Computer Aided Manufacture

Complex aircraft surface profiles are typically defined by electronic data generated by Computer Aided Design (CAD) systems. Computer Aided Manufacture involves processing of the surface data into the various formats required by the model manufacturing facilities. This can include generation of complex programs and data used for controlling the 3-, 4- and 5-axis CNC milling machines which produce the 3-dimensional component surfaces, EDM machining of 2D and 3D pockets, planforms and profiles and final inspection of finished parts using a co-ordinate measuring machine (CMM).

CAD data is not necessarily in a format suitable for the manufacture of complex wind tunnel models. Therefore the following tasks are often required for model manufacture;

• Handling complex surface geometry
  
• Refining poorly defined surface geometry
  
• Programming for 3-, 4- and 5-axis machines
  
• Advanced strategies for efficient machining operations
  
• Verifications of CAM geometry prior to machining operations to reduce risk