Aerospace
Delivering competitive advantage
Delivering competitive advantage
Nose Fuselage designs as the one shown on the left are typically made up of hundreds of different parts which are assembled by means of drilled holes and rivets in special purpose assembly jigs. With our Enabling Technology of High Energy Hydro Forming we form a thick plate of Aluminum as a Near Net Shape. Then this Near Net Shape is fully machined on both Outer Mold Line and Inner Mold Line. The result is a Monolithic Integral Structure with all strength and stiffening elements integrally machined in. There is no need for (sub)assembly which results in >> 30% cost reduction and >> 20% weight reduction.
Machining can either be performed under 3D Metal Forming responsibility or can be performed by the customer.
Furthermore we have experience with very large and complex shapes which currently are made by i.e. press forming or spin forming etc. Our Technology has advantages in forming very large blanks which are welded together (i.e. by Friction Stir Welding) before forming. We can form in T4 temper and therefore need no Heat Treatments in between forming steps . It is up to the Customer if the welds can be part of the final product or if the welds need to be cut out after forming.
Typical Examples of Near Net Shape blank sizes as formed by 3D Metal Forming are
25 mm. thick Steel plate formed as Near Net Shape for Composite Mold. We have done the same in INVAR material.