Aircraft Maintenance Technology

JAN-FEB 2017

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GENER AL AVIATION 34 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY ity and size, as well as NDT and alloy requirements. Cost is split between nonrecurrent reverse engineering and mold design costs, and part production cost. Lead time can vary from several weeks for simple parts to three to six months when complex reverse engineering is required. The process is much faster than the standard foundry part development time. AM of the above described part is some- what simpler, since no molds are neces- sary. At a current cost of $500 per cubic inch of a structure, a motor housing would cost about $50,000 per piece - way more than this method. So far, the absence of spare parts meant in past a sure "death" of an aircraft. With this reverse engineering, the operational life of an historical aircraft can be extend- ed at a manageable cost. Smaller batches are also affordable. The above engine crankcase is only one example, a remanu- factured brake drum of the Junkers JU52, which was no longer available, was also built. There are just few similar projects in the USA and Europe that will lead to whole aircraft in the next two to three years with the use of reverse engineering. For example, Replic Air from Toulouse, France is building the Le Dewoitine D551, an aircraft destroyed before its maiden flight in WW2 (www.replicair.fr). In such large-scale projects, the fuselages and wings are "relatively" easy to manufacture because they are made of wood or sheet metal. However, problems arise with non- existing undercarriage and engine compo- nents. Here reverse engineering can make a project feasible. Currently the maximum possible size of a part depends on the dimension of a job box what still limits the production of some parts. Software and testing techniques must also be further developed and adapted. So far, there are only a handful of companies in the world that use this method. With the fast growth of 3-D printing technologies and machines, this will hopefully change soon. For more information visit www.vin- tair.com or www.ventana-group.eu. MARINO BORIC graduated with a university degree as an aeronautic engineer, and acquired degrees in business development/trade and commerce and in journalism. He is a civil and military pilot and has built experimental aircraft. As a journalist, he specializes in aviation and propulsion and travels worldwide, flight-testing UL, LSA, Experimental, and certified aircraft. He is writing for U.S., European, and Chinese media companies. THE JUNKERS JU52 original brake drum (left), and the new one using reverse engineering (right). AviationPros.com/company/10018066

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