There must be numerous testing and certification procedures before the aircraft takes off for the first time. The level of detail and the requirements of the required process are very high – even with the tiny metal parts used on the windows, the laser pointer is thoroughly tested before being installed on the aircraft. These measurements are necessary to ensure passenger safety.
South Korea's aerospace component manufacturer HIZEAERO Co. Ltd. ("Hizeaero") is a company that practices this approach, using FARO Edge ScanArm HD to conduct security testing on its projects.
Founded in 1999, Hizeaero initially supplied wings for domestic and international aircraft manufacturers. Later, the company expanded its operations to the entire aircraft manufacturing process from aircraft assembly, refurbishment maintenance, to aircraft component production (such as sheet metal processing and surface treatment). Many aviation giants are Hizeaero's customers, including Boeing, AVIC International, Tianjin Boeing Composites, China Commercial Aircraft, Xinminghe Industry, ACM, Shinco Aerospace, Korea Aerospace Industry (KAI), Korean Air and Asiana Airlines. .
In 2016, Hizeaero signed a supply contract with Boeing's subsidiary, the Chinese aircraft manufacturer, Tianjin Boeing Composites (BTC). Titanium foil is one of the key components that Hizeaero must supply. It is a film used to embed an airplane window frame.
Titanium foil is an ultra-thin titanium film with a thickness of only 0.003 inches (0.076 mm). Whether it is production or inspection, Hizeaero faces serious challenges. These challenges have been a major driver of Hizeaero's purchase of the FARO ScanArm.
Mr. Minkwon Yoo of the Quality Assurance team said: “Although titanium is a very hard metal, its properties are quite different when it is only 0.003 inches thick. It has high ductility, even the smallest pressure. It can also be easily bent. The operation of titanium foil alone is a big problem."
As a result, Hizearo's quality assurance team was unable to measure titanium foil using their existing fixed coordinate measuring machine (CMM). Since this metal material is very thin, it is also impossible to detect using conventional contact measurement methods. They encountered a portable laser pointer when looking for a suitable non-contact scanning device to measure titanium foil. Mr. Yoo said: “Since our customer, Tianjin Boeing Composites (BTC) highly recommended this equipment, we quickly made a decision. We value their advice because they have multiple contact measurement solutions using FARO. The program has a hugely successful personal experience."
FARO ScanArm enables Hizeaero to experience non-contact measuring equipment for the first time. The laser pointer is one of the best-selling products, which can be used for contact measurement using the probe or non-contact measurement with its integrated Laser Line Probe (LLP). Thanks to its 7-axis rotation and human arm design, the unit offers maximum versatility with a measuring range of 9 feet (2.7 m). With a scanning speed of 560,000 points per second, the LLP captures very detailed features even in the most complex parts.