Feasibility of new types of technological equipment in the manufacture of nonrigid flat aluminum parts

Abstract

In this work, we assess the efficiency of the SCHUNK VERO-S Aviation clamping system in manufacturing nonrigid aluminum parts in comparison with the existing technology of their small-scale production at domestic aircraft plants. The research was conducted using the facilities of mechanical shops that manufacture nonrigid aircraft parts to estimate the time and economic expenditures involved in their production when changing the cutting mode and machining allowances. The proposed technological process was implemented by the HALTEC Russian engineering company at an aircraft manufacturing plant of the Russian Federation. The duration of the technological process amounted to a total of 14 hours, with the existing production technology lasting for 300 hours. The process duration was reduced by eliminating two thermal stabilization operations and shortening the machine-setting time by 50%. The machine-setting time was reduced by increasing the number of cutting mode elements during manufacturing of a non-rigid aluminum part using this tooling, as well as by using a modified machining strategy. The use of the SCHUNK VERO -S Aviation system together with a modified machining strategy for a thin-walled non-rigid workpiece allows for an almost complete compensation of deformations caused by residual stresses of the first kind. The new modern technology of SCHUNK VERO -S Aviation proves to be effective for the small-volume and series production of thin-walled nonrigid components of the required quality without warping, multiple straightening operations, thermal and temporal stabilization.