Aerospace: Manufacturing Solutions
“Thanks to the excellent cooperation between SKF and Fastems, we were able to quickly find new and innovative solutions and reach important milestones in the project”
but recurring quantities over a very long time, SKF Aero had to completely rethink its existing production strategy. This was because until then, a series of manual activities were an everyday part of specific production processes. The task now was to find powerful and precise machinery for the complex production of bearing components and upgrade it with SKF expertise. In addition, the machining – including the necessary auxiliary processes – had to be fully integrated into a single, highly productive solution. “We wanted to automate as many process steps as possible and dramatically minimize manual intervention. That’s why we started looking for partners – both for “Industry 4.0” machinery and for the automation of this ambitious project”, says Jakob.After a thorough review of potential system integrators, SKF Aeroengine ultimately chose Fastems; and for good reasons, as Marcus Jakob reports: “It was important to us that our partner could respond flexibly to the very different requirements of the overall project, which will also be rolled out to other SKF Aero plants, as well as responding to individual requests. The software plays a crucial role in this. Robots are standard today and are easy to acquire. But what’s crucial here are expertise, integration and flexible implementation in the application itself. What impressed us about Fastems was the size of the company, the number of in-house software developers and above all their expertise in flexible software solutions for automation.” The initial ideas from SKF Aeroengine were refined in the course of the project with Fastems
to the present system known as the “RoboFMS” (Robotic Flexible Manufacturing System). “Thanks to the excellent cooperation between SKF and Fastems, we were able to quickly find new and innovative solutions and reach important milestones in the project”, says Jakob. The machines and systems connected to the flexible manufacturing system give an impression of the complexity of the overall solution, consisting of: two turning/milling centers/ grinding center/ lapping machine/ 3D coordinate measuring machine/ parts cleaning system / laser marking system. The RoboFMS also includes a loading and unloading station for automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and a storage unit for blanks, semi-finished parts and finished parts. The RoboFMS links up all the process steps in a single FMS: from the initial machining of the workpieces previously clamped on zero point clamping systems at the loading station to the two turning/milling centers, to processing on the lapping and grinding machine, to laser marking and quality control, taking account of the previous process steps. The robot traveling on a rail is able to handle workpiece pallets as well as workpieces without a pallet. Vandevoir says: “For reasons of precision, the machining processes on the lapping and grinding machine can only be carried out without clamping, so at this point an employee has to unclamp the workpiece at the loading station so that the robot can first load the lapping machine and then the grinding machine with a semi- finished part.” Once the tools have been prepared and
Flexible manufacturing
The production of small batches down to single workpieces is not something generally associated with highly automated systems – especially if the production involves complex machining, with additional, sometimes difficult process steps, and when comprehensive
The company is also the center of excellence for thermal treatment of rolling bearings and roller production in Europe. “About two years ago, we received an order to manufacture special roller bearing components for the new LEAP engine generation, the successor to the CFM56 engine. This order was unique for us in terms of its volume, spanning a period of 20 to 30 years, with individual batch sizes ranging from five to thirty workpieces per job”, explains Cedric Vandevoir, Process Engineering Manager at SKF Aeroengine France. “It is a state-of-the-art turbofan engine manufactured by CFM International using the latest technologies. The machining of the complex, medium-sized rolling bearing components is very demanding, and necessitated new machining strategies and maximum precision to meet the quality requirements,” explains Marcus Jakob, Global Process Development Manager at SKF Aerospace. Given the demands for high-quality, traceable and above all economical production of small
quality control is required. SKF Aeroengine and Fastems have
cooperated to create a solution that is capable of doing just that. The individual handling of workpieces and their pallets is combined in a flexible manufacturing system (FMS). Based in Rouvignies, SKF Aeroengine France is part of SKF Aerospace and is one of five SKF subsidiaries in Europe, specializing in manufacturing bearings for the aerospace industry. With a workforce of 630 employees, SKF Aeroengine makes all kinds of rolling bearings for aircraft and helicopter engines.
Machinery & Manufacturing 17
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Machinery & Manufacturing
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