St. Louis, MO – A U.S.-based market leader in the manufacture of aircraft structures, airframe assemblies, and aerospace MRO (maintenance, repair, overhaul), has ordered a seven (7) press package from Beckwood Press Company. The comprehensive package consists of Triform sheet hydroforming presses, stretch forming machines and hot joggle presses to support the customer’s mission of increasing metal forming capabilities.
The packing includes three Triform fluid cell sheet hydroforming presses. The first, a 2496-5FC, features a 24” x 96” oval forming chamber with a bed shuttle for maximum efficiency. It is supplemented with two (2) Triform model 24-5FC’s, each featuring a 24” diameter forming areas, intuitive controls system, and fast cycle times for increased productivity. Triform sheet hydroforming presses use a flexible diaphragm to shape sheet material around male form blocks, or into female cavities, resulting in high-performance forming capability, with dramatically decreased tooling costs.
Two (2) 20-ton extrusion stretch forming machines will be included to stretch and contour aerospace alloys into a variety of roll-formed profiles. The stretch forming process can typically create net shape curves in a single step process which traditionally would require multiple hits with traditional press forming methods as well as hand finishing.
Two (2) hydraulic hot joggle presses will form parts which require multiple bends, often in opposite directions. As with the sheet hydroforming and stretch forming machines, these joggle presses can form a net-shaped part in a single step saving time, helping to eliminate waste and reducing skilled labor.
“This seven-machine project is a terrific example of Beckwood’s ability to solve our customers’ 360-degree manufacturing challenges,” said Beckwood president, Jeffrey Debus. “Our specific experience with aerospace industry metal forming applications and diverse engineering and manufacturing capabilities make us an ideal single-source supplier. Beckwood sales engineers worked with the user’s team during the specification phase of the project to ensure the equipment aligned perfectly with the organization’s goals.”
The presses, which will be installed in late-2014, will support the supplier’s in-house assembly programs, thereby minimizing sub-tier supplier issues and maximizing the organization’s manufacturing flexibility. Included in the package are several supplementary items aimed at increasing efficiency and uptime of the equipment. These include on-board Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), complimentary remote factory support and Preventive Maintenance (PM) performed by factory-trained Beckwood personnel on the user’s factory floor.