Delta Tau upgrade helps Boeing

Citation

(1999), "Delta Tau upgrade helps Boeing", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 71 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.1999.12771aab.015

Delta Tau upgrade helps Boeing

Delta Tau upgrade helps Boeing

Keywords Computer numeric control, Delta Tau, Milling

Boeing Rocketdyne selected an innovative CNC system from Delta Tau for its retrofit upgrade of a SIP 740 high precision jig milling machine at its Canoga Park facility in California. The new system replaced a Bosch CNC system, installed in 1984, that used an open loop rail positioning system. The result is said to be a machine with greater accuracy, speed and ease of setting, combined with improved flexibility, tool and component monitoring.

The milling machine has a large volume work envelope and is used for machining major assemblies for the US Space Shuttle and Early Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) rocket engine programme. The reasoning behind the retrofit project was to update and enhance the SIP 740's capabilities, creating a highly accurate system suitable for use well into the next century without replacing the entire machine tool, a prohibitively expensive and unnecessary move.

Another goal of the project was to reduce the set-up time for machining the parts, many of which took up to two days to set up. Delta Tau provided hardware and software which allows the integration of CNC rotary tables into the system, meaning the SIP 740 can be quickly and easily changed from a three-axis to a five-axis system. Renishaw probes for both tool detection and component location were also interfaced within the system.

The main technical integration was combining the SIP linear inductosyn feedback scales with Delta Tau's PMAC-PC eight-axis 40Mhz motion controller board. Delta Tau also fitted its own Advantage 700 CNC controller, which is a highly advanced "open" architecture PC-based system with extremely fast communications. The controller on Boeing's milling machine is also fitted with a 17-inch SVGA monitor. The existing servo motors were kept except for one on the rail positioning system, which was replaced with a DC brush servo motor, allowing the system to be used as a true positioning axis.

The system was also enhanced by incorporating Delta Tau's new PMAC-NC for Windows software. Running on MS Windows 95 or Windows NT, the 32-bit software gave Boeing a number of very productive additional features such as being able to create a component and tool probe interface to support the Renishaw probing hardware. This programme was jointly developed by Delta Tau and Boeing, to provide a unique package tailored to the very specific needs of Boeing's manufacturing processes.

Boeing was attracted to Delta Tau originally because it needed a company with the hardware, software and integration expertise needed to evaluate working processes properly. We understand that because of the successful collaboration, Boeing has scheduled Delta Tau to retrofit more SIP jig boring machining systems and other machine tools.

Further details are available from Delta Tau UK Limited. Telephone: +44 (0) 1255 670196; Fax: +44 (0) 1255 850768.