GFMS
In the zone

Roughing, Finishing Medium to Large Turbine Blades

Jan. 9, 2020
The Liechti Turbomill 1400 g mill/turn machine produces high-quality finished part surfaces that require minimal polishing and less benchwork.

For jet engine and power generation turbine blades up to 1.4 meters long, GF MACHINING SOLUTIONS' Liechti Turbomill 1400 g mill/turn machine produces high-quality finished part surfaces that require minimal polishing and less benchwork than those processed on general-application CNC machines. To provide fast, cost-efficient production, the Turbomill 1400 g clamps blades at each end and rotates them between centers for heavy-duty roughing and dynamic finishing of complex airfoil contours, root forms, and shrouds.

With growing demand for greater fuel efficiency, shops supplying aerospace components are required to achieve and deliver parts with tighter tolerances are required — and GF Machining Solutions’ Liechti Turbomill 1400 g airfoil machining platform handles those challenges effectively. The machine generates complex profiles quickly on the leading and trailing edges of the blades that control airflow into the engine, while maintaining the tight tolerances that maximize fuel efficiency.

While most machine tools boast significant acceleration/deceleration rates in simple, straight-line machine movements, the Turbomill 1400 g delivers 1-g acceleration/deceleration rates for three-dimensional machining paths. Such speeds generate significant force – strong enough to topple the machine if not securely anchored to the shop floor. The Turbomill 1400 g uses its large size, weight, and rigidity to counter these forces.

Machine paths are engineered with the strength to handle extreme momentum and inertia. The X axis moves via a linear drive, the Y and Z axis on ball screws, and direct-drive motors power the rotary B and A axes, which are critical to moving tools quickly around a blade’s leading and trailing edges.

Learn more from GF Machining Solutions at www.gfms.com.