827. Aerospace Weight Savings Through Advanced Abrasive Machining

Paper

Abstract

Weight of aerospace vehicles is minimized by controlling material thickness tolerances. Gauge control of metal sheet and plate is achieved by precision grinding on machines designed to grind wide widths using coated abrasive belts as the cutting media. While grinding to extremely close tolerances, the machines also improve surface flatness and leave excellent aerodynamic surfaces. They also remove surface imperfections reducing the hazards of notch propagation. Taper grinding and contour grinding to achieve optimum weight control is also discussed and illustrated. Some applications of sheet and plate metals require fine surface finishes. Others require removal of decarburized surfaces. Some finishing is for reflectivity or to aid in deep drawing. Coated abrasive machining is capable of achieving surfaces in the 3 to 5 microinch range. The use and application of precision abrasive grinders on many metal sheet and plate components used on aerospace and inner space vehicles is well documented. The use of abrasive machining on the air bus of the future is proposed as a means of gaining major weight savings at relatively low cost.