Automated Canister Drilling and Tapping System for Aerospace Components
An aerospace manufacturer required a precision automated drilling and tapping solution in order to produce a highly complex multi-component assembly. The goal was to streamline all required manufacturing operations and substantially reduce the turnaround time. We engineered a turnkey system featuring 26 spindles and a rotary indexer to achieve the desired results.
The Challenge: Automating Complex Aerospace CNC Machining Operations
The manufacturer required repeatable drilling and tapping of 176 precisely spaced 10-32 holes in a multi-component aerospace assembly. Their current method of manufacturing was to fixture the components and use a combination of a CNC mill and special drill presses. Production time was 80 minutes per assembly. Their increasingly rapid production requirements required them to produce a complete assembly every 10 minutes.
The Solution: 26-Spindle Rotary System for Precision Drilling and Tapping
Creative Automation designed and fabricated a custom 26-spindle drilling and tapping system. The system was built using a granite plate as a base and precision weldments for mounting the spindles. A shuttle carriage moved the part and fixture left to right, while a rotary indexer performed the four positions of rotation alignment. The last four spindles on the left are set to 5° and 10° angles to accommodate hole locations on the front end of the assembly. Production time was reduced to under 10 minutes per assembly.
Custom Automated Machining and Fabrication Systems for Aerospace Manufacturing
Creative provides the highly specialized aerospace and flight sectors with the custom automated equipment needed to achieve streamlined production and higher capacity without compromising on quality. From machine and tooling design to systems integration, we specialize in the complete development of turnkey machines, fully optimized and ready for today’s complex aerospace manufacturing projects. Since 1966, our company has served the American and global flight sector with innovation in machining automation.