A wingspan to beat all others
Flying the flag for UK engineering - Diecasting Society members visit the Airbus A380 wing factory in Broughton
As part of its extensive 2016 visit programme , Diecasting Society members had the opportunity to visit the Airbus A380 wing factory at Broughton at the end of January . A total of 17 members made the trip and were given a fascinating insight into the £ 350 million facility . The A380 is the largest commercial aircraft in history with superior cabin comfort , ecoefficiency and unprecedented aircraft performance . An A380 takes off or lands every four minutes and carries 1.25 million passengers every month . It seats around 525 passengers and is capable of flying 15,700 kilometres non-stop . The area of the A380 wing is nearly 845m2 and each wing is swept up on the leading edge at an angle of 33.5 degrees . During take-off the wing will flex upwards over four metres to enable the aeroplane to land at 20 knots - helping noise reduction around airports . On visiting the West Factory at Broughton , DCS members were particularly struck by the sheer size of the wings and the complexities of producing such large structures . The wings are made up of over 25,000 different components . They are built vertically and moved around the factory by transporters and jigs . Each wing , without fuel , weighs 40 tonnes . When complete each wingbox can hold up to 118 tonnes of fuel and the final wing is over 36 metres long . The size of twelve football pitches , the West Factory operates around the clock with over 800 people involved in the wing manufacture , assembly and equipping process . Each detailed stage ensures the final set of wings is compatible with the rest of the aircraft when they reach the final assembly line in Toulouse . Prior to dispatch each complete wing is shrink-wrapped in a protective covering before being shipped to Toulouse . The wings are too large to be transported in the Beluga aircraft so are transported a mile by road on a special 96-wheel remote controlled transporter from the factory to the River Dee . They are then loaded on to a special river barge bound for Mostyn , North Wales where they are shipped to Bordeaux and then transported by road to their final destination . DCS president said : “ There is always something to learn from any visit we do and the sheer scale of this one showed what engineering in the UK can achieve .”
Reducing costs and streamlining production
The Diecasting Society Apprentice Award
Applicants are now invited to apply for the Diecasting Society Apprentice of the Year Award . This new award is open to anyone participating in a formal Diecasting Apprenticeship Scheme . To apply , Apprentices should :
• Write approx . 500 words of their experiences as an Apprentice .
• The submission should detail their future aspirations and ambitions in the foundry industry . The closing date for applications is 31st August 2016 . Winners will receive an award and a visit to the facilities of Ryobi and Montupet in Northern Ireland on 4th October . Nominations should be submitted to Dianne Willis , email : dianne @ icme . org . uk
Automobile manufacturers and their suppliers may encounter porosity defects when casting aluminium components that can lead to leaky or defective parts but that problem can be solved , says Diecasting Society member company Henkel . The company offers a full range of porosity-sealing resins and equipment from its 17 service centres across Europe , a number that is steadily increasing . Additionally , Henkel provides a customised , on-site impregnation service . It will bring its Loctite impregnation solutions to a customer ’ s facility , set up shop temporarily and apply its sealing products to components ( certified to TS 16949 ). This reduces transportation costs and relieves the need for the customer to invest in any equipment . With extensive expertise in all key areas of the diecasting and metalworking value chain -casting , machining , impregnation , cleaning , surface treatment or bonding - Henkel is ideally positioned to help reduce costs and streamline manufacturing processes . For more information , visit : www . loctiteimpregnation . com / en
Join the DIECASTING SOCIETY
Membership is open to both individuals and companies who have an interest in the manufacture of diecast metal products . That interest might be as a foundry or a supplier to a foundry . Each member receives the Diecasting Society Newsletter , and reduced rate attendance at all the Society events , both technical and social . Annual membership is £ 40.00 for an individual member and £ 225.00 for companies ( which includes four reduced rate places for named employees at the company ). The cost for a student or trainee is just £ 8.50 . To start enjoying the benefits of membership contact dcs @ icme . org . uk or visit the website at www . dcsoc . org . uk
Cast Metal & Diecasting Times April / May 2016