Composite Cutting Solutions that Greatly Reduce TCO of Countersink Tooling and AFP/ATL Machines

Crafts Technology specializes in using superhard materials for cutting solutions that can dramatically reduce TCO for all specialized cutting applications in the aerospace manufacturing process, including AFP, ATL, and countersink drilling. Crafts Technology collaborates with Fives Industrial Engineering Group to develop optimal cutting tools that achieve higher performance for both the machine manufacturer and the OEM. These new solutions are realized through a combination of factors. 1. Tailored Tool Design – with a focus on the application, original design intent, extended tool life, and tooling ergonomics. The proprietary modular setups on both AFP blades and countersink drilling decrease change out time and reduce consumable costs. The fixed body of each tooling solution remains fixed allowing for positioning of the cutters to be maintained during replacement, thus reducing machine down time. 2. Material Engineering – determining the precise grades of Tungsten Carbide (WC) and Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD) that will produce optimal results. 3. Coatings - applying advanced coatings to the blades, which extends their life and performance. In one case, OEM blades for an ATL application were being consumed at a rate of 7,000 per year. Crafts’ manufacturing and material choice for the blades cut usage by half. Custom coatings were then applied to the Crafts’ blades, which reduced usage by 33% more. This decline in usage cut consumable costs and increased uptime stemming from fewer blade change-outs. 4. Innovative Supply Chain Systems - Optimal tooling designs cannot be obtained unless the entire value stream is analyzed – from raw material to manufacturing, to end-use, and recycling to further decrease the TCO of the tooling. Engineers of both cutting machine manufacturers and OEMs of aviation and aerospace structures will benefit from design ideas that can boost manufacturing performance and cut costs incorporating superhard materials in their cutting tools.