Russia's United Aircraft Corporation Launches Commercial Airliner Production

MAG Industrial Automation Systems (Hebron, KY) will supply the first automated composites processing system ordered by the Russian aerospace industry as part of a new sale to United Aircraft Corporation (UAC; Moscow, Russia). The purchase of three machines ? a Viper® 1200 Fiber Placement System and two HyperMachTM Vertical profilers, valued at more than $9 million ? is the first made to support production of UAC's MS-21 series of commercial, medium-range airliners. The machines, all featuring patented technologies, will be delivered in the first quarter of 2011.

The sale broadens MAG's footprint in Russia, which was firmly established with recent sales of 26 large machine tools to Ural Boeing Manufacturing and VSMPO-Avisma. Both companies produce titanium components in Russia for Boeing and Airbus commercial planes.

"Our newly created Aerospace Industry Team was a key enabler for us in this sale," says executive vice president of aerospace Chip Storie. "It brings into focus our strength as the only globally capable company integrating core aerospace manufacturing technologies ? metalworking and automated composites processing ? engineered, built and backed by a single source with local sales and service in Russia. The team consulted in depth with UAC, even hosting three aerospace manufacturing workshops in Russia that included a design and review of an entire wing factory."

The two profilers acquired by UAC are single-spindle, 5-axis designs with 85 kW (113 hp), 20,000 rpm spindles and X-axis travels of 12.6 m and 18.2 m (496 in and 716 in) respectively. The longer machine has dual work zones and a dust collection system.

Those profilers are recognized throughout the global aerospace industry for exceptional performance and extremely high metal removal rates. The family includes both vertical and horizontal platforms with capabilities for optimized processing for aluminum or titanium.

The Fiber Placement System precisely lays 12 tows of 6.35 mm (0.25 in) composite prepreg tape, and has 9 m (354 in) carriage travel and 3 m (118 in) diameter mandrel station. The machine is highly modular, offered with 12, 16, 24 or 32 tows to support a wide variety of parts production from small to very large, and is available in both vertical and horizontal platforms.

MAG pioneered the development and deployment of automated composites processing for aircraft structures. Today, through enabling technologies and products from this manufacturer, composite components are widely utilized in all new major aircraft programs. With the industry?s highest lay-up rates and superior compaction forces, the company makes automated lay-up highly reliable and efficient to support lowest cost per piece in full rate production.

It has a well-established aerospace customer base with installations of metal cutting and automated composites equipment throughout the world. The growing number of commercial aircraft OEMs, including UAC, creates additional requirements for new, technologically advanced manufacturing capabilities.

?We are very pleased to be chosen by UAC as their production partner on Russia?s breakthrough commercial airliner,? Storie added. ?Being a key player in the growing Russian aerospace market is a distinct honor."

In addition to the company's composites leadership in aerospace, it has recently introduced systems to support automated production of wind turbine blades more efficiently ? faster, higher quality ? and less expensively than conventional methods.

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