Aviation Industry Four WFL Millturns Reduce Setup Times and Increase Autonomy

The Spanish company Cesa Héroux Devtek operates no fewer than four Millturns from WFL and can reduce working hours with advanced adjustments.

Cesa, Compañía Española de Sistemas Aeronáuticas S.A.U, is an international company that belongs to the Canadian group Héroux-Devtek and is currently known as Héroux Devtek Spain (HD Spain). Its main activities include the design, development, production, maintenance, and support of products for hydraulic and drive systems. Hydraulic and electromechanical technologies are used in a variety of applications, ranging from flight controls to landing gear actuations and cargo doors.

Two M35-G/1800 millimeters (approx. 71 inches) and two M100/3000 millimeters (approx. 118 inches) are located in the production hall of Cesa Héroux Devtek. “The machines we have at our facility were purchased considering the type of parts to be processed and in search of process improvements. We process complex pistons up to 2 meters in length (approx. 7 ft), with a diameter of 56 millimeters (approx. 2 inches) and a wall thickness of 2.8 millimeters (approx. 0.1 inches),” emphasizes Iñigo Meseguer regarding the decisions for the WFL machines. The parts produced on the machines are used in aviation, mainly referring to hydraulic cylinders, hydraulic pistons, and structural components such as pins, rotary joints, or wheel axles for landing gears. The batch sizes range from 8 to 16 pieces.

Gallery

The overall package was convincing

To achieve the best possible results, the WFL machines had to meet certain requirements, which ultimately were decisive for the purchase. First and foremost are the robustness and precision of the Millturn, as well as the automation capabilities.

Cesa Héroux Devtek wanted to optimize the process: "Efficiency and Combo, as we call it, are very important criteria for us," says Iñigo Meseguer. The term "Combo" means for the company that one operator is responsible for two to three Millturns.

Our operators are highly skilled and can work on multiple machines simultaneously. This, in turn, compels us to strive for efficiency in the processes so that machine downtime can be kept to a minimum.

Iñigo Meseguer, Production Manager, Cesa Héroux Devtek

The future of automation for parts like those of Cesa Héroux Devtek lies in minimizing setup times on a stopped machine as much as possible, ensuring the machine operates autonomously for as long as possible, and that the stop is programmed with the operator being warned in advance.

In this regard, the company has developed a warning system that communicates with the machines and alerts the operator when the machine stops, indicating what action needs to be taken. Iñigo Meseguer says: “This process is also part of digitalization and sustainability, as we operate paperlessly in our factory, meaning we have removed paper from the cells and everything is digital.”

Lathes, machining centers, in some cases also grinding machines, as well as the fact that the machining processes were simplified through the standardization of operations, were the answer to the question of which machines or processes were replaced by the Millturns.

"We can definitely say that we have found in WFL what we were looking for and needed: namely, a very good solution for our products," emphasizes Iñigo Meseguer.

"The service from WFL is one of the best out there," praises Iñigo Meseguer, adding, "The experts who can be reached via the service hotline impress on every level with their quick and direct support. We also have SIAISA, which represents WFL in Spain, and they are committed, responsive, and help us find solutions to problems."

Europe’s security landscape is changing rapidly

As defence budgets rise and EU programmes expand, civil technology providers are becoming vital contributors to Europe’s strategic autonomy. The event will act as a neutral platform for dialogue between technology suppliers, integrators, and decision-makers shaping the next generation of European defence capabilities and aims to open doors between civil industry and defence procurement, providing practical insights.

Find out more and register

Automation, digitalization, and sustainability

In terms of automation, digitalization, and sustainability, Cesa Héroux Devtek has come a long way. “Our main goal is to grow as an industry leader and exceed the expectations of our current and potential customers through dedication and constant commitment, and this can only be achieved by focusing on automation, digitalization, sustainability, and new technologies such as artificial intelligence. In this context, we already have experience with internal developments from 2021, where I internally developed a visual recognition system based on convolutional neural networks with the LEAN team at Cesa, paving the way for new horizons in machining and surface treatment. We are on this path, and I am confident that this technology will undoubtedly help us make 'smarter' decisions in routine processes, detect anomalies in real-time, work on predictive maintenance, increase our efficiency, and equip Cesa with dynamic capabilities that are undoubtedly crucial for companies that know how to adapt to adversity,” Iñigo Meseguer asserts.

History of Cesa

Cesa was founded in 1989 on the initiative of the Spanish government to improve the international position of the Spanish aerospace accessories industry as a result of the commitment under the Eurofighter program and to develop, manufacture, and maintain products and systems for the aircraft. In 2007, Cesa consolidated its operations with the opening of a new facility in Seville (Spain), dedicated to MRO and services. In 2018, Héroux-Devtek acquired 100 percent of Cesa's shares from Airbus Defence & Space. From that point on, the company became part of the Héroux-Devtek group and operated under the name Héroux-Devtek Spain (HD Spain).

This expands the Héroux-Devtek group, the world's third-largest company specializing in the development of landing gear, by broadening its range of products and services in the field of hydraulic and actuation systems and incorporating new technologies such as electromechanical actuation into its portfolio. The Héroux-Devtek group includes 15 facilities in North America and Europe and currently employs a total of 1,800 people.

Héroux-Devtek Spain constantly optimizes its engineering, certification, and manufacturing capabilities to develop high-quality products and services in the field of civil and military aviation.