The high requirements for complete machining and assembly in jigs, replacing traditional pre-machining of individual components prior to assembly, is boosting the development of new machining technologies, such as flexible and mobile machining equipment and new tools and processes.
Tomorrows airplanes are designed around large subcomponents with vast tolerances, that is impossible to pre-machine prior to assembly, but has to be machined in the assembly jigs, using adaptive machines with the capability to drill up to 1,5 inches diameter and 8 inches deep holes in titanium in one shot, without deforming the component being drilled.
The machines and processes must also have the capability to circular interpolate holes from ¼ inch up to 2,5 inches in stack material, consisting of titanium, aluminium and carbon fiber, maintaining tolerances of H7 without delamination and/or deformation of the components.
An increased demand for high productivity also increases the demand for machines with the flexibility to perform all the required processes previously described, using the same spindle and adaptive control for all types of In-Jig machining, and for all types of material.
The large component design also emphasize the requirements for machining not only all type of holes, but also from all sides of the assembled part e.g. top side, bottom side and root end of a wing box, and as a consequence the machines must be mobile and/or agile enough to be mounted in various positions around such wing box
The jigs that can hold all these large components together prior to machining and assembly, has a tendency to be very space consuming, and leaves a minimum of space left for the machine equipment, which in its turn put high demands on the size and accessibility of the machines used for top, bottom and root end machining.
The jigs that can hold all these large components together prior to machining and assembly, has a tendency to be very space consuming, and leaves a minimum of space left for the machine equipment, which in its turn put high demands on the size and accessibility of the machines used for top, bottom and root end machining.