Ford Aerospace has the latest CNC Turning and Mill Turn technology in-house. These CNC Milling technologies ensure that product lead-time, run time and costs are successfully optimised. Our machines range from small Hardinge machines which are used for high volume/low complexity, through to Mazak 18 MSY, which has an added sub-spindle capability to allow more complex components to be produced.
This housing is a component which Ford Aerospace will be producing in large quantities in the future. In order to make this feasible, we have developed a lean manufacturing process which combines and reduces the number of operations required, allowing a more efficient work flow from start to finish.
Our spacers are produced within the CNC turning section, being manufactured complete in one operation due to the machining capabilities that we have. Starting with a raw billet, we machine the part down to the required size and profile before drilling the external holes, all from one setup.
This Grease Distributor is produced within the CNC Turning section of Ford Aerospace and is one of the many parts which require the use of our programming software. Although this may not seem like a complex component, its tolerances and requirements are such that it requires the use the CAM turning software within our CAD/CAM package, to ensure the final product meets the customer’s requirements.
This is one of the many parts which we produce in the CNC Turning section in high volumes and is one of the standard parts that we can offer to our customers, once a price plan has been agreed. The part will be turned from a raw bar, with the external profile being produced before being drilled and then parted off. Parts are then inspected to the customers’ requirements both before and after treatments, with either a sample or 100% inspection being carried out.
Collared bushes are another of our standard parts, which we produce in both large and small quantities on our CNC turning machines. The parts are produced from bar and then sent out for heat treatments in order to conform to the customers specification, before receiving either a sample or 100% inspection, depending on the customer’s needs.
Washers are a common component found passing through our shop floor due to the capabilities we have – either turning them from solid bar, or pressing them from sheet material. The method used will depend upon the customers’ requirements, with the addition of chamfers and other operations, such as heat treatments or painting, available upon request.
This housing bush was produced to the customer’s strict specification, which included dimensions with small tolerances, in order ensure that it would fulfil its purpose of joining two further components together. As the part would be visible when in use it was important to ensure that it was painted which would allow it to be aesthetically pleasing, but also to protect the item.
This spigot is another example of a component which requires thread rolling. Prior to this, the part must be manufactured to the correct shape, which would be carried out on a 5 axis CNC milling machine. It would then be transferred to a lathe to reduce the overall diameter, with the thread added as the final operation.
This Adaptor has been expertly thread rolled in a turning operation to ensure that the threads do not fail during the operational life of the component. The adaptor is used as a connecting piece between two critical components within the final assembly and requires additional features, such as holes to allow wire locking of the component.
Despite this collar appearing to be a simple enough part to manufacture, however the dimensions are very tied-up, with limited tolerances on the length, thickness and diameters. For this reason the part must be manufactured undersized to allow the additional treatments to bring the final dimensions in line with the customer’s requirements.
This special washer has been manufactured to a Ford Engineering drawing which contains dimensions that differ to the customer’s original request. This is due to the additional treatment processes which the part must go through in order to allow it to conform to the relevant specifications. These treatments bring the final dimensions of the component in line with that of the customers’ requirements.
+44 (0) 191 454 0141 [email protected]