Moog Aircraft cmm fixtures
Moog Aircraft Group’s bespoke CMM fixtures, created by the Stratasys Fortus 380 3D printer supplied by SYS Systems.
Moog Aircraft Group, and aerospace and defence manufacturer, has harnessed fused deposition modelling (FDM) technology to produce co-ordinate measuring machine (CMM) fixtures.
Typically, the company has outsourced the manufacture of these fixtures to external suppliers who would make them from tool steel. But through SYS Systems, a reseller of Stratasys 3D printing equipment, the company has installed a Stratasys Fortus 380 machine and brought the process in-house. The company has said the printer has reduced costs tenfold as production time is brought down from more than a month to a matter of hours.
“The outsourcing process always had a lead time of four to six weeks from drawing release to receipt of a finished fixture,” commented James Stuart-Young, Manufacturing Engineer Manager (Military Value stream) at Moog Aircraft Group. “Following a cost-versus-benefit analysis, we evaluated ways to produce these fixtures in-house via a cost-effective method that would reduce planned lead times. 3D printing was chosen at the preferred method of manufacture die to the speed of production and low-piece part costs.”
Moog Aircraft CMM fixtures
Moog decided to install the Fortus 380 after attending an open house at SYS Systems facility near Derby. SYS Systems used a Stratasys Fortus machine to print an aircraft valve body, a 30-hour print, to showcase its capabilities. Additionally, SYS’ own proficiencies in CMM through sister division OGP UK, as well as 3D printing, made it a suitable partner. Moog is now enjoying the cost, time and design freedom benefits that 3D printing brings.
“The ability to produce in-house has put us back in control of prioritising production to suit the demands of the customer programme,” Stuart-Young added. “Build times vary due to the range of parts we are printing, but for the CMM fixtures it is approximately 20 hours. Fixtures that have cost us in excess of £2,000 in the past can now be made for a couple of hundred pounds.
“The ability to try a design idea, test is and redesign it accordingly in a matter of hours, rather than weeks, has seen us improve work holding and reduce the occurrence of manual handling damage throughout the production processes.”
