For more than seven decades, Duval has provided aerospace OEMs with high-quality precision products. Our team understands the importance of producing flight-critical components that can be relied upon with absolute confidence, no matter how small. Recently, one of our clients specializing in the aerospace manufacturing industry asked us to fulfill an order for precision grinding on a set of linkage pins for landing gear assemblies.
Maintaining Tight Tolerances and Material Integrity On Small Components
All forms of aviation depend on landing gears to safely return to land at the end of each flight. As such, the requirements for producing landing gear assemblies are rigorous. For this project, the customer required precision grinding on a set of linkage pins made from Aermet 100 alloy, a particularly strong grade of steel. The parts were relatively small, no more than 1” x 2” x 5”, and had been plated with sulfamate nickel and chrome plating.
When grinding very small components, it can become more difficult to maintain a tight tolerance and mitigate the effects of thermal expansion. Our experienced grinders are able to work with diameters as small as 0.050” and maintain tolerances as low as +/–0.0001. To complete this project, the linkage pins required OD grinding to achieve the customer’s desired tolerance requirements of .0005”.
Troubleshooting Plating Issues
Initially, the coating on the parts sent over from the customer was insufficient. The layer of sulfamate nickel and chrome was simply not thick enough to allow our team to grind the linkage pins to the required dimensions. Our team communicated this issue to the customer immediately to work out a solution that would not put their production timeline on hold. Inevitably, the parts had to be returned to be chemically stripped and re-plated. Once the parts returned to our floor, our team of precision grinders were able to complete the job and minimize delays for the client.
If you require precision grinding services for aerospace components and equipment, contact the experts at Duval Precision Grinding, today.