UCONN Mechanical Engineering Senior Design Job Ticket

Sponsoring Company: Whitcraft LLC

Project Title: Design, Development and Fabrication of a Right Sized Compact Press Rolling Machine

Prime Contacts: Allen Roy aroy@whitcraftgroup.com , phoneFaculty Advisor:

The Engineering Challenge: WHITCRAFT, LLC is a respected leader in lean manufacturing producing formed, machined and fabricated sheet metal aerospace components and assemblies manufactured from a broad variety of materials. Whitcraft currently fabricates Gas Turbine nickel alloy high compressor stators by a press rolling process. Each press roll machine occupies over 30 square feet of floor space and 10 ft. high (see figure 1). The press roll process requires over 200 tons (>400K lbs.) of load and very precise dimensional control. The airfoils are approximately 2 x 3 inches (see figure 2). Future production volumes require multiple machines which will occupy a significant amount of floor space. The challenge of this project is to develop a compact press roll machine.

Description of Problem/Project: Whitcraft is world leader in the application of lean manufacturing principles. They use an innovation process called “Moonshining“to identify new ideas for rapid trial and learning to develop “out of the box” problem solutions. A 2016-2017 Senior design team succesfully applied the Moonshine process in the design and fabrication of a hot form press (see figure 3).

The 2017-2018 student team will use this process and all of the resources available at Whitcraft to design, build and validate a compact press roll machine. The specific process will be determined once the Senior Design team is formed and meets with Whitcraft. The target objectives are:

75% Reduction of floor space No tools for set up Osha compliant (safety) Meets applicable “Universal No’s Portable

Required tonnage about 200 tons Tool Storage Single breath set up PLC control Roll Form Inco 718 (AMS 5596) Hands free loading and unloading

Figure 1 (Current press Roll Machine)

Figure 2 Rolled Stator Vane Rolled Stator Van Assembly

Figure 3 New Hot Form press developed with Moonshine Process.

Expected Deliverables:

Documentation of all requirements.

Calculation of loads and deflections

Calculation of thermal transfer

Identify through 3P, or other process, options for design.

Down select a load frame configuration that will meet all production and quality standards based on loads and deflections.

Determination of load application mechanism (no hydraulics).

Design and selection of all necessary actuation and control hardware.

Complete fabrication of roll press design.

Validation that resulting design meet all requirements.

Is there a specific software package required for the projects? Y ___ N _X__

Which package (name/version) ______________________

U.S. Citizen/Person (green card) Required? Y__X__ N ___

Will Export Controlled data be used in project (EAR/ITAR) Y __X___N___

NDA/IP Agreements required? Y _X__ N __

Other considerations: