Large-capacity Doosan vertical turning lathes occupy centre stage at new Hanwha Aerospace’s aero-engine parts production facility in Vietnam.
South Korean-based Hanwha Aerospace, part of the Hanwha Group – a FORTUNE Global 500 company – has announced that its plans to significantly ramp up production and supply of civil aircraft aero-engine parts (fans and compressors) to the global aerospace market through the creation of a new manufacturing facility in Vietnam, are nearing completion.
The new factory, located near Hanoi, is substantial and, at 60,000㎡, is approximately eight times the size of a football pitch. Building works, which began in 2017 are expected to be completed by the end of 2018.
To help the company achieve its ambitions it has invested heavily in a number of large-capacity Doosan vertical ram-type lathes (VTRs). By the end of January 2019 it is expected that 30 Doosan VTRs will have been installed at the new Vietnam factory – rising to 120 machines by 2024.
The Doosan machines supplied to Hanwha Techwin comprise VTR 1012F and VTR 1216F models.
Doosan’s F-designated VTR machines have a fixed cross beam design, as opposed to a travelling cross beam design – and, as such, are particularly suited to the machining of smaller, shorter components such as aero-engine rings.
In addition both VTR models also have a wide column and box guideway design, and are equipped with powerful ram-type spindles (up to 45kW/400rpm) and large diameter cross taper roller bearings for heavy-duty machining operations.
The machines also feature servo-driven tool changers for fast and accurate tool change, high-efficiency swarf evacuation and management systems for increased productivity and trouble-free machining, and a maximum turning diameter up to 1600mm (VTR 1216F).
Says Tony Dale, Technical Director at Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of Doosan machine tools in the UK and Ireland:
“Across the world Doosan machine tools are used extensively and are specified by global aerospace OEMs and by leading manufacturers in the aerospace supply chain.
“Hanwha Aerospace supplies aero-engine parts to GE, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce (to name but a few), and the sheer scale of this investment (120 machines in 5 years) is truly remarkable and demonstrates Doosan’s prowess in the aerospace sector.”