Aeronaut Cutting Systems for Aerospace & Defence

 
 

Aeronaut has been supplying automated cutters to NASA and defence contractors for over 15 years. Machines are working on everything from space suits, aerostats, MLI, reentry parachutes, military parachutes harnesses and containers, composite helmets, tents, truck canvas, bags and packs, body armour, RIBS and camouflage products. With a range so big, we can only cover a few specifics. Contact Aeronaut Sales for the full story using the link at the bottom of this page if you want to know more.

Blade Cutters

Blade cutters can cut the widest range and thickness of materials from synthetics, natural fibres, mesh and foam as well as composite materials and leather. Machines can be fitted with both powered and unpowered tools for maximum versatility.

Laser Cutters

For many aerospace applications, laser cutters are the best tool for the job. Accurate cutting and all-round edge sealing are often essential requirements of any product. Aeronaut's range of laser cutters covers the work from spinnakers to space suits.

Ultrasonic Cutters

For highly specialised materials like MLI, an ultrasonic cutter is the only choice. However, with bayonet mount quick changing tooling, Aeronaut's ultrasonic cutters can be quickly reconfigured for other demanding tasks.

Aeronaut's Quick-change Tooling

All Aeronaut cutters feature quick-change tooling. The advantage of this starts with being able to change a sharp blade or punch off the cutting head, safely and quickly without fiddling about under the cutting head. Quick change tooling means you can always use the best tools for the job, even with a single tool axis cutter. Since tools can be exchanged in seconds, it's a huge production benefit.

New tools types are always being made and custom profiles and tools are also available on request for specific tasks.

Cam-lock

Cam-lock tools are a proprietary Aeronaut design, modelled on the tool changing used on metalworking CNC machines. They have many advantages over basic bolt-on tools used on most competitive machines.

Cam-lock tools are secured with a quarter turn fastener below the cutting head. Plunge knives are actuated through the hollow tool axis and drill punch wads are ejected by a rod in the hollow tool axis.

Cam-lock tools are all unpowered and include rotary (pizza) blade holders (19mm, 28mm, 45mm), drag blades, plunge knives, creasing and scoring tools, and a Z-axis drill punches for ultimate flexibility.

Bayonet Mount

Bayonet mount tools drop in from above and lock in just like the lens on an SLR camera in few seconds. Tools are available in powered and unpowered versions. Almost all Cam-lock tool types are also available in Bayonet mount.

Powered Cutting Tools.

Electric and pneumatic reciprocating knives, ultrasonic tools, powered rotary blade tools s and plunge cut tools.

Unpowered Tools

Rotary (pizza) blade holders (19mm, 28mm, 45mm), drag blades, creasing and crush cut tools.

Single steered tools

Cutters like the Elektron Mono, Elektron B1 and Ikon have only one steered tool axis.

The main benefit is lower cost. If you most of your work can be done with one cutting tool, then a single tool axis is fine.

With Cam-lock quick change tooling, you are not limited to just one tool on a single steered axis cutter. A manual tool change takes less than 15 seconds, so if tool changes are occasional, then a single tool cutter can be cost effective.

Tool axes intended for drill punching and creasing can optionally be configured to apply double pressure.

All Aeronaut cutters are fitted with a marker holder which can take anything from a ball point or fine marker to a paint pen. The pen plate can also carry an inkjet print head, another marker or a Cyclops machine vision camera which makes the single tool machines almost as versatile as a multi-tool cutter but at a lesser cost.  

 

Multiple steered tools

With a multi-tool head like the Elektron Quattro or Elektron B2 you have the most versatile type of cutter. Each steered axis can be fitted with a different type of tool so all parts of a job can be cut with the optimum tool or when cutting abrasive materials, more than one cutting tool can be carried, increasing the time between blade changes. 

Uniquely, with the Cam-lock tool system, each axis can function as a drill punch so a 4 tool head can carry three different punch sizes and a cutting tool.

Tool axes intended mainly for drill punches and creasing can optionally be configured to apply double pressure.

Tool changes are done automatically in software and take less than a second. This, over hundreds of tool changes a day, increases productivity over a single steered tool machine.

Because a multi-tool cutting head is slightly wider, the pen plate can carry more equipment including an inkjet print head, another marker or a Cyclops machine vision camera.  

Software, Nesting and Technology

Nesting & Control

Aeronaut's Tangent software is the key to reducing fabric waste and Tangent's powerful and user friendly cutter control is essential to increase production. 

Autonesting

Fast and efficient autonesting can pay for a cutting system in months if your fabric is expensive - and isn't waste fabric the most expensive fabric in your business? 

Rapid Patterning

Aeronaut has developed rapid patterning software and CAD plugins to reduce the design to cut time down to a few minutes on complex patterns.

Autotracing Patterns

Aeronaut's revolutionary SiliconEye machine vision software can accurately trace and digitise a table full of patterns in seconds.

Aligning Patterns

With Aeronaut's full-table or gantry mounted machine vision systems, aligning cut profiles to patterned fabric or digitally printed material is simple.

Inkjet Printing

Inkjet printing is the fastest way to do pattern numbers, markings and reference text on almost any fabric.

Contact Aeronaut

Get the facts from the factory direct. If you want advice on automated cutting, an offer on a complete cutting system or to arrange a demonstration, just ask!