Challenge: How to meet the demands of the aerospace industry when working with complex materials?
Solution: Opt for orbital drilling to boost productivity and reduce costs.
In modern aircraft manufacturing, the use of advanced carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites combined with metal layers—such as CFRP-titanium or CFRP-aluminum—has become increasingly common. However, this combination presents unique challenges during the drilling process. Drilling holes in these materials can lead to issues like poor hole tolerance, chip accumulation, heat generation, inadequate lubrication, and problems such as delamination, tool wear, and burrs on CFRP surfaces.
Orbital drilling is gaining popularity as a reliable solution to many of these challenges, offering improved production efficiency and lower overall costs. Sandvik Coromant collaborates closely with Novator AB, a global leader in aerospace orbital drilling technology, to develop a wide range of specialized tooling solutions. Novator’s orbital drilling system integrates Sandvik Coromant’s end mills, delivering a complete and efficient solution tailored to customer needs. For the aerospace sector, Novator provides a variety of portable orbital drilling equipment and accessories, making it easier to handle complex operations on the shop floor.
The main advantage of orbital drilling is that it allows complex drilling and finishing tasks to be completed with just one tool. This method involves moving the cutting tool both axially and radially at the same time, enabling the creation of holes larger than the tool’s diameter. As a result, a single tool can be used to produce holes of various sizes. The design of carbide milling tools is optimized to suit different orbital drilling applications, and varying tool geometries and coatings ensure the best possible tooling solution for every situation.
By using a smaller tool diameter than the final hole size, the machining process generates less heat due to the air gap created. This low thrust improves hole quality significantly. Dry machining or minimal lubrication can be employed, which is especially beneficial for CFRP-titanium laminates. Since no coolant is required, there's no need for post-machining cleaning, making the process more environmentally friendly and safer for operators. Additionally, orbital drilling produces fewer chips, which are easier to remove, reducing the risk of surface damage.
Because the entire hole can be machined in a single operation, the need for custom tooling is greatly reduced. This leads to no delamination at the entry and exit points of the hole, extends tool life, and enhances both process safety and productivity.
Sandvik Coromant develops and tests end mill solutions specifically for customer projects. When designing these tools, minimizing radial forces is crucial to prevent tool deflection. The resulting holes are accurately sized, free from burrs, have minimal chips, and are easy to clean.
Due to the extended tool life, the need for multiple types of tools is reduced, significantly lowering the cost per hole. The cutting edge only makes partial contact with the material, and air cooling prevents overheating, further extending tool life. With a single tool capable of performing hole machining and creating holes of different sizes, tool inventory is drastically reduced. Since the entire assembly can be completed in one step, total production time is often significantly shortened.
Modern aircraft now use over 50% CFRP, making it essential to have cost-effective and safe machining processes for these challenging materials.
In summary
As the use of advanced composite materials in the aerospace industry continues to grow, so do the challenges associated with their machining. Sandvik Coromant partners with leading orbital drilling tool manufacturer Novator to develop specialized tooling solutions for drilling operations, particularly for the most difficult tasks involving composites and composite-metal laminates. This approach offers a precise, efficient, and cost-effective alternative for the aerospace sector.
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