Success Stories: Cessna

Cessna Aircraft was looking to improve the machining processes for several titanium parts from their aircrafts. After evaluating various FEA software packages applicable to machining analysis, Cessna purchased Third Wave Systems' software, working with an on-site TWS engineer to quickly gain expertise and applications knowledge for improving both tool life and cycle time.

Input Sector Hus

Challenge: Improve titanium input sector hub machining processes for reduced cycle times
Approach: Evaluate alternative tooling solutions and modify cutting conditions within the existing tool path
Software: Production Module
Results: Process reduced by five hours - a 59% improvement on analyzed tools

Door Hinge

Challenge: Improve titanium door hinge machining process for reduced cycle times
Approach: Monitor heat distribution throughout the tool, workpiece, and chip using AdvantEdge simulations, experimenting with more aggressive cutting conditions
Software: AdvantEdge FEM
Results: Process reduced by more than 12 hours without sacrificing tool life - a 58% improvement

Flap Track

Challenge: Improve titanium flap track machining process for reduced cycle times
Approach: Analyze tooling and cutting conditions to identify material removal rate increase opportunities and reduce
non-cut times
Software: Production Module
Results: Analyzed process reduced by more than 19 hours -
a 54% improvement on analyzed tools. Total process was reduced by more than 22 hours - a 46% overall improvement.

"It was clear that process modeling would be beneficial to gain significant new capacity out of the plant's existing machines. Third Wave products were designed specifically with machining in mind - this made the mathematical modeling dramatically easier to perform and the results on the shop floor proved the reliability of the material models and the overall software. Technical and sales support from Third Wave Systems has been excellent in our experience with them since 2004."

- Cessna Aircraft Company