Wherever something needs to be moved on an aircraft, there is a valve housing. Hydraulics control flaps, rudders, landing gear, engines, and more. Every aircraft contains a large number of valve housings of various designs. The spectrum ranges from small boxes to blocks that reach half a meter in length. The requirements for machining are always similar.
The Generic Component created by MAPAL measures about 30 x 30 x 30 centimeters and includes all machining steps that can occur in the manufacturing of a valve housing – from pre-machining to finishing. The Generic Component is intentionally not a replica of a customer component. It was designed based on the machining requirements of various real components. Within the corporate group, MAPAL has compiled experiences that have been made worldwide in the machining of such components. All the know-how has thus flowed into a single sample component. This is accompanied by recommendations from the tool manufacturer for the respective suitable machining strategies and cutting values. Often, various options are available to solve a specific problem. For reaming a bore, either a PKD tool or a fine boring tool can be used. Alternatively, multi-edged reamers may be used. Each solution has its advantages. What is crucial is always which advantages correspond to the customer's situation.
Valve housings for the aerospace sector are more complex components than those used in other areas, such as hydraulics for construction machinery. For the most complex customer project to date, MAPAL has employed more than 130 different special tools for a single housing type. Because weight reduction is important in the aerospace industry, manufacturing often works with very thin-walled parts. Additional challenges include deep holes with cross-drilling or grooves that cause interrupted cuts. Furthermore, the machining of the aluminum used, with its low silicon content, results in very long chips that are difficult to break.
Another Generic Component that MAPAL has developed for aviation is a torsion link for the main landing gear of the aircraft. It connects the two cylindrical parts of the landing gear together. This design allows the damper cylinder to extend and retract without twisting. This component is also available in different designs.
With its medium-sized sample part, MAPAL reflects all real requirements. Due to the high loads encountered, torsion links are made of titanium. The low thermal conductivity of the material results in high temperatures during machining, which negatively affect the tool life. In addition to optimal coating and cutting edge preparation, the right machining strategy is crucial here.
With the Generic Components for aerospace, MAPAL continues a concept that has already proven itself in the automotive sector. Here, too, initially demanding components were identified for which the tools provided by the Aalen precision tool manufacturer are very well suited for machining. Meanwhile, a large part of automotive technology is covered with the appropriate sample parts. With the help of the Generic Components, MAPAL can also demonstrate what it is technologically capable of in the aerospace sector.
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