Brown & Holmes has an excellent reputation in the design and manufacture of bespoke workholding solutions, much of which they feel has come from their focus on making sure their customers are happy with the end result. Over 75 years in engineering design and manufacture, a heavy-weight team of experienced designers, and a focus on ensuring customer satisfaction have earned them clients in the UK, Ireland, and as far away as Singapore.

Providing a fixturing solution for Singapore-based client

The OP-20 is part of a suite of fixtures Brown & Holmes has provided and is used in the manufacture of aircraft turbine blades. In this case, the Singapore-based client had a good idea of what needed to be machined at different operations. The challenge for the team was to make sure the component was held in a repeatable and accurate manner, as they were dealing with highly complex geometry.

This operation involved machining all the aerofoil on both sides and around the leading and trailing edges. The platform machining is also done on this fixture, and as this feature is in long-term service, it also involves machining the tip of the blade off in the same process. Access was key to ensuring a good tool path and producing the part in a single, uninterrupted operation.

Accuracy of hold is key to successful machining

As a 2-part fixture, the dovetail holds the root of the aerofoil in the bottom half, and the accuracy of the hold is key. The tip of the blade is then held at the top, so even if there are only microns of inaccuracy, there will be millimetres out at the top of the blade. The two halves have obviously got to be completely in line to ensure that there is no variation or thickness of the finished machine parts. It must be perfect.

Fixturing support and service worldwide

Brown & Holmes have been supporting this fixturing solution for over 10 years, with some 19 fixtures used in the client’s operation in Singapore. Brown & Holmes supports this process with cutting trials done in the UK, tool manufacture in Italy, or delivery to our end user in Singapore.

The manufacturing service is diverse, covering many different industries, and our customers get the same level of support whether they are in the UK, Ireland or halfway around the world.