News
Innovation in Aerospace Fastener Manufacture
Earlsdon Technology Ltd, a designer and builder of high-speed automated machines based in Coventry, England recently shipped an innovative machine for reaming and tapping stainless steel nuts to a large aerospace customer. This was the 16th project Earlsdon have completed for the customer since 1997.
The customer's brief was to design a machine that was faster, more reliable, more operator-friendly and much faster to change-over for different nut sizes than the customer's existing machines. Earlsdon's engineers knew that the speed and flexibility required could not be achieved using conventional lead-screw type tapping heads; so, working closely with the customer's engineers, they designed and built new servo-controlled tapping heads. The thread pitch can now be changed at the press of a button and the change-over time has been reduced by a factor of at least five.
Features of both machines include:
• Reaming and tapping 2 different nut sizes simultaneously.
• Production rates up to 24 parts per minute.
• Customised touch-screen operator control.
• Tool wear monitoring by measurement of spindle current.
This development adds to Earlsdon's expertise in machines for aerospace fastener manufacture which include automated grinding machines and high-speed drilling and broaching machines.
New projects for 2004 include high-speed automated lathes and fillet rolling machines.
- February 2004