COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION TAKES FLIGHT IN CHINA

MAG Industrial Automation Systems (Erlanger, KY) received an order, valued at approximately $6 million, from Shanghai Aircraft for two HyperMach? H4000 5-axis horizontal profilers, and other auxiliary equipment, to support production of the new ARJ21 passenger jet, as the People's Republic of China continues to develop a globally competitive commercial aerospace manufacturing sector.

The HyperMach H Series is available in both aluminum and titanium-cutting models, with a variety of spindles and tool interfaces to allow for optimized processing. The machines purchased by Shanghai Aircraft are equipped with a 27,000 rpm spindle, capable of metal removal rates of 8067 cc/min (500 in³/min) on aluminum plate or forgings. The machines will operate in an automated cell featuring a rail-guided vehicle, load/unload station, pallets and auxiliary equipment that will sequentially load and unload parts to maximize throughput.

The ARJ21 is currently in an aggressive flight test phase and is working toward commercial flight certification. The HyperMach H4000s, and an additional high-torque 5-axis aerospace machine, are scheduled for installation in 1Q 2011. These high performance machines are also expected to be utilized for advance production and test parts for the much larger C919 Commercial Aircraft currently in development.

HyperMach H Series machines can accommodate larger parts up to 2 x 20 meters and all machines provide high-power simultaneous 5-axis contouring, innovative design features and breakthrough ergonomics. The HyperMach H Series is covered by four patents, one of which covers the four-column, closed-loop between the spindle column and table base. This patented design maximizes stiffness and provides consistent cutting performance ? thus, improved accuracy ? at the extreme limits of the workzone. It also eliminates thermal drift and periodic realignment between the column and pallet table to achieve unprecedented repeatability and accuracy.

As MAG expands to meet the needs of aerospace manufacturers worldwide, the company will open an aerospace Technology Center this year in Shanghai to support China's aerospace market, the fastest-growing major aviation market in the world.

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