Solutions for cost-effective and high-quality machining of aerospace landing gear beams
On the fuselage, there are several structural components produced from titanium. The landing gear beam is one example of a component with thin floor sections. Machining of structural aerospace components often involves challenging conditions, such as thin floors and walls, deep pockets and tight corners. We help you overcome these challenges with dedicated tools and methods.
Common challenges when machining structural parts:
- Poor productivity
- Vibration
- Deflection of the tool and component
- Short tool life
- Chip jamming
- Time consuming process
CoroMill® MH20 – High feed pocketing
Machining deep pockets, especially narrow deep pockets, requires long overhangs. This condition is challenging and there is a high risk of vibrations. CoroMill® MH20 is optimized for pocketing applications in ISO S, M and P materials and ensures secure and vibration-free machining with long overhangs.
Read more about CoroMill® MH20
CoroMill® Plura HFS – Stable high-feed side milling strategy
Tough milling strategies with high tool engagement build up heat and cause excessive cutting forces, which is challenging for the tool. A more stable strategy is to program for a large cutting depth (ap) and low cutting width (ae), combined with controlled maximum chip thickness to control the cutting forces. This allows for high-feed machining with increased cutting speeds and feeds to achieve a high metal removal rate.
Read more about CoroMill® Plura HFS ISO S
CoroMill® 316 – Machining thin floor sections
To overcome the thin floor machining challenges, Sandvik Coromant has developed a dedicated machining strategy:
- Spiral morph tool path for maximizing part stability to reduce floor deflection
- Optimized remaining stock to achieve finish cut with minimized axial cutting forces
- Corners machined with a slicing method
- Optimized ap/ae relationship to minimize cutting forces and component deflection
Dedicated titanium milling grades
S30T and S40T are available for a variety of CoroMill® cutters for face milling, shoulder milling, long-edge milling, plunging, high-feed milling, profiling and slot milling. Together, these grades offer a new level of reliable, long-lasting performance.
Milling inserts and grades for titanium and HRSA
Grade S30T for speed and tool life
S30T has been developed with productive titanium milling in focus. It combines the properties of micro-grain carbide and a wear-resistant PVD coating. This enables very sharp cutting edges that resist fatigue and micro-chipping and results in cutting edges that are preserved for longer times in cut at higher cutting speeds.
Grade S40T for difficult conditions
S40T is developed for difficult conditions combining highly durable cemented carbide with a thin CVD coating. The result is a grade that withstands vibration and other difficult cutting conditions for longer times in cut. The wear is predictable, making the cutting edge gradually duller without breaking.
S30T and S40T – Productivity and security in titanium milling
CoroMill® Plura – For finishing 2D pockets and corner milling-slicing
The specialized solid carbide end mill is the perfect choice for finish machining 2D pockets. These end mills developed for titanium enable you to machine deep pockets at high metal removal rates without vibration.
Other benefits include high accuracy and long tool life with high cutting data.
CoroMill® Plura and the slicing method is the ideal combination when machining corners in titanium components. Multiple passes successively remove material, ensuring low radial immersion/engagement angle and low cutting forces.
CoroMill® 300 – Rough face milling
Program a roll into cut in a clockwise motion (counter-clockwise will not solve the thick chip thickness problem). By rolling into cut, the chip thickness on exit is always zero, allowing for higher feed and longer tool life. A round insert cutter provides the best productivity and tool life thanks to the lead angle and chip-thinning effect. CoroMill® 300 with S30T and S40T has through coolant and close pitch option, therefore optimized for titanium. Now available in insert sizes up to 20 mm (metric) or 1.0" (inch).
CoroMill® 690 – 2D profile milling
For this operation, we can provide a total solution from roughing through to finishing. The best choice for roughing is CoroMill® 690 with specialized titanium grades S30T and S40T. The axial location of the inserts is built into the bottom of the insert to prevent movement and enable high metal removal rates with good security. Its design enables light cutting with minimum power use. Each coolant hole is threaded to allow smaller diameter nozzles for high pressure coolant applications.
Roughing of 2D pockets – Solution 1
For roughing of 2D pockets, apply the circular ramping method using low depths of cut but up to 1.0 mm feed per tooth together with the CoroMill® 210 or CoroMill® MH20 high feed cutter. These tools use a light and fast technique with excellent metal removal rate and are suitable for all machine concepts and configurations.
The advantages of this circular ramping method are a reduced number of tools (no drills needed) and flexibility (can produce a wide range of sizes). Round insert cutters that use the same programming technique include the CoroMill® 300.
Roughing 2D pockets – Solution 2
Opening up a 2D pocket with the spiral morphing method using the CoroMill® 390 long edge with 11 mm size insert and new titanium grade S30T offers excellent metal removal rates. Keep the arc of engagement low when pocketing—produce a large entering hole (made by either drilling or helical ramping), roll into cut, then program with large corner radii to avoid vibration in corners.
High-pressure coolant
The recommendation is simple: always apply coolant when cutting titanium in large amounts and, if possible, at high pressure. Using high-pressure coolant for milling in titanium will double the tool life compared to normal coolant pressure. Critical recutting of chips that damages the tool is prevented as welded chips are blown off.
Recommendations:
- Apply coolant through the spindle and tool
- The volume and pressure should be carefully planned based on the number and diameter of coolant holes and your operation
- Nozzle sizes should be kept small to maximize the pressure
- Recommended pressure: 70 bar or more
- Recommended volume: 50 liters/minute
CoroChuck™ 930
Thanks to its excellent clamping performance, this chuck offers the best pull-out security on the market, for excellent stability and accessibility in milling and drilling operations. A solution that doesn’t just help increase machining safety and precision, but also increases production efficiency through quick and easy tool setups and changes. For 100% pull-out prevention, a collet with a mechanical locking interface is available for Weldon shanks.
Main fittings
Typical landing-gear components are main/nose/center fitting, piston/slider, truck/bogey... chevron_right
Main fitting
Typical landing gear components are main/nose/center fitting, piston/slider, truck/bogey... chevron_right
Optimized milling for vibration-free machining
The CoroMill MH20 complements existing products in the CoroMill range and fills a... chevron_right
Wing ribs
There are several types of aluminum components on an airplane such as spars, skins... chevron_right
