Serge St. Martin

Metallic manufacturing comprises of every process from the raw material to a finished piece. Among the most used manufacturing processes in the aerospace industry is machining.

Machining consists of removing materials successively using a cutting tool until we arrive to the part’s final form. When it comes to the aerospace industry, it is unusual to use raw materials like aluminium, iron or copper.

Instead, we use alloys, meaning fusing chemical elements that are put together for their beneficial mechanical properties once combined. For example, we have many aluminum-based alloys. They are alloys that are light and that allow for the manufacturing of structures and fuselages for aircraft.

There are also alloys such as steel that have many useful mechanical properties, especially when the parts are often used. Finally, there are titanium or nickel-based alloys that also have useful mechanical properties, but most of all, conserve these properties at high temperatures. In that case, we use these materials to build parts that surround the motors or turbines of aircraft.

Machining is a complex manufacturing process. This is the reason why one of the areas of research and development are simulations. With the help of computer tools, including software, we can reproduce physical phenomenon and to determine if the cutting processes are appropriate for the manufacturing of parts. We can determine what is the friction temperature.

Therefore, when there is cutting what is the heat generated but also if the surface manages to keep its integrity. It is one of the areas where we do a lot of research.

Another area that follows simulations are cutting tests. Once we determine parameters that seem optimal, we test them in a real-life situation: in the machining tools to make sure that these parameters allow for the manufacturing of a quality parts in accordance with the design requirements.

Other areas in which we do a lot of research and development are special processes. For instance, transitioning from manual to automatic production, including the deburring and polishing of parts.

We gain a lot in efficiency but also in consistently replicating the process. There are also processes that allow us to create not only
metallic alloys but also composite alloys that are a combination of plastic and fibers. These materials necessitate using cutting tools with very unique properties.

Finally, there also compression processes that allow to truly reinforce the piece and to ensure that they can last for a long time. These processes include blasting and hammering.