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Aluminium Outlet Guide Vanes

Outlet guide vane in the motor

The outlet guide vane (OGV) has two different purposes:
 
  1. Forming a structural connection between the main engine carcass and the aircraft attachment point
  2. Steering the flow coming from the low-pressure turbine into the axial outflow, i.e. an aerodynamic objective

These two functions put a lot of stress on OGVs, which are normally very thick and have complex shapes in order to meet these two requirements.

Depending on the engine, the materials and shapes change significantly.
 
 OGV.jpg

Why a51nx-5XU?

OGV batches can be sizeable and in view of the required geometric tolerances and surface finish requirements, we needed to find a highly productive yet precise machine.

Using a SMART GRIP from MST coorp., we were able to minimise the clamping area on the fixture and enjoy full accessibility to the part while maintaining a high clamping force.

With the a51nx-5XU, we were able to use the SMART GRIP directly on our 5-axis table with no need for an interface, as this machine can directly load BBT50 toolholders.

Taking the previous point into account, the 14,000-rpm standard spindle and the possibility of having up to 58 workpieces in the built-in storage unit we had the ideal technology to produce these parts.



 
MST SMART GRIP
Why a51nx-5XU?

Process

The part was roughed and finished with a single Ø20mm toric end mill in just one operation using sequential machining:
  • Remaining material ensured stability during entire process, thus avoiding any possible chatter
  • No mismatches between different tools or levels on the airfoil
  • Cycle time dramatically reduced

This machine’s rigidity and high dynamics allowed us to achieve a high-quality surface.
 
 a51nx-5xu.jpg