2015
AEROSPACE & DEFEN.A5E
Advanced VANUFACTURING sme PUBLISHER OF MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING MAGAZINE
Supplement to Manufacturing Engineering
2015
MANUFACTURING
PUBliSHER OF MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING MAGAZlNE
Supplement to tv1anufacturing Eng ineering
0•••••1enten
Hi-Tek's Laserdyne 795XL
fiber laser has capability
to maintain ±2% airflow
variation on a new
generation of aerospace
engine components, where
±10% had been the norm.
1111111 1
technology in action
Turbine components are fabricated with a six-axis fiber laser system
High-Tech Lasers at Hi-Tek Manufacturing
44 onstantly improving," is a term Cletis Jack-
son, president, and Gary Griessmann, vice
president and engineering manager, might
refer to when they talk about the future of Hi-Tek Manu-
facturing Co. (Mason OH). Founded in 1980, successful
and rapidly growing Hi-Tek Manufacturing has invested
consistently and heavily in the latest and best capabili-
ties to address the complex and changing needs of their
customers in the aerospace and gas turbine industries.
Hi-Tek is a highly regarded manufacturer of products for
the hot gas paths of turbines—everything from HPT blades
and vanes to combustion liners, structural fairing compo-
nents and complete assemblies. To improve its processing
of these parts, Hi-Tek recently implemented fiber laser to its
broad fabricating capabilities with a new Prima Power Laser-
dyne 795XL fiber laser system.
When asked about how the new system makes Hi-Tek
more competitive, Scott Stang, manufacturing technol-
ogy manager for Hi-Tek said, "Our new fiber laser system
produces better beam quality, with more consistent power,
considerably lower maintenance and the power consumption
is much less than earlier systems."
While YAG and CO, lasers continue as important manu-
facturing systems at Hi-Tek, (they operate a Laserdyne 780
JK704 purchased in 1996 and a Laserdyne 890 PRC 3500
1 1 1 — Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing 2015
Ill Ill
technology in action
Turbine components are fabricated with a six-axis fiber laser system
High-Tech Lasers at Hi-Tek Manufacturing
'' onstantly improving," is a term Cletis Jack
son, president, and Gary Griessmann, vice
president and engineering manager, might
refer to when they talk about the future of Hi-Tek Manu-
facturing Co. (Mason OH). Founded in 1980, successful
and rapidly growing Hi-Tek Manufacturing has invested
consistently and heavily in the latest and best capabili
ties to address the complex and changing needs of their
customers in the aerospace and gas turbine industries.
Hi-Tek is a highly regarded manufacturer of products for
the hot gas paths of turbines- everything from HPT blades
and vanes to combustion liners, structural fairing compo-
nents and complete assemblies. To improve its processing
of these parts, Hi-Tek recently implemented fiber laser to its
broad fabricating capabi lities with a new Prima Power Laser
dyne 795XL fiber laser system.
When asked about how the new system makes Hi-Tek
more competitive, Scott Stang, manufacturing technol-
ogy manager for Hi-Tek said, "Our new fiber laser system
produces better beam quality, with more consistent power,
considerably lower maintenance and the power consumption
is much less than earlier systems."
While YAG and C02
lasers continue as important manu
facturing systems at Hi-Tek, (they operate a Laserdyne 780
JK704 purchased in 1996 and a Laserdyne 890 PRC 3500
111 - Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing 2015
technology in action
Hi-Tek's Scott Stang holds an aerospace engine component processed on the company's Laserdyne 795XL Beam Director with fiber laser.
CO, laser purchased in 1995), the Laserdyne fiber-equipped
laser system presents new manufacturing opportunities for
Hi-Tek and its demanding customers.
According to Stang, those customers have a very broad
range of requirements, from a single complex part to an
entire program of parts needed with short lead time, manu-
factured over many months with multiple releases. To handle
these needs efficiently, Hi-Tek's services encompass a full
spectrum of manufacturing capabilities including fabricating,
machining, assembly and testing operations delivering "en-
gine ready" assemblies. This includes managing a particular
assembly's exacting purchasing and production requirements
from beginning to end.
To achieve this level of customer performance, Hi-Tek
Manufacturing is a PRI registered ISO 9001:2008, AS91000
and Nadcap AS7003 and AC7114 certified with AC7116 Non-
conventional machining certification.
The Fiber Laser's Contributions
"We're using the new fiber laser to percussion drill, trepan,
cut and weld," said Stang. "Products range in size from small
military aircraft engine applications to large distributed energy
turbines and all applications in between. Many of the com-
ponents require a combination of cooling hole drilling and
complete assembly including the fitting and laser welding of
sheetmetal components. Increasingly, these parts may have
a thermal barrier coating applied be-
fore cooling holes are drilled with the
fiber laser. Many components require
assembly, including vacuum brazing,
along with heat treatment before they
are shipped to customers."
"We deal with many different
materia! specifications," reported
Stang. "Almost all are high-temper-
ature nickel or cobalt-based alloys.
Many parts are precision castings,
some forgings and some sheetmetal
parts ranging from 0.002" up to 0.5"
[0.05-12.7-mm] thick. Many parts are
TBC coated.
"Part runs are all across the
map—from a one-piece lot size up
to production runs that last as long
as six months, never shutting down.
What is typical of most of our cus-
tomers is their needs change rapidly
and we have to change with them."
The high-temperature materials Hi-Tek processes is
especially challenging and includes Haynes 625m 188, 230
and 718. Material thickness ranges from 0.127 to 12.7 mm
and are processed readily on the new fiber laser. In addi-
tion to drilling these materials, Hi-Tek's new six-axis fiber
laser system cuts and welds medium-to-large 3D parts with
combined high velocity and acceleration. The system ac-
complishes a high level of quality with features that include
the Laserdyne third-generation Beam Director. It provides C
(rotary) axis motion of 900°, and D (tilt) axis motion of 300°.
This latest Beam Director laser beam positioning capability
combined with high-accuracy rotary table motion provides a
six-axis system enabling new manufacturing processes while
improving existing ones.
Accurate Processing
For Hi-Tek, achieving a high level of accuracy from pro-
totype to production stages and from one job to another is
possible because Laserdyne designs and integrates all of its
system features. Everything works together in a coordinated
manner—the controller, software, motion system, laser and
process sensors.
Of particular importance Stang pointed out, are "Laser-
dyne's software and hardware for part mapping and focus
control that enhance both the quality and cycle times com-
pared to traditional methods of production."
1 12 - Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing 2015
Ill Ill
technology in action
a thermal barrier coating applied be
fore cooling holes are dri lled with the
fiber laser. Many components require
assembly, including vacuum brazing,
along with heat treatment before they
are shipped to customers."
"We deal with many different
material specifications," reported
Stang. "Almost all are high-temper
ature nickel or cobalt-based alloys.
Many parts are precision castings,
some forgings and some sheetmetal
parts ranging from 0.002" up to 0.5 "
[0.05-12.7-mm] thick. Many parts are
TBC coated.
Hi-Tek's Scott Stang holds an aerospace engine component processed on the company's laserdyne 795Xl Beam Director with fiber laser.
"Part runs are all across the
map-from a one-piece lot size up
to production runs that last as long
as six months, never shutting down.
What is typical of most of our cus-
tomers is their needs change rapidly
C02
laser purchased in 1995), the Laserdyne fiber-equipped
laser system presents new manufacturing opportunities for
Hi-Tek and its demand ing customers.
According to Stang, those customers have a very broad
range of requirements, from a single complex part to an
entire program of parts needed with short lead time, manu
factured over many months with multiple releases. To handle
these needs efficiently, Hi-Tek's services encompass a full
spectrum of manufacturing capabilities including fabricating,
machining, assembly and testing operations delivering "en
gine ready" assemblies. This includes managing a particular
assembly's exacting purchasing and production requirements
from beginning to end.
To achieve this level of customer performance, Hi-Tek
Manufacturing is a PRI registered ISO 9001 :2008, AS91 000
and Nadcap AS7003 and AC7114 certified with AC7116 Non
conventional machining certification.
The Fiber Laser's Contributions
"We're using the new fiber laser to percussion drill, trepan,
cut and weld," said Stang. "Products range in size from small
military aircraft engine applications to large distributed energy
turbines and all applications in between. Many of the com
ponents require a combination of cooling hole drilling and
complete assembly including the fitting and laser welding of
sheetmetal components. Increasingly, these parts may have
and we have to change with them."
The high-temperature materials Hi-Tek processes is
especially challenging and includes Haynes 625m 188, 230
and 718. Material thickness ranges from 0.127 to 12.7 mm
and are processed readily on the new fiber laser. In addi-
tion to drilling these materials, Hi-Tek's new six-axis fiber
laser system cuts and welds med ium-to-large 3D parts w ith
combined high velocity and acceleration. The system ac
compl ishes a high level of quality with features that include
the Laserdyne third-generation Beam Director. It provides C
(rotary) axis motion of 900°, and 0 (tilt) axis motion of 300°.
This latest Beam Director laser beam positioning capabi lity
combined with high-accuracy rotary table motion provides a
six-axis system enabling new manufacturing processes while
improving existing ones.
Accurate Processing
For Hi-Tek, achieving a high level of accuracy from pro
totype to production stages and from one job to another is
possible because Laserdyne designs and integrates all of its
system features. Everything works together in a coordinated
manner-the controller, software, motion system, laser and
process sensors.
Of particular importance Stang pointed out, are "Laser
dyne's software and hardware for part mapping and focus
control that enhance both the quality and cycle times com
pared to traditional methods of production."
11 2 - Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing 2015
Among these are the SP94P control, which includes as
a standard feature a full complement of dedicated hardware
and software features. These include Automatic Focus Control
for capacitive part sensing, patented Optical Focus Control
(OFC) for sensing of thermal barrier coated surfaces, Shape-
Soft software for programming shaped holes, Break Through
Detection for drilling clean, consistent holes with the minimum
number of pulses, and multibuffer capable mapping.
The Optical Focus Control (OFC)/Automatic Focus Control
(AFC) feature is particularly important to Hi-Tek's work.
Continuously refined so that both hardware and software is
leading edge, OFC/AFC precisely guides the motion system,
maintaining criticai focus position and following the contour
of the part regardless of slight surface irregularities. With all
machine axes reacting to sensing of the part surface, this
creates unlimited R-axis correction with high speed and
sensitivity. OFC/AFC allows top machine speeds so produc-
tivity is maximized without downtime or scrapped parts. The
SP94P control also allows Hi-Tek to use programs created for
Five-axis laser beam motion allows efficient use of the work
envelope, enabling processing at complex angles.
Turbine parts have complex cooling-hole requirements.
Laserdyne systems drill holes in these high-temperature
materials with high-speed accuracy.
envelope, making it ideai for demanding process validation
and reliability requirements. Accuracy of the new system is
certified to ISO 230-1:1996 and 230-2:2006 in accordance
with Prima Power Laserdyne's standard accuracy and repeat-
ability test procedures.
"We feel strongly that the addition of the 795XL with all of
its latest control features along with new fiber laser allows us
to improve our throughput and quality while providing a plat-
form for both larger and more complex components requiring
drilling, welding and cutting," reported Stang.
With only a few months of use, Stang's overall appraisal
of the new Laserdyne 795XL fiber laser quality is quite high
stating that "the trepan quality is excellent with very little exit
burr. Maintenance of the new fiber laser system hasn't been
an issue. Our operators like operating the system. All of our
folks here have enjoyed a good relationship with Laserdyne
ever since we bought our first system in 1995." e>
its other Laserdyne systems with little or no modification.
As for speed, the new Laserdyne fiber laser system
operates at up to 800 ipm in all axes (0-20 m/min) with
bidirectional accuracy of 0.0005" (12.7 pm). This accuracy
is throughout the system's 80 x 40 x 40" (2 x 1 x 1-m) work
This feature was edited by Senior Editor Michael Anderson
from information provided by Prima Power Laserdyne.
1 1 3 - Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing 2015
Ill Ill
Among these are the SP94P control , which includes as
a standard feature a full complement of ded icated hardware
and software features. These include Automatic Focus Control
for capacitive part sensing, patented Optical Focus Control
(OFC) for sensing of thermal barrier coated surfaces, Shape
Soft software for programming shaped holes, Break Through
Detection for drilling clean, consistent holes with the minimum
number of pulses, and multibuffer capable mapping.
The Optical Focus Control (OFC)/Automatic Focus Control
(AFC) feature is particularly important to Hi-Tek's work.
Continuously refined so that both hardware and software is
leading edge, OFC/AFC precisely guides the motion system,
maintaining critical focus position and following the contour
of the part regardless of slight surface irregularities. With all
machine axes reacting to sensing of the part surface, this
creates unlimited R-axis correction with high speed and
sensitivity. OFC/AFC allows top machine speeds so produc
tiv ity is maximized without downtime or scrapped parts. The
SP94P control also allows Hi-Tek to use programs created for
) .... ••• • . •\
Turbine parts have complex cooling-hole requirements. Laserdyne systems drill holes in these high-temperature materials with high-speed accuracy.
its other Laserdyne systems with little or no modification.
As for speed, the new Laserdyne fiber laser system
operates at up to 800 ipm in all axes (0-20 m/min) w ith
bidirectional accuracy of 0.0005 " (12 .7 1-Jm). This accuracy
is throughout the system's 80 x 40 x 40 " (2 x 1 x 1-m) work
Five-axis laser beam motion allows efficient use of the work envelope, enabling processing at complex angles.
envelope, making it ideal for demanding process validation
and reliability requ irements. Accuracy of the new system is
certified to ISO 230- 1:1996 and 230-2:2006 in accordance
w ith Prima Power Laserdyne's standard accuracy and repeat
ability test procedures.
"We feel strongly that the addition of the 795XL with all of
its latest control features along with new fiber laser allows us
to improve our throughput and quality while providing a plat
form for both larger and more complex components requiring
drilling, weld ing and cutting," reported Stang.
With only a few months of use, Stang's overall appraisal
of the new Laserdyne 795XL fiber laser quality is quite high
stating that "the trepan quality is excellent with very little exit
burr. Maintenance of the new fiber laser system hasn't been
an issue. Our operators like operating the system. All of our
folks here have enjoyed a good relationsh ip with Laserdyne
ever since we bought our first system in 1995." ~
This feature was edited by Senior Editor Michael Anderson
from information provided by Prima Power Laserdyne.
l l 3 - Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing 2015