Deburring and edge rounding for aerospace components
Burrs, sharp surface edges and surface roughness can lead to injuries, cause mechanical and electrical problems and shorten the service life of components.
Surface irregularities can also increase friction and wear, reduce fatigue limits, create excessive stress concentrations and lead to unwanted deposits of coatings and paint. Burr removal and edge rounding are particularly important in the aerospace industry, as component failure can have catastrophic consequences.
Heat, friction, tension and elongation
In aircraft engines, the contact surfaces of moving parts must be machined to minimize friction. Excessive heat can change the properties of metal surfaces, and excessive surface roughness can lead to greater material wear. Rotating parts also require a surface finish that optimizes lubrication. When a larger part of the surface of a component comes into contact with a lubricant, there is a greater transfer of heat from the lubricant to the moving part. For this reason, the automotive industry recommends surface treatments that retain the engine oil.
In the aerospace industry, polishing holes and aligning chamfers are among the challenges of surface processing. Sharp edges and burr holes can increase both stress and strain, and excessive elongation can lead to material failure due to cracking. To keep the elongation below the yield strength, aerospace companies have to round off edges, deburr holes and improve the surface quality.
Flexible honing for burr removal and surface finishing
At Walter Krupp, we supply Flex-Hone® tools to aerospace companies, aircraft manufacturers, engine builders and aviation maintenance and repair companies. Flex-Hone® is an elastic, flexible honing tool with a soft cutting action that removes burrs, adjusts edges and improves the surface finish at the same time. This cylinder honing tool is available in a variety of sizes and abrasive types and is also used for chamfering and polishing bores. With their abrasive beads bonded to flexible nylon fibers, Flex-Hone® tools have a distinctive look that has earned them nicknames such as Kugelhoner and Dingleberry-Honer. In the aerospace industry, however, our flexible honing tools are best known for solving difficult surface processing challenges. From high-quality finishing of bores at a U.S. Naval Air Station to heavy-duty scale cleaning at Sikorksy Helicopter, the flexible honing tools are a proven solution.
Solutions for challenges in surface treatment
We recommend Diamond Flex-Hone® tools for surface treatment of hard materials. With their resin-bonded crystals, these diamond honing tools are ideal for aerospace materials and alloys from outer space, such as stainless steels of types 302, 304, 416 and 17-4, Hastelloy®, Monel® and Inconel® 718, titanium 6AL-4V and special aluminum alloys. Versatile and easy to use, Flex-Hone® tools have a double-wire metal shank that is suitable for mounting in most machine spindles. Aircraft mechanics can also use Flex-Hone® with electric hand drills. Flex-Hone® technology is also the right choice for aerospace applications that require optimum lubrication. The plateau finish achieved by flexible honing removes the peaks created by previous honing operations and creates a flat, smooth, cross-hatched surface with oily grooves. By removing raised surface areas, plateau honing removes burrs, smoothes sharp surface edges and eliminates surface roughness.