Special gauge cuts costs for Airbus manufacture
A
Mitutoyo (UK) product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Jan 17, 2002
A special pneumatically powered gauge has enabled TRW Aeronautical Systems (Lucas Aerospace) when calibrating flap actuator torque limiters for Airbus aircraft prior to assembly
A special pneumatically powered gauge manufactured by Mitutoyo Gauging Technology Division has enabled TRW Aeronautical Systems (Lucas Aerospace) to 'get it right first time' when calibrating flap actuator torque limiters for Airbus aircraft prior to assembly.
This has considerably increased first time throughput by eliminating the need for stripping down, adjusting and re-testing the complex units.
TRW Aeronautical Systems is a leading supplier of high integrity systems and equipment to the global aerospace industry.
The manufacture of the flap actuators requires the correct size shim to be fitted into the torque limiter before being tested under load.
Once assembled, the only way that adjustment can be performed is by stripping down the actuator to change the shim.
Using the new gauge, TRW is now able to fit the correct shim every time, eliminating the need for stripping down and re-testing.
Prior to utilising the bespoke gauge, approximately 50% of the flap actuator torque limiters failed under test, with each unit taking over an hour to strip, re-calibrate and re-test - the company producing 10 flap actuators for the Airbus A320 aircraft family.
During operation, the pneumatically powered gauge inspects three key elements of the assembly by compressing a spring pack and simultaneously measuring two critical dimensions.
The required shim thickness is displayed on a computer monitor, the operator then selecting and fitting the correct size shim.
A fool-proof system built into the gauge will only allow the mechanism to be removed from the gauge when the correct size shim is inserted.
The gauge is used for calibrating nine different types of gearbox, all requiring different setting and gauging - each actuator has a different loading depending on its position on the aircraft wing.
The shims used for calibration are to within +/-0.0005", with the gauge having repeatability to within +/-0.0002".
Substantial benefits have been gained by the company using the new gauge, explained Mr Simon Burr, Operations Manager at TRW Aeronautical Systems: "The gauge has given significant time savings on production and freed up test capacity by getting every actuator right first time.
As well as the time savings, it has also provided Health and Safety benefits because the gearboxes are filled with a semi-fluid grease/oil mixture that is hazardous to the skin and had to be disposed of every time an actuator had to be stripped down." Prompted by the success of this project, TRW Aeronautical Systems is now working with Mitutoyo on further projects.
Simon Burr explained, "We are currently working on more metrology projects with Mitutoyo - most of what we do when building gearboxes is concerned with measurement to reduce backlash and end-float and we can probably reduce our build process workload by at least 20% by using the right gauges.".
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