Issuu

REPORTAGE - HANA ITM INC.

The next logical step HANA ITM INC, which was established in 2003 and based in South Korean Gimhae-si, is specialized in the production of parts for the aviation industry. To begin with, the focus was on honeycomb seals and shrouds for gas turbines, but then the company developed a new process for the production of lowpressure turbine nozzles. An interview with CEO Steve Yoon. EROWA: Mr. Yoon, you played a key role in the development of the new process. Can you explain it in more detail? STEVE YOON: “It’s a 5-axis CBN creep-feed grinding process. The work-pieces are LPT guide vanes – LPT stands for lowpressure turbine. Our process machines the nozzle components that are needed for this part. In contrast to classical grinding, the process has the advantage thata grinding wheel is used in which a great deal of material can be removed without burr formation, this results in a big cutting depth. Also, the process is faster, and we get a good surface quality. The grinding wheel consists of diamonds and cubic boron nitride (CBN), which

is the hardest known abrasive. We need this, because the workpieces themselves are highly resistant since they have to withstand extremely high temperatures.” It probably wasn’t all that easy to develop this process? “To tell you the truth, it was a big challenge for all of us. We developed, tested and re-adapted intensively for two years… and the entire solution required substantial investments. There are countless ways of machining turbine nozzles, and the methods vary from company to company. The machining technology of 5-axis CBN creep-feed grinding provided the break-through for the efficient grinding of the radial grooves of turbine nozzles. We’re very proud of this, and we’re the only ones in Korea who are able to do this. It was also a very crucial step that the machine producer DOOSAN modified its DNM350 5ax with special grinding equipment for us, for this machine type is really a milling machine, but we use the machine for this creepfeed grinding process.

REPORTAGE - HANA ITM INC.

Not long ago, you and EROWA automated a production cell which consists of no fewer than ten such modified DOOSAN DNM350. They are served by the EROWA Robot Dynamic 150L. “The automation of the process was the next logical step. The whole plant is 25 meters in length. The robot serves five machines on each side. Added to this, there are two loading stations, and after the machining process, the parts are washed and checked on a coordinate measuring machine. This plant has proved extremely successful. We were able to reduce personnel expenditure by 75 percent while reducing non-conformities by 30 percent. And this with a simultaneous increase in production agility. I can say that we’ve attained our objective!”

What was the main reason for you to invest in this EROWA Solution? “Well, the entire system is very agile and flexible. But that’s clear, we’re talking about major orders when ten DNM350s are working at the same time. Also, our customers from the aero/ gas turbine sector are international players: B/E Aerospace (is part of Rockwell Collins USA), Sukhoi Civil Aircraft of Russia, Hanwha Aerospace Korea with end customers GEAE and Pratt & Whitney, and many others. To be successful, you don’t only have to be competent but also competitive with regard to quality, technology and prices. In addition, you’ve got to have the necessary certifications; in our case, AS9100, the international standard for quality management systems of the aviation, space and defense industries. We’ve also have the NADCAP certification, a standard of the aviation industry for special processes and special products; this is about the highest degree of process control.”

How long have you been working with EROWA? “The cell I’ve just described constitutes the start of our cooperation with EROWA. The project started in early 2020. Incidentally, it’s not only the robots and loading stations that are from EROWA but also the universal UPC workpiece tooling system, which has been installed on all machine tables. And the JMS 4.0 process control system, which also makes a crucial contribution to success, operates in the background. It provides us with all the production data and provides a comprehensive overview of the workflow at all times. The washing machine and the measuring machine are also integrated in the process.”

REPORTAGE - HANA ITM INC.

What are Hana ITM’s plans for the future? “We intend to carry automation further, yes. This can be an option in a wide variety of areas, in grinding, milling, EDM… At present, we have very specific hopes of being awarded a new project – and that could very well be the next order for EROWA.”

Mr. Yoon, thank you for this interview!

HANA ITM INC. The headquarter of the company is located in Gimhae-si on the southeastern coast near Busan, the country’s second largest city. The production of aircraft and gas turbine components is part of its core business. Besides chip-removing machining, Hana also operates EDM and WEDM centers. The materials that are machined include nickel, cobalt, premium steel and various aluminum alloys up to a workpiece size of one meter in diameter.

EROWA AG Knutwilerstrasse 3 CH-6233 Büron info@erowa.com www.erowa.com

REPORTAGE - HANA ITM INC.