In a recent blog post you read about wiring harnesses and their significance in the role they play in the plane’s performance. In today’s blog we will explore beyond the wiring harness to the very core of the electrical system, the heartbeat of the aerospace
vehicle. I am speaking of the electrical panels in which every wiring harness is eventually connected.
The electrical panels come in many different shape and sizes as well as overall functions. Some common electrical panel types are power panels, relay panels, multiplex panels, circuit breaker panels, and avionics panels. What do all these types of panels have in common besides the internal wiring? Sheet metal.
To be more precise, they all contain precision sheet metal assemblies. These assemblies are typically comprised of two or more sheet metal detail parts that are usually attached together using rivets. If the electrical panels are the heart of the aerospace vehicle, then the precision sheet metal parts form the bones of the electrical system.
It takes an array of different types of equipment to make the sheet metal parts that make up the electrical panels. Here are the three “pieces of the puzzle” to get the job done right.
- The first piece of the puzzle is a means to cut out the flat pattern of each part that is required from a single sheet of aluminum sheet metal. InterConnect Wiring has two CNC routers and one CNC punch that makes short work of obtaining these flat patterns.
- The second essential piece of the puzzle is forming the flat pattern into a three dimensional part. InterConnect Wiring has a 40-ton electrical CNC brake that quickly and effectively forms the flat parts into the desired 3D shape in a matter of seconds with an accuracy down to the thousandth of an inch. How do we know our routers, punch, and brake are this accurate?
- That brings us to the third piece of the puzzle; the verification aspect of precision sheet metal. InterConnect Wiring has one CNC touch Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) and two optical Coordinate Measuring Machines that are more than capable of this task in that they are calibrated down to the micron (millionth of a meter).
Besides these major pieces of the puzzle InterConnect Wiring has a whole host of supplemental pieces of equipment that aide in and compliment the aforementioned. For the more critical parts that are fabricated from a single block of aluminum, InterConnect
Wiring utilizes our CNC 4-axis milling machine, which has a precision to the ten thousandth of an inch. Some sheet metal parts are attached using spot welds. For this process InterConnect Wiring currently has a 170 KVA Resistance Welder that can make
spot welds in varying thicknesses of sheet metal, all conforming to the latest requirements of the American Welding Society D17.2/D17.2M specification.
We currently have one resistance welder that has been qualified to Lockheed Martin’s Resistance Welding Process. We are proud to announce that InterConnect Wiring was recently approved by Lockheed Martin to their QCS-001. There are very few companies approved to Lockheed Martin’s QCS-001 for Resistance Welding. Becoming approved for Lockheed Martin spot welding was a long and tedious process requiring extensive audits and oversight by Lockheed Martin. Because there are so few with this Lockheed Martin approval for spot welding, we are in the process of adding a second resistance welder to our production line capabilities.
Behind each piece of equipment there are a team of experts who are committed to fabricating each piece of an electrical panel. From the initial process of creating the three dimensional models and generating the two dimensional drawings, to the programmers writing the programs for each piece of equipment, down to the technicians operating the equipment, along with the quality control inspectors who meticulously inspect each piece – all are committed to producing the sheet metal part correctly and efficiently to the highest aerospace standards to meet our customer’s needs.
Whether you need a wiring harness fabrication shop, an electrical panel shop, or perhaps a sheet metal shop; or possibly all three; know that InterConnect Wiring maintains the highest standards. We are committed to excellence and will ensure our products meet your needs when you need them.
Written By: Michael Janney
Mr. Janney has been at InterConnect Wiring for 30 Years and is InterConnect’s Engineering Manager. Michael has held various positions throughout his three decades of service at InterConnect including Materials Manager, Planning Manager, and Program Manager.
