Getting on the Nearly Net

Near-net extrusion of many aerospace components can achieve substantial cost savings through reduced material wastage, tooling and machining costs, with the ability to produce long lengths and more complex shapes, argues the Plymouth Tube Company.

Plymouth's extruded shapes division at Hopkinsville, Kentucky, says appreciation of these factors is growing with aerospace manufacturers and suppliers increasingly turning to the use of near-net shapes.

Examples are shown on Plymouth's stand, A/31 in Hall 2. The company's John Silk cites one manufacturer, who is producing seat tracks up to 28 feet in length and in more than 60 configurations from a total of seven near-net extrusions. Using this manufacturer's extruded components one airframe maker had saved as much as 4,000 lbs of titanium per aircraft.

By Bob Rodwell