Manufacturing aerospace components on a WFL Millturn machine is the all-in-one solution that highlights smart technologies for factories of the future.

Heavy-duty cutting of exotic alloys can place huge requirements on a CNC machining centre when manufacturing large aerospace components, such as landing gear, engines and flaps. WFL’s competence allows manufacturers to produce parts that other machining centres can’t handle.

The aerospace industry represents an important market segment for WFL. More and more materials, which are hard to machine are becoming prevalent in this sector. Small batches of complex workpieces made from high temperature-resistant metals are standard in the aerospace industry. Maximum precision and reliable machining of complex geometries are factors that are particularly in demand at WFL. The various technological challenges involved in this machining process usually require solutions that have been specially adapted. The objective here is to ensure that machining is economical; therefore, the advantages of complete machining are particularly illustrated in this sector.

The most important requirement that WFL machines must satisfy is absolute process reliability. Of course, machining cycle times are important too - as is the up-time of the machines – but a WFL machine represents an important acquisition for a customer because they often eliminate the need for other CNC machining processes on the shopfloor.

In addition, the logging of the processes is another important issue. As a machine manufacturer, WFL has decades of experience in machining workpieces like these. The machines were also optimised to that effect and software solutions were created to meet these high requirements. WFL iControl can, for example, continuously monitor processes and record signals. Various signals are evaluated directly by the machine itself. Also, external signals can be integrated and evaluated e.g., coolant pumps, coolant pressures or sensors in tools, such as vibration-damped boring bars, sensory tool holders or intelligent clamping jaws.

When it comes to aero engines, WFL is talking about rotating parts, such as engine shafts, discs, blisks, rings or bearings as well as non-rotating parts, such as casings, but also about components from the fuel system of an engine. Concerning the aircraft itself, there are of course the landing gear components such as main landing gear, sliders and steering cylinders that are processed on the Millturn machines. Helicopter parts also include engine parts and transmission parts. Every part that is between the engine and the actual rotor blade, such as the rotor mast or rotor head for the main and tail rotors, is manufactured with precision.

Circles within circles

Regarding the aerospace industry and its workpiece diameters, WFL has a very large range. The smallest component machined has a diameter of approx. 40mm. The largest components have diameters of 2,000mm or, if necessary, a little more. In terms of lengths, most of the aerospace parts that are of interest to WFL have a maximum length of 4,000 to 4,500mm. However, the Millturn machines can handle much more. They can machine workpieces up to 14,000mm and 60 tons. However, in the aerospace industry, ultimately weight plays a major role because the aircraft should be as light as possible.

WFL has many technologies and solutions for the challenges of aerospace machining. This includes all variations of deep-hole drilling, i.e., single flute gundrills and boring tools, drill rods for long overhangs as well as bottle boring processes for weight reduction. Ultrasonic wall thickness measurement to compensate for bore runouts is very important to determine the imbalance of rotating components.

WFL also reworked the machine concepts and you can now choose a single tool carrier instead of a tool turret. As tool wear is increased due to the materials, the turret has to be retooled more often. Thanks to automatic tool change you save a lot of time when opting for a single tool carrier. The operator can thus prepare the tools in the magazine and change them during operation. Some improvements and optimisation regarding productivity have also been made.

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