Aerospace Nomex Honeycomb Ultrasonic Machining

1. Enhancing finished surface in reducing chipping-width to 4 times. 2. Effective in various shaping, such as V cut and horizontal cutting.

HIT Ultrasonic Machining Module Qulity test in Nomex Honeycomb:

In the following picture below, we could find that there are obvious different in the comparison between using non-ultrasonic and HIT Ultrasonic Machining Module.
The picture in the left hand side shows machined results using non-ultrasonic machining method, which created more laceration in the fiber；on the other side, the cutting edge only generated little chipping-width while using HIT Ultrasonic Machining Module, reducing chipping-width to 4 times!
Nomex Honeycomb Quality Comparison between Non-Ultrasonic machining and HIT Ultrasonic Machining

There is another contrast in using non-ultrasonic machining traditional method and HIT Ultrasonic Machining Module.
In the same condintion, traditional CNC machining teared and squeezed the structure because of wrong cutting force； while HIT Ultrasonic machining module achieved neater and smoothier cutting surface due to the fact that ultrasonic dense vibration could subtly remove the material, thus reducing cutting resistence in machining.

Comparison of cutting surface between using non-ultrasonic machining method and HIT Ultrasonic Machining Module

In different type of shaping, HIT Ultrasonic Machininig Module could suits itself in various equipment,such as robots arms and CNC machining machine, gaining more flexibility than special purpose machine within the same or even better cutting quality!

HIT Ultrasonic Machining Module applied in Nomex Honeycomb V cut machining

HIT Ultrasonic machining module applied Nomex honeycomb horizontal machining


HIT ultrasonic machining module provides high frequency vibration to assist traditional machining. Instead of crashing the structure immediately, the micro vibration  slightly remove the materials, solving the problem in structure laceration.
 
Same and even better quality but more economic than special purpose machine； Plug and play module type is easily add-on various machine and robot arm, providing effective use in space and cost.
 

HIT Highlight and Comparison
Method HIT Ultrasonic Special purpose machine
Equipment
  • Traditional CNC machine
  • Plug and play ultrasonic machining module
  • Special purpose machine
  • Special spec tools
Quality
  • Same even better to special purpose machine. 
  • Compared to traditional way, reducing chipping width to 4 times.
  • Well-performanced only in Nomex composites
 
Cost
  • No need for changing whole equipment, only plug and play module installation.
  • Introduction time lasts only 1 day.
  • Special purpose machine search and purchase
  • At least 14 days for introduction
  • Expensive tools expenses

 


The application in Nomex honeycomb has skyrocketed recently through aerospace and defense industries. Due to its lightweight and tough structure, It is normally used in aerospace sandwich structure to reduce wings weight and increased the endurance within high impact and stress. However, the honeycomb structure also makes it difficult to machine because of significant different endurance between longitude and horizon.
 
In this case, we will apply HIT ultrasonic machining module to conquer the difficulties in Nomex honeycomb machining. The trial proved that even in the situation of inclined plane, it can reduced chipping width to four times, enhancing the quality apparently!
 
Nomex equips high strength in longitudinal direction. Nevertheless, when it comes to its endurance in horizontal directions, it turns to be fragile and prone to be squeezed and teared while using traditional CNC machining because of its hollow structure.
 
The laceration in machining often causes severe broken structure and chipping width, hence, the machined quality couldn’t be well controlled.