Aerospace boom for ATI Stellram

The company’s busy design and manufacturing teams in Germany, Switzerland and the UK have seen orders for special tooling solutions soar in the last 12 months, says the company. One of the biggest growth areas has been the development of dedicated tools for machining nickel and titanium alloys. ATI Stellram’s investment programme in a range of automated machinery at its sites throughout Europe has paid dividends by boosting productivity, shortening lead times and maintaining high levels of on-time delivery, explained ATI Stellram’s Rob Mears, project engineering manager. Further significant investment in CADCAM systems means the design and manufacturing team at each of its European facilities can easily and rapidly exchange information between sites as well as with its parent company, ATI Engineered Products, in the United States, he added. “The growth in use of difficult-to-machine materials such as titanium, together with the trend towards monolithic rather than multi-part components, mean more engineering challenges for cutting tool requirements,” commented John Palmer, ATI Stellram’s global aerospace manager. “Orders for custom design tools from aerospace component makers have grown significantly over the past year. It’s a reflection of the vast expertise that ATI Stellram offers in this sector as well as its extensive capabilities for producing innovative solutions,” he said. ATI Stellram is also reporting strong demand for its high-performance range of standard aerospace endmills. Its Rapide G192 kit comprises five endmills from 4 mm-12 mm for machining aluminium and non-ferrous metals.