A partnership that marries drilling expertise with high-performance tools has the potential to cut in half the costs and time it takes to assemble a commercial aircraft. Kennametal Inc, a global leader in tooling, engineered components, and advanced materials, is partnering with orbital drilling machine supplier Novator AB (Spanga, Sweden) to unite Novator''s drilling equipment and expertise in orbital drilling with Kennametal''s proprietary, high-performance tools.
Current practice in aircraft/aerospace assembly calls for drilling numerous holes in alloys or composite materials. Because traditional push-drilling involves driving the point of the drill through either aluminum or a stack of laminated materials, burrs or delamination can be created both in the exit holes and within the laminate stacks. As a result, aircraft manufacturers often assemble parts, drill holes, disassemble parts, clean and deburr the holes, then reassemble them prior to final fastening. Since hole size is determined by a specific tool size, many tools are required -- and such a tool can be reground for precision use only a limited number of times.
Novator''s patented orbital drilling technology combines the spinning of the drill on its own axis with a mechanical spindle that rotates eccentrically around a principal axis. These dual high-speed rotations have the effect of feeding the tool through the material rather than pushing it. Since this process eliminates a stationary tool center, axial forces are substantially reduced compared to conventional drilling. The tool''s cutting edge is only partially and intermittently engaged with the material surface, so heat buildup is minimal. Orbital motion also allows the tool diameter to be smaller than the hole, which makes for efficient chip and heat extraction. One tool, furthermore, can be used to create holes of different diameters, significantly reducing inventory and tool management compared to conventional drills.
"Kennametal has developed a series of high-performance tools with proprietary geometries, substrates, and coatings specifically to complement Novator orbital drilling machines," says Francois Gau, global segment manager, Aerospace and Defense at Kennametal. "With advanced technologies, advanced materials, a global footprint, and significant research and development in aerospace and defense, Kennametal is the ideal partner for Novator to globally deliver and support a complete holemaking solution to aircraft manufacturers worldwide. We firmly believe these technologies together have the potential to reduce aircraft assembly lead time and costs by 50% or more."
By bringing together Novator''s orbital drilling products and Kennametal''s tooling and support, this partnership covers all aspects of holemaking in aircraft assembly, including process design, optimization, runoff, and supply chain management in a cost-effective way, with maximum return on investment for aircraft/aerospace manufacturers.