RPI, a specialist in high-accuracy rotary positioning and inspection devices, has developed a system for the measurement and assembly of gas turbine rotors that reduces the rate of teardowns by 95%.

The assembly of a gas turbine rotor is an extremely complicated and time-consuming process. It can take a week or more to assemble rotor, while close control of the assembly’s geometric tolerances is essential to ensure efficient performance and safe operation. If the rotor does not meet final criteria, it is subject to a ‘tear down’, where it must be completely disassembled and reassembled, costing tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds in damaged parts, labour and delivery penalties.

These costly tear downs are avoidable if individual rotor component geometries are fully characterised and if the rotor assembly is simulated prior to its actual assembly. ‘Rotor stacking’ is the name given to this virtual assembly process.

RPI’s Integrated Measurement and Assembly Platform (iMAP) is a complete rotor-stacking solution featuring a high-precision, motorised air-bearing rotary table, an AccuScan circular geometry inspection system and IntelliStack rotor stacking software. iMAP systems can handle components as large as 35 tonnes and over 20 m3 with sub-micron accuracies, and a measuring resolution of less than 250 nm.

Some OEMs still use traditional dial indicator measurement methods, where data is manually collected and recorded from perhaps eight to 12 data points per part surface – one surface at a time. It sometimes takes a full shift just to measure a single part. iMAP replaces this time-consuming and error-prone process through the automated collection of up to 4000 data points per surface from as many as eight surfaces in one 30-second rotation of the part, resulting in tremendous savings in annual labour costs.

For further information
www.rpiuk.com

Contract machining firm Microart, based in Bavaria, has invested in a UniTower storage system and two automatic KASTOwin A 4.6 bandsaws from Kasto. All three are adjacent to one another at one end of the factory.

The cutting range of the saws is 460 mm, large enough for most of the material machined by Microart. Stock processed on the saws is stored in the 15.6-m high tower, which has space for 100 cassettes that hold material up to 6.5 m long. Two types of cassette are used with heights of 160 and 300 mm. Up to 2.5 and 3 tonnes can be loaded into each cassette type respectively. A storage and retrieval machine (SRM) handles the load carriers to deliver stock to the operator at ground level.

Previously, Microart employees had to laboriously store and retrieve long goods manually, but now they only have to push a button. The SRM automatically finds the relevant storage location thanks to the KASTOlogic warehouse management system. After employees receive order data, they call up the required material via a touchscreen which delivers the cassette to the retrieval station.

“The tower storage system and two automatic bandsaws run very smoothly,” states Dr Alexander Artmann, managing partner of Microart. “These investments have enabled us to set important milestones with regard to our corporate goals of automation, productivity, flexibility and quality.”
Managing director Michael Kerscher adds: “If there is a slight malfunction of the equipment, it is usually fixed easily and quickly by remote maintenance. However, if it’s really necessary, a Kasto engineer arrives at our factory in next to no time.”

For further information
www.kasto.com

The German Air Force has placed a £1.3bn order with BAE Systems to support the production of 38 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft. Work will commence in 2021 at BAE Systems’ sites in Lancashire, maintaining continuity of Typhoon production through to the mid-2020s and sustaining high-value engineering roles in the north of England. More than 5000 BAE Systems employees directly support the Typhoon programme in the UK, underpinning a further 10,000 jobs in the UK economy as a whole.

BAE Systems will deliver more than a third of the components for each of the new Typhoons ordered by the German Air Force, including the aircraft’s front fuselage and tail. These parts will also include a number of 3D-printed components, such as the environmental cooling system for the Typhoon’s next-generation radar. The Airbus plant in Manching, Germany will undertake final assembly.

For further information www.baesystems.com

One of the very few physical, as opposed to virtual, machine-tool open houses to take place this year was Hurco Europe’s COVID-safe event at its headquarters in High Wycombe last month. Nearly 20 companies attended, less than half the number expected in a normal year. However, the company sold four ex-demonstration machining centres, including a five-axis model. New machine sales for the month of October were actually a little better than in the same period last year.

Says managing director David Waghorn: “All our staff have been back working full-time since 1 June. Obviously it has been a challenging year, but there are some positive signs. We’re seeing a lot of reshoring from the Far East and Europe, especially of moulds and dies, but also of general subcontract work. In addition, we’ve sold 14 refurbished second-hand machines this year.”

For further information
www.hurco.co.uk

Telford-based Wrekin Sheet Metal has invested £1.1m in Amada automated punch-press and laser-cutting technology. An EMZ-3612MII electric punch press with AS-III MP300/40 tower and PR-III UL part remover, alongside a VENTIS-3015AJ fibre laser cutter with AS LUL3015 tower, arrived in August-September 2020. By leveraging the speed and capacity of these new machines, this progressive company is aiming to double its turnover to £5.5m within the coming 12 months.

“We see ourselves as an extension of our customers’ manufacturing facilities, with Amada machines central to this offer,” states sales director Simon Orpe. “We’ve been using Amada machines since day one, as we see them as the Rolls-Royce of manufacturing equipment. And although we assessed a range of machines from different suppliers, we favoured returning to Amada as they had solutions that were compatible with our shift to Industry 4.0. The new machines ticked a lot of boxes regarding data communication using Amada V-factory software.”

Wrekin Sheet Metal first decided it would move towards Industry 4.0 as part of its strategy to help combat the effects of Brexit.
“One of our major selling points is customer communication, and Industry 4.0 is very much that,” explains Orpe. “We recently set about investing in the necessary network and IT infrastructure that would be able to gather information for our customers. We typically have up to 400 different live parts in progress on our shop floor at any one time, and we want to reach a position where customers can log in and see the status of their components.”

With the arrival of the automated Amada EMZ-3612MII electric punch press and Amada Ventis-3015AJ fibre laser cutting machine – as well as the company’s investment in a powder-coating plant and new personnel – Wrekin Sheet Metal has spent circa £1.5m since the first COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020.

For further information
www.amada.eu