Makino establishes aerospace engine technology group

Makino is pleased to announce the establishment of its aerospace engine technology group, which has been formed to support customers' grinding, EDM and machining of exotic aerospace alloys for the jet engine market.

This group will deliver the machines, processes and engineering solutions necessary to produce complex jet engine and turbo machinery components at the highest quality and lowest cost.

Billy Grobe will serve as manager of the new aerospace engine technology group. He has spent 25 of his last 33 years in the machining industry at Makino, most recently managing the process research and development group. For the last six years, Grobe has focused on aerospace grinding applications, and has been involved in the development of many Makino aerospace process solutions.

“The industry demands accuracy, repeatability and increased productivity,” said Tom Clark, vice president at Makino. “Grobe and his team of applications and process development engineers will create innovative machining techniques to produce jet engine components faster—satisfying the demand for engines based on the huge backlog of aircraft orders and new engine technologies necessary to meet the fuel efficiency requirements of newer aircraft designs.

The group will coordinate aerospace engine projects, including grinding, 5-axis milling and EDM processes using new and innovative technologies and processes such as the G-Series 5-axis horizontal machining and grinding center, and the new EDBV3 EDM machine designed specifically to produce cooling holes and diffuser shapes in turbine blades.