Aero-engine discs are very critical parts since they are exposed to high stress and temperature during flights. Engine disc components such as bearing rings, fan and compressor discs are subjected to extensive inspections during the different manufacturing stages, including dimensional controls up to the detection of the tiniest surface flaws on rolling surfaces (bearing raceways).

Nondestructive Testing (NDT) is the name given to the processes designed to verify the integrity of a structure in such a way that the performance of that component is not impaired by the test.

“Since the beginning, humans have searched for superior more practical methods to fulfill holding and clamping needs.” I said this a long time ago about modular tooling and the beat goes on.

If you ever get a chance to watch an aircraft being built, take it. Walking through the aircraft hangar at Northrop Grumman’s Palmdale, CA, facility, you will see two unmanned aircraft, each with a 130-foot wingspan, parked behind yellow tape. The scale of the aircraft and the desert setting make it feel like a movie set.