Not every woodworking router is “cut out” for tight tolerance aerospace panel machining.
Materials include non-ferrous metals, aluminum sheets and extrusions, honeycomb composites, skinned honeycomb veneers, and more – both 3- and 5-axis. Not sure? Contact us for a free evaluation!
Accu-Router’s aerospace success is driven by several core technologies:
Rigidity, rigidity, rigidity …
- Machining metals and composites can generate immense sideload, making system rigidity of the highest importance.
- At the expense of a larger footprint, every Accu-Router is fixed gantry, ballscrew-driven table for maximum rigidity. Beware of lighter, cheaper moving gantry machines, often with rack and pinion drives.
- Over time, inferior components, vibration, and backlash lead to scrap, rework, down time, and increased maintenance.
Premium liquid-cooled spindles …
Many competitors use cartridge-type European spindles, mainly to cut costs. We build and service our own spindles in Tennessee with exclusive design features almost too numerous to mention … cast iron housing for rigidity and vibration dampening, duplex ceramic bearings, liquid-chilled, internal micro-spray mist lubrication, HSK drawbar tool change … plus a free loaner if yours ever requires service!
High performance, reliability and repeatability of Fanuc controls …
Many builders cut costs by using a PC-based control and boast its “user friendliness”. The retail value of our controls alone (~$50k) is greater than the total price for many value routers. Replacement parts for PCs can be hard to find after just a few years. Fanuc spare availability exceeds 20 years, with an average 10-year mean time between failures!
Versatile part-holding …
- Our flow-thru vacuum and/or roller holddown are often ideal for aerospace requirements
- We also developed an innovative automatic screw holddown system with an inserter / extractor interfaced to a vibrator bowl, which completely eliminates part movements and surface scratching
- Accu-Router also partners with a network of specialized builders of precision work-holding fixtures
- Explosion-proof wet chip collection systems are also often specified for aerospace installations
Media to Watch – or subscribe to Accu-Router’s e-news for the latest sweep of your industry and the economy at-large:
Aviation Week
http://aviationweek.com/
Aerospace Manufacturing & Design
Aerospace Industries Association
Composites Manufacturing
http://compositesmanufacturingmagazine.com/
American Composite Manufacturers Association
http://www.acmanet.org/cm-magazine
SME Manufacturing Engineering
http://www.sme.org/manufacturingengineering/
Boston Consulting Group
Great strategic insights, including “Made in America, Again” series
https://www.bcgperspectives.com/
Videos (embed if possible)
Series III 5-Axis for Auto, Aero:
Aerospace Auto-Screw Holddown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMufrPGgZY8