MAG Industrial Automation Systems has received an order, valued at approximately $6 million, from Shanghai Aircraft for two HyperMach™ H4000 5-axis horizontal profilers, and other auxiliary equipment, to support production of the new ARJ21, as China continues to develop a globally competitive commercial aerospace manufacturing sector.

The HyperMach H Series is available in both aluminum and titanium-cutting models, with a variety of spindles and tool interfaces to allow for optimized processing. The machines purchased by Shanghai Aircraft are equipped with a 27,000 rpm spindle, capable of metal removal rates of 8067 cc/min (500 in3/min) on aluminum plate or forgings. The machines will operate in an automated cell featuring a rail-guided vehicle, load/unload station, pallets and auxiliary equipment that will sequentially load and unload parts to maximize throughput. The ARJ21 is currently in an aggressive flight test phase and is working toward commercial flight certification. The MAG HyperMach H4000s, and an additional high-torque 5-axis aerospace machine, are scheduled for installation in Q1 2011. These high performance machines are also expected to be utilized for advance production and test parts for the much larger C919 Commercial Aircraft currently in development.

As MAG expands to meet the needs of aerospace manufacturers worldwide, the company will open an aerospace Technology Center this year in Shanghai to support China's aerospace market, the fastest-growing major aviation market in the world.

About the HyperMach

The HyperMach H4000 is designed especially for high-throughput, precision machining of complex-geometry, high tolerance parts up to 2 x 4 meters. The family of HyperMach H Series machines can accommodate larger parts up to 2 x 20 meters and all machines provide high-power simultaneous 5-axis contouring, innovative design features and breakthrough ergonomics.

The HyperMach H Series is covered by four patents, one of which covers the four-column, closed-loop between the spindle column and table base. This patented design maximizes stiffness and provides consistent cutting performance – thus, improved accuracy – at the extreme limits of the workzone. It also eliminates thermal drift and periodic realignment between the column and pallet table to achieve unprecedented repeatability and accuracy.

First introduced 2008, the HyperMach H Series is quickly setting the world standard for high throughput machining, joining MAG's HyperMach Vertical Series with installations in high-production aerospace factories across the globe.