AEDC Spark Tank: New system improves speed, accuracy of regularly-sought Model Shop task

Peyton Teters, an aerospace precision machinist in the Arnold Engineering Development Complex Model and Machine Shop at Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn., demonstrates July 30, 2024, how machinists previously determined whether openings in equipment met the required specifications following boring. Before the acquisition of new boring heads, an indicator had to be placed on the bored equipment and a read-out obtained manually. A proposal to procure upgraded boring heads for the Model Shop was among the projects selected in 2024 to receive innovation grant funding through the AEDC Spark Tank program. The new boring heads include technology that measures bored holes and features built-in digital readouts which allow machinists to quickly see whether a hole meets specifications. (U.S. Air Force photo by Bradley Hicks)