Jonathan Wilkins, marketing manager of industrial automation components supplier European Automation, analyses the importance of safety, reliability and precision in the aerospace manufacturing process. The emblematic 80s drama Top Gun has a few technical errors in it. For example, in real life, throttles go forward to increase power and back to reduce it. In the film, Maverick gets his controls mixed up a couple of times. Such technical errors might go unnoticed in the film industry, but in aerospace manufacturing, everything needs to be painstakingly precise.
It is an industry that is growing quickly, partly due to the increasing number of commercial flight operators and partly as the result of the cutting-edge research and development carried on in the defence and aerospace sector.
Europe's aerospace and defence industries have a turnover of just above €186 billion, representing 1% of the European Union's GDP. The sector employs over 750,000 people across the member states and is crucial for maintaining Europe's technological leadership. To support even further development of the sector, the EU has recently launched the Horizon 2020 initiative, which makes over €70bn available for research and development, including in the aerospace sector.
British defence companies turned over £22bn last year. In an interesting coincidence, the UK also accounts for 22% of the global defence export market. In addition, Britain's commercial aerospace sector is an even more successful exporter, with 90% of the sector's £28bn turnover coming from exports.
Historically, the aerospace sector has been dominated by Western countries and the US and the UK are still the biggest manufacturers and developers in the industry. However, the race for aerospace supremacy is hardly a predictable one. In the next 20 years, world annual passenger traffic is expected to grow at a rate of 4.7%, per year fuelled by the Asia Pacific region, which has an overall growth of 7.3% per year. This sustained expansion suggests that countries like Malaysia, Russia or China will grow their influence in the sector in upcoming years.
Automation is the key
To face the pressures of an increasing global market, tight competition and unyielding standards, aerospace manufacturers have to raise their game. The move from stand-alone machining centres to horizontal machining centres in automated cells helps free up labour, maximise manufacturing flexibility and increase efficiency.
The number and diversity of components that go into an aircraft, whether it's civil, commercial or military, is daunting even for experienced industry professionals. From structural components - like bulkheads, fuselage parts and door assemblies - to non-structural ones - like pumps and actuators or engine components, manufacturing for the aerospace sector is very different from other industries, such as automotive, construction or consumer goods.
The materials used in aerospace manufacturing, tend to be more exotic, with higher tolerances and very strict traceability requirements. Structural components, for example, are normally machined from high strength alloys, which are high temperature resistant and light enough to be used in the manufacturing of aero-engines and airframes. The different ranges, sizes and shapes of these components require CNC machines with corresponding table sizes and strokes.
Transforming each and every component from a casting into its ultimate form requires a precise amount of pocketing. This aims to minimise the weight of the piece, while ensuring its toughness is not endangered. Reducing the cutting time by even a few minutes can result in a significant efficiency boost and much welcomed cost reduction.
By using horizontal machining centres with a chip control capability and rotating pallet control, a manufacturer can minimise cutting and part-handling time. Intelligent automation solutions can further increase the flexibility of the process, allowing the same machining system to work on different types of components. This also ensures better control over workflow and a much faster production rate.
Apart from higher production capacity, the biggest competitive advantages include improved workflow management, just-in-time delivery and highly precise manufacturing.
Precision equals safety
Highly precise manufacturing and the traceability of components are crucial for ensuring the functional safety of any aircraft. Concessions or oversights are unacceptable in the aerospace industry, which is why supervisory bodies like the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and quality management systems like the AS9100 play an essential role for manufacturers around the world.
From the most critical engine components to smoke detectors and from valve spools to trusses, each and every component manufactured for the aerospace sector needs to be highly precise, to ensure the safety of the equipment, crew and passengers. Working with authorised suppliers that ensure the traceability of components is the only way to ensure safety requirements are met.
Although most companies regard upgrading to the next generation of automation equipment and robots as a desirable objective, few are lucky enough to have a budget for such a colossal initiative. One trick for reducing manufacturing costs without compromising on quality standards is to prolong the life of your existing equipment. If a piece of equipment breaks down, you might not need to purchase a brand new one. The answer could be that you only need to replace one specific part – such as a motor or a drive – to get the machine working again. By working with professional, authorised suppliers, you can reduce downtime and manufacturing costs, while ensuring quality standards don't slip.
Unlike Hollywood blockbusters, where pretty much anything goes, the aerospace industry is a particularly demanding and strict environment, in which success is unattainable without highly precise manufacturing and reliable suppliers.
About European Automation: European Automation stocks and sells new, used, refurbished and obsolete industrial automation spares. Its global network of preferred partner warehouses, and wholly owned distribution centres, enables it to offer a unique service within the automation industry, spanning the entire globe. It provides worldwide express delivery on all products meaning it can supply any part, to any destination, at very short notice.
www.euautomation.com
