Delcam will demonstrate the latest developments in its CADCAM systems for the design and manufacture of metal and composite aerospace components at the Airtec exhibition.
Delcam will demonstrate the latest developments in its CADCAM systems for the design and manufacture of metal and composite aerospace components at the Airtec exhibition to be held in Frankfurt from 17th to 22nd October 2006. Like all areas of manufacturing, aerospace companies and their subcontractors are under pressure to increase productivity, reduce costs, improve quality and shorten delivery times. At the exhibition, Delcam will show how its software can help meet these demands.

New developments on display for those involved with composites manufacture will include easy-to-use methods for the generation of 2D patterns for prepregs from 3D models of components, improved nesting to ensure the most economic use of materials cut from sheet, and an increased range of five-axis machining methods, both for the manufacture of patterns and tooling, and also for the trimming and drilling of composite parts.

The techniques for the generation of 2D patterns from 3D CAD models within Delcam's PowerShape CAD system are based on un-wrapping techniques first developed for the footwear industry to allow the cutting of leather shapes from shoe designs.

They provide quick and easy methods for the creation of the prepreg designs needed for the manufacture of complex, curved shapes.

The 2D patterns can then be arranged to give the most cost-effective use of material with new nesting functionality.

For both tooling manufacture and finish machining, the range of five-axis machining methods in Delcam's PowerMill CAM software gives the user better control over cutting conditions as well as helping to minimise excessive movement of the machine head that can reduce machining rates.

Five-axis drilling has also been improved to give faster drilling and more comprehensive hole recognition from a wider range of CAD systems.

The increased range of five-axis machining techniques will also benefit companies manufacturing complex metal components, including aerostructures, engine components, and blades and blisks.

These strategies allow complex shapes to be machined in fewer set-ups and so give greater machining productivity, as well as significantly reducing the time and cost of preparing fixtures.

Another important advantage of five-axis machining with Delcam's latest strategies is that they enable shorter cutting tools to be used.

As a result, higher cutting speeds can be achieved without putting excessive load on the cutter, so increasing tool life and reducing breakages.

The use of shorter cutters also reduces the vibration of the tool that can result when machining deep cores or cavities with three-axis machines.

This allows a higher quality surface finish to be obtained, so reducing, or even eliminating, the need for time-consuming hand finishing.

Five-axis machining can also be used to machine extremely complex parts from solid that would otherwise have to be cast.

For prototypes and very small runs, this approach is much quicker and cheaper.

It can give lead times of one or two weeks, instead of two months or more that would be needed for castings.

In the inspection area, Delcam will highlight new developments in its PowerInspect software that can speed and simplify quality control throughout the manufacturing process, both when inspecting with conventional inspection equipment and when undertaking on-machine verification.

PowerInspect has become established as the preferred inspection solution for both large and small companies within the aerospace industry because it offers considerable advantages over alternative programs.

First, it is completely hardware independent, allowing companies with a variety of inspection devices to use the same software on all their equipment.

This reduces training requirements and also makes it easier to establish and maintain standardised formats for all reports.

Secondly, it can meet all the different inspection needs, including checking of geometric features, sections and edges, as well as surfaces.

Thirdly, the software is extremely flexible.

Reports with pictorial, graphical and tabulated data can be produced to recognised international standards or in any customer-specified format.

This flexibility ensures that the resulting reports can be easily understood by everyone involved in collecting or analysing inspection data.