As part of a multi-million-pound machine tool investment programme, Bowmill Engineering is to install an advanced cylindrical grinder at its new Tewkesbury manufacturing plant for Airbus landing gear kits.
In addition to the Jones & Shipman Suprema EASY cylindrical grinder, the investment includes eight new machining centres and high levels of automation throughout.
The factory in Tewkesbury replicates a similar bespoke facility at Bowmill’s headquarters in Poole, Dorset where it operates a dedicated facility for Airbus landing gear kit production. Bowmill has been manufacturing A320 and A330 landing gear kits since 2002 as well as complex components and assemblies for other OEM’s.
Both sites operate as full production manufacturing operations producing Class 1 critical components with a particular emphasis on the A320 and A320neo aircraft which are currently on intense build schedules.
Kits from Tewkesbury – which are delivered on a tight KANBAN regime – are despatched to customers based in nearby Gloucester as well as Canada and Mexico. Phase one of the new investment will see the Tewkesbury plant concentrate on A320 kits but Phase 2 – accommodating components for other Airbus aircraft and aircraft builders – will come on-line later in 2017.
Bowmill has identified nine critical Class 1 kit components that require grinding tolerance finishes – retaining pins, uplock pins and spacers. Some are chrome plated – a grinding challenge in itself – but all grinding programmes are stored in the memory of the machine’s EASY graphical software which offers a real advantage with its speed of set-up for dressing and grinding cycles utilising touch screen technology.
Bowmill’s machine has a 650mm grinding capacity between centres although longer 1000mm and 1500mm capacities are available. The model is also the external wheel head version specifically designed to offer ease-of-use coupled to the highest levels of productivity.
Managing Director of Bowmill, Nick Epps, said: “We identified that in the Tewkesbury factory there were specific processes that need grinding so we needed a machine with proven production capability and consistent high tolerance repeatability. It was a tight brief and one the Suprema has met. In addition, the EASY software is well liked by the engineers.
“Throughout the new operation we have concentrated on optimising and reducing machining times as we operate in a very ‘cost down’ environment,” he adds. “Also keeping grinding in-house gives us very much more control and manufacturing flexibility. All components are NDT flaw detected as part of our quality regime so full transparency is all important.
“On cost reduction we have reduced machining times by 21%, defects by 17% and reduced raw material usage by 28% and the Suprema has certainly made a major contribution to these efficiencies and savings.”
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