In 2011, aircraft interior systems manufacturer Aerosud Holdings Pty., approached Beckwood Press to solve a bottleneck in the production of aluminum canisters for the Airbus A320. The canisters were previously drawn to 6.5” deep through a grueling 6-step annealing process, which often resulted in high scrap rates due to excessive thinning. Beckwood worked with Aerosud to transfer the production of these aluminum canisters to a TRIFORM 16-10-7DD to great success. Material thinning was reduced to just 10%, production costs were reduced by 25%, and scrap rates are now below 1%. In addition, the canisters now have a cleaner, more uniform appearance and are better suited for the welding process in the final assembly.
As a result of the incredible success in transitioning the production of the A320 canisters to the TRIFORM 16-10-7DD, Aerosud immediately began developing additional parts to be formed using the same machine.
“With the success we have had using the Triform press on the A320 program, Aerosud is now working on the design for the Airbus A350 Slat Track Cans.”
– Dr. Deon Labuschagne, Aerosud Holdings Pty.
In 2023, Aerosud once again enlisted the help of Beckwood Press- this time, to expand their forming capacity with a second, identical TRIFORM 16-10-7DD.
Previously known as the TRIFORM 16-10-7BD, the TRIFORM 16-10-7DD is Aerosud’s model of choice.
Aerosud had been presented with a contract that requires redundancy in their manufacturing capabilities. In their case, this redundancy entails a second machine and spare parts packages. To ensure that Aerosud would be able to fulfill the contract agreement, they placed an order for a second TRIFORM 16-10-7DD along with two spare parts packages- one for each press.
Just like the press that Aerosud has known and loved for the past 13 years, this TRIFORM machine has a maximum chamber pressure of 10,000 PSI; a 16” bladder size and forming diameter; and a 7” depth of draw. With this new press, Aerosud will not only be able to fulfill their contract obligations but also increase part production overall.
To reduce any potential maintenance-related downtime, two comprehensive spare parts packages were prepared alongside Aerosud’s TRIFORM machine. This way, they can have spare parts readily available on-site for both presses as a redundancy measure.
Part of what makes the relationship between Aerosud and Beckwood so special is that previous to obtaining their first TRIFORM machine, Aerosud had no prior experience with sheet hydroforming. With Beckwood’s straightforward UI, customizable recipe menu, and recipe storage, Aerosud was able to quickly pick up on the ins and outs of deep draw hydroforming. This allowed them to easily incorporate the machine into their manufacturing process to ensure higher quality, faster production, and part repeatability.
Engineering Manager of Product Development, Joanne Zambelli, shared the following in regards to Beckwood and Aerosud’s latest project:
“Building on a decade-long partnership, Aerosud renews our collaboration with Beckwood Press to further enhance our manufacturing capabilities. Following our successful history in overcoming production challenges, Aerosud is confident in leveraging Beckwood’s expertise and cutting-edge solutions in pursuit of manufacturing excellence by securing our second TRIFORM 16-10-7DD. The ongoing synergy between Aerosud and Beckwood exemplifies our commitment to innovation and reliability, ensuring the continued success of our ventures in aerospace manufacturing.”
– Joanne Zambelli, Aerosud Holdings Pty.
As of March 2024, the second TRIFORM press and accompanying spare parts packages have been delivered to Aerosud.