Starrag’s longstanding reputation for providing machining solutions for the aerospace sector has now been reinforced by the addition of an Ecospeed machining centre to the company’s Aerospace Competence Center in Switzerland – an initiative that showcases the group’s long-established expertise in the manufacture of turbine blades, blisks, vanes, impellers and other structural and landing gear components.
Indeed, the Ecospeed is renowned for its rapid aluminium removal rates of up to 12 litres/minute and is acknowledged as one of the most productive machines for producing complex aluminium structural parts.
Starrag has over the years built up a vast and diverse knowledge of machining aerospace parts – not just with its own machines, but also of the entire manufacturing processes for these components. Now, at the group’s Swiss headquarters, visitors to a dedicated 2,000m² hall can see and witness the capabilities of its Ecospeed (4m pallet) machine alongside other NB, LX and STC 5-axis machining centres.
The machines are used to test and optimise new machine processes under production conditions, usually in response to customer orders.
“Importantly,” says Starrag UK’s director for sales and applications, Lee Scott, “visitors to our stand in the Swiss Pavilion at the forthcoming Farnborough International Airshow, taking place from 18-22 July 2022 will also be able to learn how the Starrag Group – and, by definition, its machine users – will be ideally positioned to embrace any new manufacturing strategy as the global aircraft industry readily adopts electric propulsion.
“We’re really looking forward to aligning ourselves with aircraft OEMs and companies in all supply tiers to fulfil the burgeoning increase in manufacturing opportunities that electric propulsion offers,” he continues.
With a global customer base of companies involved in aircraft manufacture – in particular OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers throughout North America and Asia as well as Europe – Mr Scott says Starrag’s focus will continue to be on producing high-quality components in the shortest possible cycle times and at the lowest cost per part.
These demands will be achieved by, for example, multi-tasking (predominantly milling and turning) in a single set-up on machines across the Starrag ranges including Berthiez, Bumotec, Heckert and Starrag, as well as its TTL CAM/software operation.
“The starting point for every Starrag solution is the component, not a machine,” he adds. “We vary machine configuration and machining concepts to determine the overall effect on cycle times; pushing everything to the maximum to develop an all-embracing solution that is specific to each workpiece.”
Starrag UK www.starrag.com
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