A cut above the rest…

Ti 22
A cut above
the rest…
Keeping aerospace leaders at the cutting edge
Starrag
Titanium Special 01
Over a number of decades, StarragHeckert machines have forged a
reputation for outstanding stiffness and stability, providing consistently high
levels of process quality and cost-effectiveness in titanium machining.

Machine tools and engineering
solutions from one source
02
Titanium and its varying grades of alloys are attractive materials for
structural applications in the aerospace industries. They have a high
strength-to-weight ratio, high elevated temperature properties up to
550 degrees centigrade, and excellent corrosion resistance in most
natural environments. The alloys are more expensive than most common
metals, but are competitive in many sectors where their special properties
can be put to optimum use.
Leaders in Aerospace trust in our machines and
process expertise. Most of the latest aerospace
program are powered by StarragHeckert.
Manufacturers did not take long to encounter
the diffi culties these material properties present
during the machining process. The combination
of titanium’s poor thermal conductivity, strong
alloying tendency and chemical reactivity to
cutting tools has a negative effect on tool life,
metal removal rates and ultimately on the manufacturer’s
profi t margin.
Lockheed Martin is just one of a number of
manufacturers which identifi ed machining in
their F-35 program as a signifi cant cost driver;
most of the leading players in the industry have
identifi ed effi cient and productive machining of
titanium as a priority, and increasing numbers of
companies in the supply chain will follow suit as
the production volumes of latest-generation aircraft
increase.
Effi cient machining of titanium components requires
a delicate balance between productivity
and profi tability, and we at StarragHeckert are
aware of the necessity to optimise our machine
tools for titanium cutting.
Structural part made out of Titanium Ti5553
Starrag
Titanium Special 03
StarragHeckert’s well-balanced machining centres
are based on FEM-developed welded constructions
We have taken signifi cant steps in the development,
design and optimisation of even the
larger machine tools to provide high stability
and rigidity, temperature control and effective
compensation. We have carried out all the necessary
calculations and practical measurements
to detect temperature sources. As well as the
designing and manufacturing of four and fi veaxis
machining centres, we at StarragHeckert
have also focussed our expertise for a number
of years on dedicated aerospace application
cutting processes.
We are reputed for our experience in the
machining of titanium structures and landing
gears, as well as the main constituent components
used in jet engines such as blades,
blisks, casings and nozzle guide segments.

BAE Systems has confi dence
in StarragHeckert
In September 2010, BAE Systems formally
opened a titanium machining facility at its Samlesbury
site in Lancashire, UK, for the manufacture
of complex, high value and critical-to-build
detail components of the aft fuselage, as well
as the vertical and horizontal tails for the F-35
Lightning II combat aircraft.
After conducting a thorough examination of
numerous potential manufacturing solutions,
the BAE Systems team fi nally decided to deploy
a highly automated Computer Integrated Manufacturing
(CIM) system.
04
A key element of the CIM strategy was the
employment of two Flexible Manufacturing
Systems (FMS) that can accommodate the
manufacture of different parts in various volumes.
Once an order for a part has been
received, the data relating to it is passed to
the FMS systems, which schedule the manufacture
of a part in the most expedient way by
examining the current workload across each of
eight machine tools.
These eight StarragHeckert STC1250 fi ve-axis
horizontal machine tools installed in each of
the two FMS systems are complemented by
bespoke horizontal twin spindle machine tools
that BAE has developed together with Starrag-
Heckert specially for the manufacture of the
F35’s titanium long spars and longerons.
Ti5553 sets a greater
machining challenge
than TiAl6V4 does
Edge analysis after cutting in Ti5553.
It is a well known fact that titanium is a very
tough material to machine, since its toughness
and low thermal conductivity are incredibly
demanding on the cutting edge of the tools.
Cold forming makes titanium harder, with its
tensile strength being tripled and the breaking
elongation reduced by up to 90%. When the
strain is too high, this leads to cutting edges
breaking away.
Nowadays, the properties of the end-use application
are being optimized, with a prime example
being the 5553 or «triple-fi ve three» titanium
alloy. It is low-weight, high-strength and has
a good resistance to corrosion – all welcome
properties as far as today’s aerospace industry
is concerned.
Starrag
Titanium Special 05
However this new Ti5553 material does not
make life simpler – it actually increases the need
for a highly stable machine architecture. Ti6Al4V
is a «classic» alpha-beta alloy commonly used
in the aerospace industry that has a balanced
microstructure (alpha = hexagonal micro-structure,
beta = body-centred cubic structure).
Ti5553 on the other hand has a higher beta
proportion, meaning that it is also described as
a «near-beta» alloy. This is not only responsible
for the above-mentioned increased heat resistance,
but also makes it tougher to machine.
At the temperatures which occur during the
cutting process, Ti5553 still has a resistance of
900N/mm2 . The tendency to stick on the tool
edge is increased by the beta parts.
In our Center of Production Excellence, Switzerland,
we have been pushing the cutting conditions
to its limits. A solid carbid tool from
SANDVIK Coromant was running 37 min with a
cutting speed of 44 m/min. Then we checked
the wear on all edges.

Leading-edge benchmark trial
in Titanium TiAl6V4
06
Our Center of Production Excellence at Rorschacherberg in Switzerland
is the perfect facility to convert your engineer’s ideas and expectations
of machine stability into real chips. We use practical milling trials to push
the leading edge of titanium cutting and fi nd where the limits currently are
for cutting parameters and for our machining centres, reaching a material
removal rate of 816 cm3 /min (Ap 100 mm, Ae 34 mm, Vc 75,5 m/min, Vf
240 mm/min fc 0,16 mm, Dc 80 mm) on a single spindle machine.
A world benchmark in titanium cutting
was set on a StarragHeckert STC 1000
machining centre with a gear spindle.
Airbus has faith
in StarragHeckert
StarragHeckert has installed two fl exible manufacturing
systems (FMS) at Airbus, Toulouse,
France. One with three four-axis HEC 1250
machining centres and the other with three fi xeaxis
STC 1250s. This system is geared to the
highly-productive, high-precision machining of
complex titanium parts in a 24/7 manufacturing
process, and which fulfi ls individual requirements
for high system availability and up-time.
Monolithic Porcupine Cutter from CERATIZIT
for the benchmark machining.
Starrag
Titanium Special 07
The fundamental criteria for the machining of
complex titanium components are a high rigidity/low
resonance of the machining centres from
the base to the milling head, combined with a
high-drive rating and main spindle torque;
StarragHeckert fi ve-axis machines respond to
these requirements in their entirety. For the specifi
c task in hand at Airbus, namely the production
of over 400 different titanium engine mount
components (pylon) for the latest Airbus programs,
the standard spindle is supplied with
a drive rating of 45kW and a torque rating of
940Nm.
All of the large and complex titanium components
of the Airbus A380 pylon assembly are
manufactured on six machines, combined in
two integrated fl exible StarragHeckert manufacturing
systems.

STC SERIES
Titanium machining centres
08
The STC Series was specifi cally designed for high chip-removal rates
and sets new benchmarks in performance and precision in its class.
The STC trunnion tilt-turn table concept sets new dimensions in high
precision and high quality. It enables the machining of complex workpieces,
that often need to be clamped at right angles to the pallet.
StarragHeckert’s comprehensive expertise
of the simultaneous fi ve-axis milling of tough
materials has been carried over into its machining
centres.
These advanced macining centres fulfi l all of
today’s manufacturing constraints: process stability,
fi nish quality, precision, user-friendliness
and reliability. The centres are perfectly adapted
for simultaneous 3D machining, for example
of «triple-fi ve three» titanium and other varying
grades of titanium alloy.
To keep pace with increasing, manufacturing
demands, the machine has a welded version
of a solid, closed gate column. Due to the joint
locations of the welded construction, the damping
behaviour is similar to that in a cast design,
with steel exhibiting 25% greater stiffness. The
self-locking rotary axis drives, which are insensitive
to disturbance variables, are worm gears
with the highest levels of damping and torsional
stiffness; they also enable diffi cult cutting processes
to be carried out simultaneously by fi veaxis
machining, even under heavy loads.
Starrag
Titanium Special 09
The STC 800 is laid out today for the future requirements
of a progressing tool development and offers
the highest fl exibility in the choice of the milling
strategy for titanium cutting.
The Starrag-designed and manufactured heavy
duty gear spindle provides the highest process
stability. Thanks to rugged spindle bearings,
solid spindle shaft, and short axial distance of
bearings, the spindle shows best behaviour in
it’s class.
The compact design allows the shortest distance
between spindle nose and A-axis (220
mm). A shorter lever arm leads to better fl ow of
forces and to ultimately higher rigidity, surface
fi nish and tool life.

BTP
Big Titanium Profi ler
The concept and the dimensioning of the
machine structure form the basis of the high
dynamic and static stiffness of the machine.
A central element of the equipment is the
robust, high-precision swivel head whose construction
principles build on the tried and tested
single-axis swivel-head of the highly successful
StarragHeckert STC range. With a maximum
torque of 1,000 Nm per spindle, each with a
spindle speed of up to 8,000 rpm, the double
axis swivel-head provides optimum coverage of
the wide spectrum of technological demands
required of the machine.
All of the options for modern and automated
machining, such as workpiece and tool meas-
10
The StarragHeckert profi ler BTP 5000 is specifi cally designed for
machining large titanium structural parts for the aerospace industry.
This powerful machining centre is noted for its stable, rigid construction
and high attainment of precision. The BTP complements the
top-end of our tried and trusted STC range of 5-axis machining
centres.
urement, tool encoding, monitoring systems
and other useful functions are also available.
The package is rounded off by the revolutionary
high-performance StarragHeckert SAM graphical
diagnostic system.
As a spindle option for the single spindle version
of the BTP, 1300 Nm and 5600 rpm are also
available.
The BTP is equipped with advanced thermal
management: state-of-the-art thermal compensation
for spindle, swiveling two axis head and
structure. Moreover, the Z-axis bed is permanently
fl ushed with process coolant and the column
is equipped with meander-shaped channels
for the effective circulation of process
coolant.
The optional 100 bar internal coolant pressure
supply is top class. Its optimized installation
reduces internal pressure losses and leads to
longer tool life.
Starrag
Titanium Special 11
Powerful in every way. The X-axis measures 6,000
mm, the Y-axis 2,000 mm and the Z- axis 1,200 mm
(for the single-spindle machines).
A unique damping disk in the A-axis is used,
allowing unmatched depths of cut for 5-axis
simultaneous machining, creating the fundamental
basis for the implementation of
advanced roughing strategies.
The tool magazine has 400 pockets, and one
palette weighs over 30 tonnes with the entire
machining centre checking in at some 200
tonnes.

Technology Solutions Customer Services
Center of Production Excellence
In its state-of-the-art Center of Production
Excellence (CPE), StarragHeckert gives customers
the opportunity to test and optimise
new and demanding machining processes;
or to produce pilot lots or small component
batches. The 2000 m2 CPE is equipped
with the latest StarragHeckert 4- and 5-axis
machining centres, and the extensive services
offered range from the heavy-duty machining
of high-strength titanium alloys to the highspeed
cutting of light metal alloys.
12
Over the years our CPE has been of great
customer value and provided synergies to
the machine tool business. In parallel to the
machine tool build up the application engineers
proved out the technology on these machines.
After installation, they handed over the engineering
solution to customers’ machine, and
thus reduced signifi cantly the set-up-time.
With the CPE, StarragHeckert also offers
simultaneous and concurrent consultancy
services.
The StarragHeckert service spectrum is dedicated
to the continuous improvement of productivity.
It’s foundations are a rapidly-growing
service force, located close to customers’
facilities all over the world, and complete with
a global distribution network. Merely having a
presence at the customer‘s location does not
by any means guarantee increased productivity,
however.
Service Assistant Module (SAM)
SAM facilitates the effi cient planning and supervision
of all service and maintenance activity,
while the StarragHeckert-developed remote
online diagnosis system ensures the maximisation
of machine uptime.
Starrag
Titanium Special 13
What is more important is ensuring that all parts
are regularly monitored and serviced so that
they can be replaced before they break down,
and by carrying out systematic error analysis
with detailed feedback provided to the design
department.
These, along with comprehensive training for
machine operators and maintenance personnel,
are the basis for customer-specifi c optimisation
measures.

Engineering Services
We at StarragHeckert and DST combine our
leading technology with sophisticated process
services, drawing on over 30 years of experience
in tailoring manufacturing solutions for
companies that are leaders in their fi elds, in
cooperation with manufacturers of clamping
devices and cutting tools. Our comprehensive
packages include the development of complete
machining strategies and clamping concepts,
the use of innovative milling cutters, and the
optimisation of cutting performance.
14
We also work in close cooperation with leading
research institutes, making new discoveries all
the time and ensuring that solutions created for
customers always include the very latest manufacturing
technology.
MRO Solutions
TTL’s ‘Adaptive Machining’ technology
automates the machining and blending
of complex components which previously
required extensive work by hand.
This technology has been applied very successfully
across a wide range of applications in
the aerospace, power generation and general
manufacturing industries where work by hand
causes signifi cant cost and quality issues.
Specifi cally aimed at applications where geometry
differences exist between one component
and the next, TTL’s unique software – when
coupled with standard CNC machine tools –
provides the capability to automatically machine
and blend complex three-dimensional components
and features.
Geometry variation in components can exist
for a number of reasons. Castings and forgings
are prone to shrinkage, with variations resulting
from material and temperature fl uctuations.
Starrag
Titanium Special 15
High pressure compressor blades
before and after adaptive machining
Die wear and heat treatment can further distort
the intended shape of the part.
These problems are compounded when components
are repaired with the added issue of
the wear and distortion that have occurred
during operation. This is particularly true in
applications such as gas turbine components,
blades and vanes.
TTL is dedicated to delivering highly-effi cient,
advanced software-based machining solutions
and fi rst-class customer care.

© All rights reserved by StarragHeckert. All data are non-binding.
StarragHeckert-DST Group
Solutions
➝ StarragHeckert provides entire
solutions for the cutting of titanium
➝ StarragHeckert ‘titanium’ machining
centres are highly rigid and have
excellent dampening behaviour
➝ The compact rigid design of the
milling head enables cost-effective,
simultaneous five-axis machining
with optimal accessibilty to the
workpiece
➝ The 816 cm 3 /min chip-removal rate
16
is a world benchmark in titanium
machining on a single spindle
machine
➝ StarragHeckert-DST have called on
decades of experience for our 4-
and 5-axis simultaneous engineering
solutions
➝ TTL’s adaptive machining solutions
minimise operating costs
➝ World leaders use StarragHeckert’s
turnkey machining solutions for
precise and cost-effective titanium
machining
StarragHeckert AG
Seebleichestrasse 61
9404 Rorschacherberg
Switzerland
Phone +41 71 858 81 11
Fax +41 71 858 89 88
sales@starragheckert.com
www.starragheckert.com