Customer story: the Swedish shipbuilding company Aerodyn increases depth of cut by 50 %, thus doubling tool life

The Swedish company Aerodyn specialises in the machining of blades for propelling screws. The cast skin is eliminated and the profile finished through milling. After milling the surfaces are carefully polished. In this way, since the year 2000, several projects have been realized in close cooperation with the carbide expert CERATIZIT and productivity increased.
Propelling screw in application
The propelling screw converts the energy produced by the motor into motion. The propeller blades are characterised by a hydrodynamic wing profile. The blades are designed in such a way that the water streams around them asymmetrically when they rotate. A difference of pressure is caused in or contrary to the direction of movement. A current called 'thrust' is generated and drives the vessel.

5-axis milling centres for propelling blades
Aerodyn was founded in 1989 and first produced components for the aerospace industry: this is where the company name comes from. The company is based in the Swedish Karlskoga and has 40 employees who now specialise in the machining of propelling screws. In this special field Aerodyn is one step ahead. The secret: Aerodyn was one of the first companies to utilize 5-axis machining centres for the machining of this kind of blade. Previously, they used to be ground, not milled...