Delivering predictability with 5-axis machining: the addition of 5-axis, high-speed machining allows a California aerospace shop to deliver what its customers demand in superalloy components: predictability.

Manufacturing for the aerospace industry demands systems, skills, and enduring attention to technology to not only manufacture for the present but to keep an eye on the future of the industry to develop and sustain an advantage in a highly complex, highly competitive business.

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Capo Industries, Inc. (Chino, CA) is one such supplier to the aerospace industry that has successfully developed its manufacturing attributes to become a highly respected components manufacturer for a "who's who" list of customers by "providing predictability" for customers, according to David Feltch, Capo president.

Founded in 1977, Capo specializes in cutting superalloy materials, serving major aerospace producers with flight-critical components used in severe, high-heat environments. Delivering above average quality and better than average service is the baseline customer expectation of all companies wanting to participate in the industry. But Feltch maintains it's "looking upstream to customer expectations" and employing new and emerging technologies that position Capo as a preferred manufacturing partner, operating at a level that exceeds the standards set by the world's aviation governing bodies.

"We've spent a generation manufacturing precision aerospace components. Over the years, we've determined where and how potential difficulties materialize. We've developed unique procedures to eliminate troublesome variables before they arise, while simultaneously advancing our manufacturing capabilities," explains Feltch.

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Most of the parts produced by Capo are difficult to manufacture due to the types of materials used. Inconel, titanium, waspalloy, and other high-end aerospace alloys present processing challenges particularly when combined with the design intricacies of the work piece. The company's materials technology aptitude has been matched by its ability to use the capabilities of five-axis high speed machining technology to create advanced manufacturing processes.

5-Axis Decision

It was one such challenge that precipitated the decision to invest in simultaneous 5-axis machining capability.

The proposed assignment involved a combustor case made from heat-treated 718 Inconel and designed such that it could not be turned, making 5-axis milling around the entire peripheral of the part the only potential solution.

Feltch determined that, "to be successful with this customer, whom we viewed as a good long-term investment, we needed five-axis machining capability. We also wanted to incorporate high speed machining techniques that are very common to aluminum and apply some of those methods to the high-end nickel alloys. We evaluated a number of machine tool builders and chose Mikron and its UCP 1350, which proved to be a very sturdy, highly reliable and accurate machine."

The Mikron UCP 1350 delivers simultaneous five-axis machining with an extremely robust tilting milling head with integrated motor spindle. The swivel axis can be rotated simultaneously or, for heavy roughing operations, indexed degree-by-degree to make maximum use of the high torque ability of the spindle motor. The swiveling head can rotate up to 135[degrees] in 1.7 seconds to accommodate a wide range of applications from production-type prismatic parts to complex tool and die work, with five-sided or 5-axis simultaneous machining achieved in one single set up. A high-speed, 43" diameter NC rotary/tilt table can handle loads up to 1,500 kg. The dynamic machining capabilities of the UCP 1350 are the result of a proven design based on a "traveling column" principle to ensure large axis movements with unrestricted access.

According to Feltch, the Mikron machine "has really cut down production costs on parts that previously had been produced with traditional milling machines." On one complex turbine case, for example, the reduction was substantial. The component involved multiple turning operations and several milling operations. Using the Mikron machine, Capo reduced the number of operations to two, thereby capitalizing on both the machining efficiency of the UCP 1350 and the elimination of the substantial inefficiencies of the multiple mill set ups.

The results, according to Feltch, allowed Capo to greatly reduce lead times and costs for the customer while noticeably improving part quality.

Required Training

The installation of the UCP 1350 at Capo in the spring of 2002 was the first of its kind in the United States. Given the newness of the 5-axis technology, new controls, and the new component to be produced, training was essential for a successful integration into the Capo manufacturing process. Mikron engineers from the United States and Switzerland led on-site training sessions at Capo headquarters, followed by a weeklong training session for Capo personnel at a Mikron training facility in Nidau, Switzerland.

The equipment and training investments made by Capo Industries were well worth the effort according to Feltch. "We are typically ahead of the curve to support our promise of predictability for customers to improve their competitive position as well as ours.

"The Mikron 5-axis machining technology really provides a glimpse into our future. It is a very sophisticated piece of technology that's proving to be a crucial element in our strategy for being successful in the future of aerospace manufacturing. The way we're using it and some of the technologies we're developing internally, puts us at the forefront of incorporating high speed, 5-axis machining in the manufacture of nickel alloy components." Mikron Corp.

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