Mecaprec’s shop in picturesque Lavelanet, France, just north of the Pyrenees Mountains, specializes in some of the most difficult-to-machine materials in the aerospace industry – Ti6Al4V, stainless steel, and Inconel.

Big investments in cutting-edge machining centers, automation equipment, and software help, but Managing Director Jean-Marc Gomez says cutting fluids are also critical, though his plant’s location caused some problems with their use.

In 2012, Mecaprec was in the process of beginning production on a Makino a81 4-axis horizontal machining center (HMC), a machine that could store 313 tools. Christian Gil, head of the workshop, and Gomez needed to optimize machining performance, meet stringent quality targets, and maintain low costs. So, they contacted Blaser Swisslube Sales Engineer Alexandre Cardaci.

Cardaci studied the applications and the tools that the machine would use – all-titanium machining that would require high-pressure flushing. After an open debate, the partners chose a then-newly developed Blaser product, Vasco 7000. Due to the polarity of its molecules, the coolant spreads evenly across the surface of the piece, significantly reducing cutting efforts and heat generation, improving tool life and effectiveness.

During the first months of operation, Vasco 7000 produced significant gains in machining efficiency on the high-performance Makino cell with tool-renewal costs falling dramatically. More importantly, the tool-life gains did not come at the expense of productivity, which increased, as did surface quality.

Using the coolant kept workpieces and machines clean. And, coolant additives often remained less than 1%. Coolant consumption fell by more than half.

However, applying Vasco 7000 to other production cells for Meacprec wasn’t as successful. Modules with powerful watering systems struggled because soft mountain water generated foam when emulsified with coolant at the 70bar pressures and high flow rates used in the machines.

By working collaboratively, production managers and Blaser France’s consultant uncovered the need to adjust emulsion hardness by adding calcium acetate to the coolant.

Blaser Swisslube developed a specially adapted formula for Mecaprec, and Mecaprec engineers and machinists supported Blaser by carrying out continuous, rigorously documented tests.

Following an unsuccessful test on an initial solution, the formulator’s laboratories carried out a second product trial. Through time, the adapted fluid passed all evaluation tests. Since then, it has become the primary fluid for the entire workshop, ensuring machinability with minimal cutting efforts for stainless steel, titanium, and Inconel workpieces. Tool life increased 20%.

With testing completed, Blaser was able to expand its product lineup and offer Vasco 6000 to companies with similar foam problems.

Blaser Swisslube

Makino

Mecaprec

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a rule to continue safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the nation’s airspace by requiring them to be remotely identifiable.

“Remote ID technologies will enhance safety and security by allowing the FAA, law enforcement, and federal security agencies to identify drones flying in their jurisdiction,” says U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

The FAA seeks public input on the proposed rule via comment period that closes March 2, 2020.

The proposed Remote ID rule would apply to all drones registered with the FAA as well as to persons operating foreign civil UAS in the U.S.

Nearly 1.5 million drones and 160,000 remote pilots are registered with the FAA.

Teal Group issues civil UAS study

Teal Group’s World Civil Unmanned Aerial Systems Market Profile & Forecast 2019 annual study, authored by Phil Finnegan, focuses on business opportunities in the emerging civil government and commercial unmanned aerial systems (UAS) markets. Highlights include:

• Non-military UAS market will total $88.3 billion through the next decade; $4.9 billion in 2019 to $14.3 billion in 2028, a 12.6% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in constant dollars
• Commercial segment will lead civil UAS growth worldwide, projected to increase from $1.6 billion in 2019 to $9.5 billion in 2028, a 21.9% CAGR
• Industrial inspection will lead commercial market; construction the largest adopter in a segment that includes agriculture, energy, mining, railways
• Low-cost, high-altitude, long endurance UAS for Internet promises new market segment
• Civil government UAS, smaller segment than commercial, is growing for border control and public safety
  

ISO publishes UAS standards

An International Organization for Standardization (ISO) document published in November 2019 specifies internationally agreed and accepted requirements for safe commercial unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operations.

ISO 21384-3, Unmanned aircraft systems – Part 3: Operational procedures is the first international standard to stipulate minimum safety, quality, coordination, and organization of drones in the airspace.

John Walker, chair of the ISO subcommittee that developed the standard, says hundreds of applications for small UAS will benefit from this standard, including construction, safety, security, mining, and maritime operations. ISO 21384-3 will provide an airworthiness framework for the global UAS industry, allowing for safer and more widespread UAS use.

The committee is working on complementary standards to address safety, quality, terminology, and training for personnel involved in UAS operations.

“These standards will enable the development of new applications for UAS far beyond that which we see now,” Walker says.

Plextek develops micro radar for UAS

British engineering and design consultancy Plextek is partnering with Norwegian unmanned aerial systems (UAS) company Griff Aviation to put micro radars and sensors on its heavy lifting drones. Griff is developing drones to carry up to 250kg payloads for moving building equipment and materials across mountainous and forested landscapes.

The Plextek electronic-scanning (e-scan) micro radar and advanced software operate in the 60GHz mm-waveband for day and night, all-weather sensing. The e-scan radar can detect hazards such as power lines up to 60m away as well as buildings, bridges, vegetation, and other objects in front of and beneath the drone within 300m. The 60GHz band is license-exempt in most countries, so the micro radar can be used freely and is unlikely to cause interference with other equipment.

The micro radar allows drones to fly at a pre-defined height when integrated with the Micro Pilot flight controller. Software converts distance and azimuth information into commands the flight controller uses for sense-and-avoid navigation.

Plextek is working with Griff Aviation with trials in Norway ahead of testing the drones with an energy provider in Japan and a power line company in Australia.

Peter Doig, business development director at Plextek, says, “Until now, most drones have been used for lightweight payloads, and heavy lift drones require very precise and reliable flight control.”  

EHang makes first US pilotless air taxi flight

Autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) technology company EHang conducted a non-passenger U.S. trial flight of its two-seat EHang 216 during the North Carolina Transportation Summit. It’s the first time the EHang 216 has received flight approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

“Our mission is to make safe, autonomous, and eco-friendly air mobility accessible to everyone and this trial flight represents a significant step towards bringing our urban air mobility solutions to the U.S. market,” says EHang Founder, Chairman, and CEO Huazhi Hu.

EHang has safely conducted more than 2,000 trial flights in China, Austria, the Netherlands, Qatar, and the UAE and delivered 38 units to customers in 2019.

Electric Silent Falcon E1 reaches 500 flight test hours

The Silent Falcon E1 – a solar-electric, fixed-wing, unmanned aircraft system (UAS) with a 20 lb payload capacity and 20,000ft. ceiling – has completed 500 hours of flight testing and operations, certifying it safe and durable. Silent Falcon UAS Technologies (SFUAS), an Albuquerque, New Mexico-based service provider and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) has an application pending before the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for E1 type certification.

Silent Falcon aircraft have operated in eight foreign countries and are not ITAR restricted.

All SFUAS products are designed, built, and sourced to ensure no parts contain Chinese content.

The Quick Change Compensating Collet Chuck for machining shafts between centers features a pullback design with a floating collet seat and incorporates a mounting in the ID of the chuck body for centers or other types of locators.

The floating collet seat design, together with vulcanized quick-change collets, allows the collet to compensate up to 1.5mm (0.06"). The floating collet seat is sealed, and the chuck is lubricated for life, requiring minimal maintenance.

The chuck’s compact OD and short overall length provides greater rigidity and tool clearance. The chuck generates a maximum clamping force of 84kN (18,884 lb) and is rated for spindle speeds up to 6,000rpm.

All components are made from precision-ground, hardened alloy steel for high accuracy and long-term performance.

MicroCentric Corp.

3D scanner for small, complex parts

ATOS 5 for Airfoil measures parts from 100mm x 70mm x 70mm to 400mm x 300mm x 300mm. It is suited for inspecting aerospace turbine components such as blades, blisks, and air-conducting structures with complex-shaped edges and surfaces that have been a challenge for 3D digitization. The ATOS 5 for Airfoil sensor can be used during maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO). ATOS scanners also work in automated applications.

With a robust design, protected optics, encapsulated electronics, and a self-monitoring sensor, the measuring systems can withstand harsh industrial environments.

ATOS Professional and GOM Inspect Professional software ease analysis of demanding edge geometries.

ATOS 5 scanners offer high digitizing speed and high-precision measuring data, allowing a turbine blade to be completely digitized in 3 minutes, a complete blisk in about an hour. The resulting point cloud can be directly compared in the GOM software using a surface comparison with the CAD model or data from previous measurements.

GOM Americas Inc.

Servo-driven CNC mills

The 1100MX and 770MX are servo-driven versions of the 1100M and 770M mills introduced in 2018.

The MX series feature an added spindle encoder for rigid tapping, a BT-30 spindle, and servos for the X-, Y-, and Z-axis. The servos provide faster performance, with maximum speeds up to 10,000rpm and feed rates as much as 2.5x to 3x faster than M series machines.

A PathPilot operator console upgrade is available, allowing users to operate M or MX machines via a touchscreen. Built-in hardware knobs for feed and speed overrides and a durable handheld jog pendant provide precise, manual machine positioning.

The 1100MX and 770MX can cut stainless steel, titanium, and pre-hardened tool steel, with higher power and faster speeds than M series machines.

Tormach Inc.

Carlisle Interconnect Technologies (CIT) has joined the Independent Aircraft Modifiers Alliance (IAMA). CIT has developed modification packages and supplemental type certificates (STCs) for airlines; avionics manufacturers; and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) partners for more than 30 years.

IAMA is an alliance of aircraft retrofit and modification companies committed to common standards for STC documentation and quality.

Jeff Behlendorf, CIT’s director of product management, integrated products says, “Our IAMA involvement will allow us to share experience and best practices with the entire industry.”

CIT holds more than 200 STCs to upgrade Part 25 aircraft avionics, systems, and special mission equipment from global regulators. CIT is a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 21 Design Approval Holder, has European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Part 21 Design Organization Approval (DOA), and maintains multiple Part 21 manufacturing locations and Part 145 repair facilities.

AGC invests in Aerospares 2000

Oklahoma-based Acorn Growth Cos. (AGC), a private equity firm investing in aerospace, defense, and intelligence, has acquired majority interest in Aerospares 2000 Ltd., an aftermarket supplier and distributor of rotable parts for commercial aircraft.

Approximately 90% of Watford, England-based Aerospares’ sales support aircraft on ground (AOG) situations globally.

Aerospares’ founder Adam Nemenyi will remain CEO and retain significant ownership in the company.

Aerospares supports more than 350 global customers, including airlines, cargo operators, leasing companies, and MROs. Nemenyi says partnering with AGC “can expand our business and offer enhanced support to our global customer base in our current locations, as well as through geographic expansion.”

Triumph awarded Chinook engine component MRO contract

The U.S. Army awarded Triumph Group’s Integrated Systems business a 5-year maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) contract for indefinite quantity and delivery of engine fuel pump metering units for CH-47 Chinook aircraft with Honeywell Aerospace T55 engines. The approximately $50 million contract lets the Army use Triumph’s fuel pump maintenance and repair station for routine repairs and overhaul services. The repair station serves original engine manufacturers, commercial fleet owners, the U.S. military, and foreign military fleets. 

Berry Aviation maintenance hangar opens in Texas

Berry Aviation Inc. recently opened a 31,400ft² maintenance hangar in San Marcos, Texas. The space includes a 19,300ft² aircraft maintenance area, a 3,500ft² component repair and overhaul area, and a 2,800ft² parts department.

Berry Aviation President and COO Stanley Finch says, “This new hangar adds enough aircraft capacity to give us an estimated 75% increase in hands-on maintenance work [and] aligns well with our extensive list of advanced FAA Part 145 certifications.”

Late in 2019, the company received 10 new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Part 145 Class Ratings for airframe, powerplant, propeller, and accessories.

“These improvements have increased the company’s ability to add new repair capabilities by tenfold,” Finch says.

Founded in 1983, Berry Aviation was acquired by Acorn Growth Companies in 2018.

Columbia Mfg. adds large-scale CMM

Eastern Connecticut-based turbine engine components manufacturer Columbia Manufacturing Inc. has installed a large-scale Mitutoyo coordinate measuring machine (CMM) to electronically inspect and verify parts up to 5ft x 9ft x 5ft. The investment supports the company’s 30% year-over-year growth in its maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) segment, according to President and CEO Robert Friedland.

Bob Nieszczezewski, CFO and vice president of MRO Operations, adds, “By modernizing operations and incorporating new technologies like the large-scale CMM, we are positioned well for continued growth in both original equipment manufacturing (OEM) and MRO.”

Columbia Manufacturing’s customers include General Electric Aviation, Pratt & Whitney, and the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency. The 100-employee company is also an FAA/EASA certified repair station for military and commercial aviation.