Northstar Aerospace on a Mission for Efficiency

I spent six weeks in Chicago this summer doing some training and a part runoff for a new MULTUS B750 we installed at Northstar Aerospace. Northstar is the leading independent manufacturer of helicopter transmission components in the United States, so they have a very busy production schedule. The cycle time for some of their parts is about 30-40 hours, and prior to purchasing the B750 they had a process that involved lots of operator intervention – stopping the machine, opening the doors, checking things by hand, making offsets, and then restarting. Northstar’s goal with their new CNC machine was to improve their overall production processes and create efficiencies.

The Latest and Greatest

The MULTUS B750 is a big horizontal lathe that uses the latest technologies to cut features on heat-treated material (40-50 Rockwell) that’s specified for these critical transmission parts (shown in the photo above). MULTUS B series machines also include Okuma’s Collision Avoidance System (CAS) software, which prevents crashes that wreak havoc with efficiency. CAS integrates 3D modeling of our machines, part blanks and tooling with the OSP control to create a virtual machine. By running the real-time virtual application it will detect interference that may be caused by programmer or operator error and stop the machine before a costly collision occurs.

Process Efficiency

I also had the opportunity to work with a Northstar engineer on devising a process layout that maximizes efficiency on the B750. Because the part is heat treated, when you start cutting metal off of it, the part distorts and moves. So we created a process that makes sure things are cut in a certain order. This way, when machining is complete, all the features are within part tolerances. This was a team effort that worked out well because I’m familiar with the intricacies of this particular CNC machine, and he knows all the detailed characteristics of the part.

Partner Technologies

The setup on the B750 also incudes technologies from Partners in THINC that help create further efficiencies:

• A Renishaw probe is used for in-process gaging, which allows the machine to check the part itself, without operator intervention.
• Tool Monitor Adaptive Control (TMAC) from Caron Engineering, which monitors electric current load to the turning and milling spindle and will stop the machine if loads exceed the established values. This also has an adaptive feature that increases or decreases cutting feed rates if loads are within a safe cutting range.
• A high pressure coolant system from MP Systems provides better coolant flow to the cutting tool and helps extend tool life.

Installing Quality

The team at Northstar filmed a time-lapse video of the machine installation where you can watch in 3 minutes what took nearly 4 weeks to complete. The B750 sits in a spotlight position on the shop floor, so they can show it to customers when they come in for tours. It makes a big statement and leaves a big impression about Northstar’s investment in quality. Recently Northstar had another Okuma installed – an LB35III horizontal lathe. Seems their mission is being accomplished.

Kevin Kraieski is Senior Application Engineer, Okuma America Corporation.