World-wide launch of turn/mill/grind machine for aeroengine parts

The company is demonstrating how an advanced grinding process, combined (if required) with a choice of turning and milling operations, can turn a solid cubic blank into an aeroengine turbine blade. The combination of turning, milling and high precision grinding in one machine under a fully automatic operation gives manufacurers complete flexibility to arrive at the most precise and cost effective production process, says Haas Schleifmaschinen, whose UK agent is Dorman Machine Tools. IThe so-called Multigrind CB machine is being demonstrated turning a cubic blank into a finished turbine blade. Securely clamped with a tailstock, the workpiece is completely ground in a 5-axis machining operation. In other words, it produces the actual blade, with all of its complex freeform surfaces, filleting and rounding; the blade footing; and the root form with its 'Christmas tree' profile. Haas employs a newly developed, special grinding process for blade geometries where a wheel that has been dressed at an angle, and is slightly rounded, is inclined at the workpiece. This rapidly produces high contour accuracy without notable edges or wave shapes, while the associated machine configuration reduces the risk of collision considerably. "We see huge potential here for the manufacture of turbine blades,' confirmed Haas Schleifmaschinen software chief Wolfram Hermle. "We can demonstrate that grinding can remove material more economically than other processes, but due to the great flexibility of our Multigrind CB machine, this universal platform can do all tasks necessary. In addition, the high material costs involved with turbine blades often make repair and reconditioning worthwhile as particle wear is a problem particularly for the leading edge, and the refurbishment/re-grinding of blades is another area where we can offer customers unique solutions. Customers are invited to view the world-wide debut of the Haas machine producing turbine blades from solid blanks on the Haas stand at the Paris air show on stand A20 in Hall 5.