Process and apparatus for manufacturing products of defined thickness

Abstract

The apparatus for making products of defined thickness to be used to make parts of aerospace structures comprises an automatic machine tool and a frame for supporting the products being processed. The machine tool comprises a machining unit equipped with a head that mounts a tool designed to remove material from defined areas of the product in such a way as to selectively reduce its thickness.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A process for manufacturing products of defined thickness used as parts in aerospace structures, the process comprising at least the step of mechanically removing the material of which the product is made at least from defined and separate areas of the product in order to reduce the thickness of and thus lighten the product.  
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the material is removed to a different extent in each of the defined areas.  
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the material is removed in qua ntiti es that are substantially inversely proportional to the level of stress that the di fferent areas of the product are required to resist.  
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 1 , comprising, in combination with the step of removing material from the product, a further step of mechanically finishing areas of the product that will form, in the product itself, sections for connecting other parts of the structure and/or for joining a plurality of the products.  
     
     
         5 . The process according to any of the foregoing claims from  1  to  4 , wherein the material is mechanically removed by milling.  
     
     
         6 . The process according to any of the foregoing claims from  1  to  5 , wherein the step of removing the material is performed on a product that is initially substantially flat and comprises a further step of plastically deforming the product in order to give it the shape required to make the part of the structure.  
     
     
         7 . The process according to any of the foregoing claims from  1  to  5 , wherein the step of removing the material is performed on a product that is already plastically deformed in the shape required to make the part of the structure.  
     
     
         8 . The process according to  claim 6  or  7 , comprising the further step of positioning the product on a supporting frame that is shaped to match it.  
     
     
         9 . The process according to  claim 8 , further comprising the step of holding the product in position on the frame in contact with a face of the frame and forming the matching shape of the frame, the face constituting a reference system for the step of removing the material.  
     
     
         10 . The process according to  claim 9 , wherein the step of holding in position is performed by suction through suction means.  
     
     
         11 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of removing the material is performed by a tool mounted on a tool holder head that can move in space at least along three directions that are perpendicular to each other.  
     
     
         12 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein the tool holder head is driven by linear electric motors along at least one of the three perpendicular directions.  
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for manufacturing products of defined thickness used as parts in aerospace structures, comprising at least one tool mounted on a tool holder head that can move in space at least along three directions that are perpendicular to each other, the tool engaging with the product in such a way as to remove the material of which the product is made at least from defined and separate areas of the product in order to reduce the thickness of and lighten the product.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , further comprising a frame which supports the product and which is shaped to match the product in such a way as to hold the product in a fixed position when it engages with the tool.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the supporting frame is shaped to match the product at least at its upper face that engages with the product.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the upper face of the frame defines a reference system for driving the tool.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from  14  to  16 , further comprising suction means connected to the supporting frame and designed to hold the product in a fixed position relative to the frame itself.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from  13  to  17 , wherein the tool holder head is driven by linear electric motors along at least one of the three perpendicular directions.