Airbus Helicopters’ prototype VSR700 unmanned aerial system (UAS) performed its first free flight at a drone test center in southern France, lasting 10 minutes.
This significant step follows the first flight in November 2019 when the prototype was tethered to comply with regulatory requirements. For the free flight, Airbus Helicopters implemented a virtual perimeter with geofencing, enabling flight clearance from airworthiness authorities.
“The free flight achieved by the VSR700 is a major step leading up to the sea trials that will be performed at the end of 2021 as part of the de-risking studies for the French Navy’s future drone,” Airbus Helicopters CEO Bruno Even says.
Derived from Hélicoptères Guimbal’s Cabri G2, the VSR700 is in the 500kg-to-1,000kg maximum take-off weight range. It can carry multiple full-size naval sensors for extended periods and can operate from existing ships, alongside a helicopter, with a low logistical footprint.
Boeing Australia powers up Loyal Wingman
In September, Boeing Australia powered up the commercial turbofan engine on the first unmanned Loyal Wingman aircraft as part of ground testing and preparations for first flight.
This milestone comes on the heels of Boeing completing the first aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force earlier this year, the foundation for the artificial intelligence-powered teaming aircraft being developed for the global defense market.
“We’ve been able to select a very light, off-the-shelf jet engine for the unmanned system as a result of the advanced manufacturing technologies applied to the aircraft,” says Dr. Shane Arnott, Boeing Airpower Teaming System program director.
LiquidPiston receives US Army SBIR grant
Developer of advanced rotary internal combustion engines LiquidPiston received a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the U.S. Army to develop its X-Engine as a hybrid-electric propulsion platform for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).
The company was also named one of 12 winners in the U.S. Army xTechSearch 3.0 – a prize competition to accelerate innovative technology to help solve key Army challenges – for its X-Engine configured as a high-efficiency auxiliary power unit (APU).
“When we reimagined the rotary engine with the X-Engine, we knew it could be used to improve power generation in a number of different ways, given its high power-to-weight, efficiency, and ability to run on heavy fuel including Jet-A/JP8 fuel which the Army wants to use exclusively,” LiquidPiston CEO and co-founder Alec Shkolnik says.
The High-Efficiency Hybrid Cycle (HEHC) X-Engine, configured as a parallel electric hybrid, allows unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to cruise quietly using electric-only power, then restart the engine mid-flight, enabling more efficient fuel use and stealthier missions.
In APU applications, the X-Engine approaches the power density and packaging of a turbine-based APU, with the efficiency of a diesel engine.
Spirit AeroSystems, Belcan partner
Departments - Checking In
NAM recognizes Boeing sustainability leadership; Jorgensen boosts sales, management teams; Manufacturing Technology Deployment Group Inc. appointments; FAA certifies GE9X engine; Index Corp. names new president, CEO.
Belcan LLC will be an onsite strategic partner in Spirit AeroSystems’ Aerospace Innovation Centre (AIC) in Prestwick, Scotland, when the facility opens.
Belcan, a global supplier of engineering, supply chain, technical recruiting, and information technology services, will provide engineering, program management, and manufacturing resources supporting wing engineering activities.
Dr. Sean Black, Spirit vice president and chief engineer of programs and Keith Matthews, president of Belcan’s international operations, formalized the agreement with leaders from both companies in February, pre-social distancing requirements.
The 85,000ft2 AIC provides a collaborative environment for Spirit and its key partners to work with pre-production equipment in advanced aerostructures design and manufacture.
The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) presented Boeing a 2020 Sustainability Leadership Award for the company’s aerospace carbon fiber recycling efforts, diverting waste from landfills worldwide.
Since 2018, Boeing has partnered with UK-based ELG Carbon Fibre to recycle excesses of the lightweight material. Boeing collects the scrap material, and ELG heat treats it to remove binding agents, producing clean material to sell to third parties making products such as electronic accessories and automotive equipment.
“Boeing is demonstrating that you can be environmentally sustainable in a cost-effective way,” says Bryan Scott, vice president of Environment, Health, & Safety at Boeing.
The carbon fiber recycling process has been implemented at 11 Boeing global airplane manufacturing sites. Boeing will train companies on the recycling process, beginning with its supply chain.
“Creating commercially viable solutions for recycling carbon fiber composites is good for the industry and good for the environment,” says Tia Benson Tolle, director of Advanced Materials and Product Development at Boeing.
Karl Kleppek hired as director of sales and marketing
Dustin Krueger promoted to manager of engineering
A third-generation owner and grandson of the company’s founders, D’Amico has served Jorgensen for 26 years during a period of significant growth as manufacturing manager, vice president of manufacturing, and director of operations. He assumes his new role upon retirement of former co-principle John D’Amico, who managed North American sales, marketing, engineering, and product development and was a member of the core executive team that helped the organization more than double in size during his tenure. John remains an owner and board member.
With extensive executive-level sales, business-development, and marketing experience, Kleppek brings more than 30 years of professional experience to Jorgensen, with work in the manufacturing realm including GF Machining Solutions, Fanuc America, and Siemens Energy and Automation.
With nearly 15 years of service, Krueger has spent his entire professional career with Jorgensen, most recently as engineering lead person and product development engineer.
Larry Megan, Ph.D.Joe Veranese
Manufacturing Technology Deployment Group Inc. appointments
“Megan possesses a proven track record of developing and implementing successful digital manufacturing strategies,” says AMI CEO Stephan Biller, Ph.D. “He is incredibly skilled at developing and scaling digital solutions across all segments of manufacturing, including operations, supply chain, logistics, business and sales processes, and B2B customer engagement.”
Megan brings more than two decades of smart manufacturing knowledge. Prior to joining AMI, he held senior positions at Linde (formerly Praxair). At the University of Buffalo (New York), he serves on the Industrial Engineering Department Advisory Council and is an industrial lead for the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Partnership.
MTDG is the not-for-profit holding company of the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) and new subsidiary AMI.
Veranse named VP, CIO
MTDG appointed Joe Veranese, formerly NCDMM’s CIO, to vice president and CIO.
During his tenure at NCDMM, Veranese was instrumental in fostering the strategic relationship between NCDMM, Siemens, and Deloitte. Forging this affiliation led to the creation of the America Makes Digital Storefront, built in the AWS Cloud using Siemens PLM tools.
Veranese previously served NCDMM as CIO, corporate services director, and business systems manager. Before that, he spent 20 years in the financial sector and served as the operations manager of a bank services organization.
GE Aviation
FAA certifies GE9X engine
GE Aviation’s GE9X engine has been certified by U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorities, a key milestone in its journey to power the twin-engine Boeing 777X family.
The FAR (Federal Aviation Regulation) Part 33 certification involved eight test engines which completed nearly 5,000 hours and 8,000 cycles.
The GE9X engine is designed to achieve 10% lower specific fuel consumption (SFC) compared to the GE90-115B and 5% better SFC than other engines in its class and operate with less smog-causing emissions. GE has received orders and commitments for more than 600 GE9X engines.
GE’s working with Boeing to complete the 777X flight test program and entry into service. Eight GE9X test engines and two test spares have been delivered for Boeing’s four 777X test airplanes. Several GE9X production engines have been assembled, and GE Aviation is in the process of completing factory acceptance tests.
GE has established GE9X engine training courses at its Customer Technical Education Center (CTEC) facility in Cincinnati, Ohio. The CTEC team is also working augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) training courses to supplement in-person training.
Cris Taylor
Index Corp. names new president, CEO
Cris Taylor will be the president and CEO of CNC turning machines manufacturer Index Corp., effective Jan. 1, 2021. Taylor will be taking over for Tom Clark, who is retiring at the end of 2020. Taylor will join the Index Group in October, ensuring a seamless transition for the organization and customers.
Taylor has more than 30 years of experience in the machine tool industry, in Europe and the United States, including 27 years at Chiron. Most recently, he served eight years as managing director of Stama, Chiron’s sister company.
The MAM72-52V high speed, large capacity 5-axis vertical machining center (VMC) handles larger workpieces than existing models and offers faster cycle times for higher productivity and performance.
Its maximum workpiece size is 520mm x 400mm with a load capacity of 300kg per pallet: a 23% increase in diameter, 50% increase in weight, and 75% increase in envelope volume compared to existing models.
The 4th-/5th-axis table, equipped with direct drive motors, achieves 50rpm/100rpm rapid traverse rates, enabling high speed and high accuracy.
The distance from machine front to the pallet center has been reduced to 564mm and distance from front to spindle center to 134mm, improving machine accessibility and setup.
The all-in-one MAM72-52V enables variable-part/variable- volume production and extended unattended operation, featuring a matrix tool magazine (130 tools/330 tool magazine base), tower pallet system (PC15), and chip removal system (spiral chip conveyor, lift-up chip conveyor) as standard.
The VMC is Internet of Things (IoT) ready, delivering measurable remote and real-time monitoring of machine status, condition, and performance. This optional feature for outputting machine running data to a host system is available using the MTConnect communication protocol designed for machine tools.
Combining the quick swing-and-clamp movement of 8200 series pneumatic swing clamps with the two-position-lockable capabilities of 6004 series straight-line action clamps, manual swing clamps allow push or pull operation. They feature an enclosed cam track and can clamp and lock in retract and extend positions. They also feature a detent that holds the clamp in the open position to prevent unwanted movement. Future versions will offer Destaco’s Toggle Lock Plus, which locks the handle in open and closed positions.
The Garant Master Steel deep hole drill increases material removal rates up to 30%, improves process reliability up to 70%, and lasts 3x longer. Optimized for machining steel, the deep drill doesn’t require a co-pilot hole, even in stainless steel and cast iron, machining high-quality components with maximum process reliability.
Straight main cutting edges reduce cutting force, and improved point geometry ensures optimum chip breaking.
Through-cooling is only helical in the head to enable an unequal helical pitch of the chip flutes on the remaining drill body with an adaptive helix angle from 15° to 30°. This accelerates chip removal out of the hole to improve process reliability at higher cutting speeds.
Drill guidance – a guide land and guide rings – reduces vibration and delivers top quality holes. Guide rings enable coolant to flow around the drill tip in a targeted manner, preventing machine zone overheating. Chip flow is optimized by a head coating and polished chip flutes.
Three- and four-sided pyramid risers permit multi-part loading, providing greater access for 5-axis machining applications. With a 30° mounting surface, the risers ensure maximum clearance for spindle and cutting toolpaths, resulting in more machining per setup.
Three mounting options – direct-to- table using T-slots, center pin, and timing key – are all secured using T- nuts and socket head cap screws (SHCS). QLS accurately locates and clamps the pyramid to a base element with QLS shoulder screws and SHCS. Quick-Loc pallet systems use pull studs (spaced at 96mm) to locate and clamp in a single step.
Compatible with virtually all 5-axis CNC machining centers, the lightweight aluminum risers ensure fast changeover and setup. Available in 3-position and 4-position configurations, pyramid risers can be used with self-centering vises, dovetail vises, and ER collet fixtures.
Dream Drills Pro tools, made with micrograin carbide, offer core strength and long tool life. A wave-shaped cutting edge reduces cutting forces, while an advanced, wide-flute design is optimized for faster, reliable chip evacuation. A self-centering 140° point angle reduces torque and extends tool life.
A special Z-coating (silicon-based, nano-layered) technology gives cutting edges high hardness and greater heat resistance for higher machining efficiency, superior surface finishes, and more parts per tool.
Dream Drills Pro tools have drilling depths of 3xD to 5xD, and diameter sizes from 1mm to 20mm.
Using proprietary and state-of-the-art explosion bonding technology, bimetallic flanges are fully compatible with the industry standard Conflat flange interface. Incorporating the CERN 20° back-bevel (90° including angle) knife-edge design increases overall service life. The flanges operate in high, ultra-high, and extremely high vacuum applications where levels to 1x10^13 Torr and 250°C bake-out temperatures are required.
The Atlas CF Flange easily welds to aluminum vacuum vessels, making them a key component to successful integration of aluminum ultra-high vacuum technology.
The GrindSmart 630XW improves solid carbide boring bar grinding and other stationary cutting tool production. Six-axis boring bar grinding is more flexible than conventional single- purpose grinders. With six fully interpolating CNC axes and a 6-staton wheel/nozzle changer, the machine can be adapted for individual boring bar designs for short and long runs. The compact, versatile design allows full interchangeability between boring bars, inserts, and round tools.
When working with heat-resistant superalloys (HRSAs), Secomax CW100 ceramic insert grades offer solutions for unpredictable tool life and slow rough-machining speeds. Featuring new geometries for whisker-reinforced ceramics, the solution line supports challenging aerospace applications involving Inconel 718, Hastelloy, Waspaloy, MAR, Nimonic, Rene, Udimet, and other HRSAs.
For fast and accurate inspection, the Hexagon RS6 laser scanner measures up to 1.2 million points/sec with a scan rate of 300Hz. It has a 150mm laser stripe at mid-range and a visual guide providing real-time feedback for stand-off distance.
Built using Systematic High-Intelligence Noise Elimination (SHINE) technology, the RS6 offers full scanning performance without reductions in quality or productivity on challenging surfaces such as molded carbon-fiber.
SHINE allows users to scan 99% of parts without changing scanner exposure, delivering 3x faster frame rates, a 30% wider laser stripe, and consistent scanning performance on difficult surfaces.
With a mounted scanner arm, measurement requires less preparation, less set up, and fewer settings, and it scans with full frame, full line width.
Repeatable mounting (using the Absolute Arm 7-axis) allows the scanner to be removed and replaced without calibration. The scanner is certified ISO 10360 8 on all 7-axis RA8 Absolute Arms.
The RV-8CRL vertically articulated robot arm offers a high-quality solution at a lower price for various applications. Its smaller base size expands the effective working area, and compatibility with safety intelligence components makes the RV-8CRL versatile enough for pick-and-place, inspection, and general assembly.
Designed for easy implementation, robust safety options, and reduced downtime and maintenance, the robot arm’s internal wiring and piping makes it easier to install, while its IP65 rating makes it dust tight and protected against water spray, widening application suitability.
RV-8CRL also features auxiliary components for safety, such as MELFA Safe Plus. This component uses additional sensors to reduce speed and limit the range of robots up to a full stop when it detects people or objects nearby. In addition, its internal encoders don’t require battery backup, allowing it to maintain the same settings without the battery.
