Ingeliance, Ressorts Masselin, Nadtek, Volum-E.

Technologies on display include: electronics, composite and plastic parts, temperature measurement, electro-acoustic equipment, metal springs, metal substrate surface treatments, additive manufacturing, mechanical and systems engineering, hi-tech metallurgy and complete multi-functional sub-assemblies.

Normandie AeroEspace currently has 128 members. The region has more than 14,200 aerospace related employees and a turnover of €2.2 billion.

www.nae.fr

Shining a light

Waldmann Lighting (hall 4, stand A112) is a manufacturer of LED industrial workplace lighting with luminaires to suit industrial buildings; workshops, warehouses, manufacturing and assembly areas, as well as work benches, inspection areas, machines and ESD protected luminaires for electronics manufacturing. Luminaires are available with high IP ratings, good colour temperature levels, and long life LED's. A free lighting design and advisory service is available.

The company is now offering a lighting solution especially designed for very high factory buildings.

Acaneo is a new high bay luminaire for full indoor illumination. The rugged long-life LED spotlight permits efficient illumination of factory halls up to 30m high. With advanced LED technology, a light yield of up to 140lm/W and lifecycle of more than 60,000 hours (L80B10) is possible. Acaneo offers substantial energy and economic efficiency, with optimised lighting technology for well distributed low glare hall illumination. The downlight works reliably in dusty, humid and oily air and can also be used in temperatures of more than 50°C.

www.waldmann.com

Advanced pipe production

Sigma Components (hall 1, stand B90) will be presenting the latest innovations from a range of R&D programmes developing lightweight aerospace components at this year’s Farnborough.

The Sigma Lite range is the result of Clean Sky, NATEP and AMSCI funded programmes and includes Sigma’s COMPipe technology – a composite pipe for aero-engines offering up to 50% weight savings over traditional components, redesigned end fittings using additive manufacturing techniques and composite drive shaft technologies.

Mark Johnson, founder and CEO of Sigma Components, comments: “The team has been working hard over the past few years to take advantage of new technologies to develop lighter, more fuel-efficient components and we’re excited that several of these projects – which use both composite and metallic materials – are now moving into production stages.

“As the first show we’ve attended since our recent MBO, and also since completing the acquisition of Rolls-Royce’s pipe business earlier this year, we’re looking forward to talking with current and new customers about our increasing capacity, both in the UK and China.”

www.sigmacomponents.com

Big cutting innovations

Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC) will be taking its latest range of cutting tool innovations as part of the Midland Aerospace Alliance stand (hall 1, stand B90).

The cutting tool specialist will be promoting a range of products that have seen significant success among aerospace OEMs and subcontract manufacturers.

ITC will be featuring the new line of Big Kaiser milling and boring tools, precision toolholders and collets and the new line of Air Turbine Spindles. The air-powered spindles use compressed air to drive a turbine and develop much higher spindle speeds than a conventional machine spindle.

ITC will also be presenting the new Widia Master catalogue, which will include information on all the latest products such as the VSM490 high performance indexable insert milling line and the new VariMill GP series of multi-purpose end mills.

These tool brands are sold and supported in the UK by ITC's highly skilled technical engineering team who will be available at Farnborough.

www.itc-ltd.co.uk

Invest in the best

Yoh is now international and will proudly unveil its UK & European offering at the 2016 Farnborough Airshow from the Farnborough Aerospace Consortium stand (hall 1, stand B120).

Expanding on its 50 successful years of providing staffing services to the aviation industry in the US, the company welcomes visitors to discuss its history supplying technical engineering skills for commercial and defence customers around the world. Yoh specialises in supporting the aerospace industry with IT security and engineering recruitment services.

Complementing its huge network of candidates, Yoh has a worldwide specialist database and offers a ‘follow the sun’ recruitment workflow, allowing it to source the talent your business needs.

www.yoh.com

Open and shut case

As a leader in manufacturing the toughest cases and advanced portable lighting systems, Peli Products (hall 1, booth 20) will use the Airshow to showcase its high-performance and advanced packaging solutions.

Its latest offering is its Peli-Hardigg V-Series rack mount cases. With more than 500 sizes, anything from small electronic equipment to a complete Typhoon tail container, Peli-Hardigg delivers protections for all the fragile equipment and valuable tools.

Its V-Series rack mount cases are ideal for the storage and transportation of testing equipment in the aerospace industry, since they are made for quick plug and play use. This is a result of utilising a full-boxed 19” steel rack with an industry-standard square hole pattern. In addition, the cases are equipped with eight rubber shock mounts which isolates any sophisticated equipment inside the shell and protects against vibration.

Another Peli innovation on show will be the Peli Air line of cases, which are up to 40% lighter than other protective cases. With the same durability as the classic Peli, these cases are ideal for protecting electronical devices and other tools that are used during the repair or control of aircraft.

Finally, its new TrekPak system gives aerospace professionals the opportunity to divide the interior based on the shapes of their devices. This range includes six different sizes, two with wheels and retractable handle.

www.peli.com

Ditching data for safety

Element Materials Technology (hall 4, stand D141) will be showcasing its world-leading capabilities in hydrodynamic ditching testing of scale models.

Its experts will be on hand to offer advice built on the company’s experience in this field which has been developed over the last forty years. Element’s Warwick laboratory is one of only a select few in the world with this capability, with its critical industry importance demonstrated by 2009’s Hudson River landing by a commercial airliner.

Protecting passenger safety through the structural integrity of the aircraft, Element designs and implements test programmes in collaboration with aerospace industry primes, as well as developing scale models, to be used as part of airworthiness compliance verification programmes to demonstrate the related airworthiness regulations of FAR25. This allows primes to gain approval from national and international aviation regulators, such as the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), to fly over the sea.

Element supports the safe development and manufacture of the next generation of airframes by bridging computational and real-world physical testing, to deliver repeatable results and accurate data to ensure passengers remain safe in the event of circumstances such as those seen in a river or sea landing.

Its ‘Engaged Experts’ have worked on the development of testing methodologies for many decades and their experience in model design and manufacture using proven techniques is the company’s strength.

Recent projects Element has been involved in include the Mitsubishi Regional Jet and the CASA EADS CN235-300M.

www.element.com

Watch this space

Engineering and technology company, Sener (hall 3, stand F130) will be at Farnborough to showcase its capabilities in hardware supply, systems integration and engineering services for space, defence and aeronautics.

This year the company will be showcasing contracts in the space sector, an industry in which it will be able to boast 50 years of successful activity come 2017.

In the area of defence, Sener will focus on its solutions for actuation and control systems. Lastly, in aeronautics, Sener will be displaying its capabilities for designing and delivering turnkey projects for highly automated machines and aerostructure production lines.

www.engineeringandconstruction.sener

Are you receiving me?

From the ADS UK Pavilion (hall 1, stand AG68G), TMD Technologies (TMD), a specialist in the microwave and RF field, will be introducing a new line of Ka band, compact microwave power modules (MPMs) to its TWT based range.

Exemplified by the new PTX8807 MPM, operating over the technically challenging 30-40GHz frequency range with an output power of 200W at 100% maximum duty cycle, the new range is designed to meet the exacting demands of radar and EW applications.

The new compact PTX8807 TWT-based MPM comprises a high power Ka band helix travelling wave tube (TWT) and a matched high density switched mode power supply to form a single ‘drop-in’ microwave amplifier unit, thereby eliminating any high voltage TWT interconnections – and the associated safety and reliability hazards. Also, using one MPM instead of a separate TWT and power supply means that spares logistics and maintenance are simplified.

Nigel Hann, head of sales comments: “We are very excited about our new MPM initiatives which now include Ka band, responding to current demand. We look forward to discussing these developments at Farnborough with companies operating in the radar, EW and comms markets.”

www.tmd.co.uk

Covering all the bases

The Nasmyth Group (hall 4, stand H/60) will feature three interactive screens demonstrating its product capabilities across air, land and sea for systems and defence, airframes and jet engines.

The company will have a range of exhibits including a flat panel flight training simulator designed and manufactured by the Group for full standard pilot training.

Nasmyth will also bring 12 apprentices and two mentors to work and engage with the young interested in the industry for Farnborough Futures Day.

www.nasmythgroup.com

A pilot’s best friend

Inzpire (hall 1, stand B132) will be showcasing GECO, its military grade rugged touchscreen tablet mission system, at the airshow. GECO provides a suite of features (apps) at the pilot's fingertip that are designed to enhance safety, improve situational awareness and increase mission performance.

The tablet can be hand-held, knee-mounted or integrated directly into the aircraft. It significantly improves the effectiveness and speed of mission execution by incorporating multiple functions into one easy to use, app-based, touchscreen tablet.

It assists the pilot with pre-flight planning, take-off and landing and navigation and greatly improves mission management integrating GPS, digital mission maps, satellite imagery, hazard warnings, and situational awareness aides. The user can embed tactical data such as targeting imagery and weapon/missile threats.

Wing Commander Andy Baron, Officer Commanding 33 Squadron, Royal Air Force praised the tool, explaining: “Inzpire’s GECO(Air) and Mission Support System has delivered a significant enhancement to the operational effectiveness for the RAF Puma Force, whilst also contributing to the safe conduct of sorties flown during training and on operations both in the UK and overseas, by day and night.”

www.inzpire.com

It has to be Canada!

Invest in Canada (hall 4, stand E108) lists some compelling reasons why it feels the region is the most cost competitive aerospace industry in the G7.

According to KPMG’s Competitive Alternatives 2016, Canada is a leader in terms of civil flight simulation, aircraft production and engine production; has strong support for R&D: Canada’s Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Incentive Program, which is not capped, is very generous by international standards; has an export-oriented aerospace industry and global aerospace supply chain with 80% of the products are exported, of which 60% are supply-chain related; is the best location in the world to headquarter a corporation, according to USNews; is the best business environment in the G20, according Bloomberg and Forbes; offers unparalleled access to key markets through NAFTA and soon CETA; is the only country-wide tariff-free zone for manufacturers in the G20.

www.investincanada.com

From stem to space

Al Worden is on a mission. Nearly 45 years since his flight to the Moon, and more than half a century since graduating from the UK’s esteemed Empire Test Pilot School, the Apollo 15 Command Module Pilot will return to the Farnborough Airshow in partnership with Kallman Worldwide, to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education.

Worden’s visit in part will be as a designated representative of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF), a not-for-profit organisation founded by the Mercury 7 astronauts. ASF advocates for STEM by promoting the fields of study and providing support for America’s most promising students.

Worden will be hosted by the US International Pavilion, which since 1994 has been organised at Farnborough by Kallman, in coordination with government agencies including the departments of Commerce, Defence and State. He is expected to participate in numerous official events, including the Pavilion opening ceremonies, presentations and receptions.

www.kallman.com

 

Related Articles

Pexa all set to exhibit at Aero India 2019

Pexa has announced it will be exhibiting at Aero India 2019, held on 20-24 February in Bengaluru on stand F2.25. The company supplies a wide range of aerospace approved paints, solid film lubricants, surface treatments, sealants, adhesives and associated application equipment and consumables.
5 years ago News
Most recent Articles

Carter enjoys success at HAI HELI-EXPO event

Acknowledged as the World’s largest vertical aviation conference and trade show, HAI HELI-EXPO 2024 provided precision bearing specialists Carter Manufacturing a perfect opportunity to exhibit its extensive range of aerospace bearing installation, removal and testing tools, along with PMA bearing options.
1 day ago News

Login / Sign up