Aircraft sheet metal manufacturing

Aircraft sheet metal manufacturing technology is an important part of aerospace manufacturing engineering and one of the important manufacturing technologies to realize aircraft structural characteristics. The shell of modern aircraft is mainly sheet metal riveted structure. Statistics show that sheet metal parts account for about 50% of the number of aircraft parts, sheet metal process equipment accounts for 65% of the total machine manufacturing process equipment, and its manufacturing workload accounts for 20% of the total machine workload. In view of the structural characteristics and unique production mode of aircraft, the aircraft sheet metal manufacturing technology is different from the general machinery manufacturing technology.

Sheet metal parts make up the aircraft body and aerodynamic shape. Sheet metal parts constitute the frame and aerodynamic shape of the aircraft body, parts of different sizes, complex shapes, different selection of materials, output, variety. Domestic small aircraft sheet metal parts about 6 000 items, large aircraft sheet metal parts about 20 000 items. Sheet metal parts have complex shape, strict quality control, and certain service life requirements. After forming, the parts have clear mechanical and physical properties requirements. Compared with sheet metal parts in other industries, the technical requirements are high and difficult.

(2) The manufacturing of sheet metal parts is based on special equipment, with manual skills and experience to achieve. Sheet metal special equipment is the symbol of the development of aircraft sheet metal technology and the carrier of pre-research results of process technology, which plays a decisive role in the forming quality of parts. The development cycle of these equipment is long, the technical content is high, the investment is huge, the social demand is small, the equipment utilization rate is not high, the equipment update is slow, which requires skilled workers must have good manual skills.

(3) The number of process equipment used by aircraft sheet metal parts is very large. Due to the large deformation of sheet metal parts in the processing process, only enough technological equipment can meet the design requirements, so the production preparation is heavy.

(4) The rigid measuring tools such as sample plate, mold tire and inspection plate are widely used for inspection.

Aircraft sheet metal parts classification is based on the similarity of parts, according to certain principles of parts classification. Similarity is divided into material similarity, technology similarity and structure similarity. Material similarity refers to the similarity of material variety and state; Process similarity refers to the similarity of parts processing, process equipment and using equipment; Structural similarity refers to the similarity of dimensions, shapes, working parts and structural elements of parts

1. Classification according to the structural characteristics of aircraft sheet metal parts。

Aircraft sheet metal parts have skin, frame, panel, rib, conduit and so on.

2. According to aircraft sheet metal parts material classification

Aircraft sheet metal parts can be basically divided into three categories: profile parts, plate parts and pipe parts, and each kind of material parts can be further subdivided.

Proto-mold has completed many projects of various models of sheet metal aircraft, and we have also made many rapid prototype   models of UAV(unmanned aerial vehicle) to help customers complete the tests . For more information, please contact Claire@proto-mold.com Wechat/phone: 13662571826 we will provide the most professional service.