AB Marwin “Alumax” refurbished

Citation

(2002), "AB Marwin “Alumax” refurbished", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 74 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2002.12774fab.006

AB Marwin “Alumax” refurbished

AB Marwin “Alumax” refurbished

Keywords: Machining, Productivity, Airbus, Aircraft

A 14-year old Alumax machining system from Wolverhampton-based AB Marwin Ltd is well into the first stage of a £4.2 million refurbishment programme which provides its owners, Airbus UK, Broughton with a cost-effective, state-of-the-art system set to increase productivity by up to 30 per cent that of the older machine (Plate 6).

The original Alumax was commissioned by Airbus UK in 1987 and, with a 21 m bed extension in 1996, has been used to manufacture 22 different aluminium wing skin panels of the Airbus family. In its current form the Alumax is 87 m long with a 4 m- wide bed, using three gantries each with 10,000 rpm twin spindles and 5-10 m X-axis traverse rates.

Plate 6 An AB Marwin Alumax installed at Airbus UK used to produce A340-600 wing skins

Under a phased refurbishment programme, the machine will see each of the three beams refurbished, the X-axis feed rates increased to 25 m/min and new 20,000 rpm Weiss spindles incorporated. Complying to the strictest safety standards and CE marked, the Alumax will be totally stripped to its bare castings and fabrications, rewiring and re-piping will be carried out and new control panels are to be mounted to the gantry following modification of existing gantry fabrication. An OSAI series 10 CNC controller and Kelch 32-position chain-type tool changer is to be fitted to each gantry which will eliminate manual tool changing and set-up.

Crucial to wing skin production is a high level of machining accuracy and repeatability so as an essential part of the refit, anti-skew improvements are to be integrated into the refurbished Alumax. This will take place through the introduction of a non-contact Renishaw Laser Measurement System and Heidenhien Linear Encoders for the Y- and Z- axes which will enable a machine repeatability of ± 0.010 mm in all X-, Y- and Z-axes.

The Alumax machining operation forms part of a seamless manufacturing process for Airbus UK and includes deburring, inspection, anodizing and painting. AB Marwin’s refurbishment of the Alumax will give Airbus UK the latest cutting edge technology and enhanced performance with minimum risk attached. The refurbished Alumax is set to give greater accuracy, reduced rework and improved quality. With standardized cutting tools, programmes and major machine spares the machine will be compatible with another AB Marwin Alumax machine that Airbus UK installed last year to produce A340–600 wing skins. Interchangeability between the two machines gives the added benefit of reducing the need for numerous spares giving an immediate cost saving. There is also a removal of the risk of increased down time due to obsolete components.

A major challenge for AB Marwin has been the lead times involved in this prestigious refurbishment. Airbus UK required a reliable and watertight refurbishment timetable. To meet their customer’s needs, AB Marwin has adopted a flexible shift pattern that will guarantee that each machine is returned to operation on time.

Derek Jeavons, project manager at AB Marwin says: “Airbus UK is currently finding success with its other Alumax machine which it installed last year. The older Alumax will be able to achieve the same standard through refurbishment which is, by far, the most cost-effective and efficient option for them. In conjunction with the Alumax installed last year, the refurbished older Alumax will be to date the fastest wing skin machine that Airbus UK has on site which is far in advance of all our competitors’ machines currently being used at Broughton.”

Details available from: AB Marwin Ltd, Tel: +44 (0) 1902 390400; Fax: +44 (0) 1902 390500; E-mail: dmcbean@abmarwin.co.uk Web site: www.abmarwin.com