ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. -- Team members in the Arnold Air Force Base Model and Machine Shop felt the boring process was in need of an update.
The opportunity to bring this revamp to fruition presented itself in fall 2023 when the idea submission period began for the Arnold Engineering Development Complex Innovation Spark Tank program.
An idea proposed by Bob Williams, precision Machine Shop superintendent at Arnold AFB, headquarters of AEDC, was among the projects selected by the AEDC Spark Tank board to receive innovation grant funding. With the award, Model Shop personnel acquired improved boring heads to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of functions regularly performed in the shop.
An increased demand for boring and honing work experienced by those in the Model Shop spurred the Spark Tank submission. Williams wrote that shop personnel were utilizing “vintage” boring equipment which could create inefficiency and quality issues. He added the acquisition of new technology to replace the outdated equipment would improve project flow and quality.
“I am grateful to have this much-improved boring capability for our precision machine shop at AEDC,” said Warner Holt, Test Operations and Sustainment contract group manager for manufacturing services at Arnold AFB. “Having this upgrade in technology provided by the Spark Tank program has enabled us to better serve our customers via a timely and quality-focused option that we did not have available before. The efficiency and improved quality we can now provide really makes a difference on a daily basis as we do our part to support today’s warfighters.”
In machining, boring is essentially the process by which an existing hole or opening in a piece of equipment or a part is widened. Honing as it applies to Williams’ Spark Tank application refers to the smoothening of the equipment surface where boring has been performed to provide proper shape and greater precision.
“Boring and honing are connected at the hip when it comes to quality machining,” Williams’ submission reads. “High-speed boring machines with the latest insert technologies have a cleaner finish, free of pulled out material and ready for honing, setting the stage for a quality finish after honing.”
Pressure placed on a cylinder wall during a boring operation is the leading cause of bore distortion. Williams wrote that the acquisition of upgraded equipment would help rectify this issue.
“Utilizing a new boring system - a positive rake, smaller radius boring insert to reduce cutting pressure during the boring process - can reduce this stress,” Williams’ submission reads. “This will improve efficiency and quality, which will be required due to increased demand.”
Boring is performed on pieces of equipment in the Model Shop to create a smoother surface for air or fluid to flow through or to provide precise openings to serve as connection points to other parts.
Precision Machinist Leadman and AEDC Fellow Norman Smith said the new boring system can be used on boring machines already in place in the Model Shop.
“It can be installed on several different machines because the adaptors we bought will fit any of our CAT 50 CNCs or CAT 40 CNCs [Caterpillar® V-flange Computer Numerical Controls], but we can also run it on manual machines, so it’s very versatile across the shop,” Smith said.
The system purchased by the Model Shop with the Spark Tank funding can be used to complete boring operations across a wide range of sizes, from holes measuring just shy of a quarter of an inch in diameter to those measuring up to 14 inches in diameter.
Along with providing greater accuracy across multiple depths and width, the new system is also expected to increase efficiency. The boring heads include technology that measures bored holes and feature built-in digital readouts which allow machinists to quickly see whether a hole meets specifications. Previously, this would require machinists to place an indicator on the bored equipment and manually determine whether a hole met the desired measurement.
“With this right here, you won’t have to do that,” Smith said of the new system. “It’s going to improve overall quality and time.”
Boring operations are performed an average of three days per week in the Arnold AFB Model and Machine Shop. According to Williams’ Spark Tank submission, the improved spindle speeds provided by the new system will increase productivity by 1.5 hours per day which would equate to approximately $295 worth of repurposed time per week.
“Demand for this unit is growing, so the increased productivity will compound over time,” Williams wrote.
Spark Tank is an annual Department of the Air Force event that allows military, Department of Defense civilians and contractors to pitch innovative solutions to difficult Air Force and Space Force problems. The Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, Management, and AFWERX introduced Spark Tank innovation awards to recognize innovative solutions proposed and developed by personnel across the enterprise. The awards are designed to encourage innovation development, talent retention and expedite the adoption of emerging technologies that impact the Air Force and Space Force.
The inaugural Spark Tank event was in 2018, and it has been held annually since.
The deadline for proposals for the 2024 AEDC Spark Tank was in January. The following month, the AEDC Spark Tank board reviewed the submitted ideas, and those selected to present their ideas to the Spark Tank panel were partnered with a team from the AEDC Continuous Improvements and Innovation group to receive help with the boarding process. Idea owners subsequently pitched their proposals to the board, and feedback was provided on the presented submissions.
“Internal innovation enables Arnold AFB to proactively address emerging challenges in the aerospace testing domain,” said AEDC Innovation Manager Aaron Allen. “Whether it’s adapting to new regulatory requirements, addressing safety concerns or overcoming technical obstacles, internal innovation ensures that the facility remains agile and responsive to changing circumstances.
“Overall, internal innovation is instrumental in driving continuous improvement and ensuring that Arnold AFB remains at the forefront of aerospace testing and technology development.”