British aerospace begins update effort
Abstract
Among the advanced production technologies selected for installation by British Aerospace Corporation's Aircraft Group are: semi-automated carbon fiber production, super plastic forming/diffusion bonding (SPF-DB) of bond titanium and aluminum alloys, and introduction of direct numerical control of manufacturing processes and a CAD/CAM program. Development programs for these technologies are discussed, including a water jet carbon fiber cutting machine, a carbon fiber second fuselage that is easier to assemble, a new forming press for SPF-DB components, a pilot program for SPF-DB production which includes a 500-ton forming press, and numerically controlled robots and machine tools.
- Publication:
-
Aviation Week Space Technology
- Pub Date:
- May 1982
- Bibcode:
- 1982AvWST.116...78.
- Keywords:
-
- Aerospace Industry;
- Aircraft Production;
- Automatic Control;
- Materials Handling;
- Production Engineering;
- Technology Utilization;
- Aircraft Construction Materials;
- Cost Reduction;
- Production Costs;
- Robots;
- Engineering (General)