Safran Aircraft Engines (SAE) has selected new training technology now available globally from Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division, which leverages the power of its digital twins to halve the time taken to help train new machinists to use valuable shop-floor equipment as part of SAE’s strategy to train the urgently needed aerospace workforce.
The new highly realistic training simulator reduces the risk of damage to business-critical production machinery by training new engineers that would previously have been given access to sophisticated shop-floor equipment with limited “hands on” experience.
Training aerospace engineers to use CNC machines and similar tools is expensive, slow and potentially dangerous. As part of SAE’s revised training strategy for new engineers, by using HxGN Machine Trainer, trainees can accurately and interactively replicate 'real world' scenarios with a physical simulator, making is possible for SAE to onboard and upskill their new employees faster than ever before.
HxGN Machine Trainer will play a significant part in SAE’s new training programs, including ‘Adaptative Machining’ by providing less theoretical and more practical experiences to enable trainees to become autonomous in half the previous time.
The shortage of pilots and maintenance technicians is recognized inside and outside aviation circles, but aerospace manufacturing is also struggling with employee retention, turnover and workforce capacity.
SAE operates a fleet of nearly four-hundred valuable business-critical CNC machines that are dedicated to the production of LEAP Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion jet engines, which that could be damages is used to train and onboard new engineers who are not familiar with the equipment. HxGN Machine Trainer solves the problem, as the simulator is designed to be as realistic as possible, with hardware that replicates the look and feel of a real machine. Its 43-inch screen displays accurate simulations of a large variety of machine and cutting tools, complemented by a light tower, physical CNC hand wheel that enables trainees to take control and respond to issues exactly as they would on the shop floor.
SAE’s first practical work on their ‘Adaptive Machining’ training modules will be undertaken by new trainees on the HxGN Machine Trainer before the end of the year at Campus FAB a state-of-the-art industrial training center that showcases all aspects of the connected factory. In addition, HxGN Machine Trainer will also be made available to various schools throughout France to show how SAE is driving innovation and inspire future aerospace engineers.
