Choice of Manufacturing Techniques for Fabricating Metal Aerospace Filter: A guide to process choice for design engineers

With recent advances in manufacturing techniques, aerospace system designers have new options for fabricating higher-quality, lower-weight, higher- capacity, cost-effective filters. Unfortunately, not all filtration in aerospace applications can afford the cost of premium filters but new filtration problems continue to arise such as the need for longer operating lifetimes in aggressive fluids. Due to the increased process capabilities of non-traditional fabrication methods, in comparison to other methods such as stamping, drilling and milling, these new technologies have made a successful transition from the laboratory onto the production shop-floor. However, it is difficult to choose which of these processes, such as photochemical machining (PCM), photo electroforming (PEF) and laser beam machining (LBM) should be chosen for fabricating small, inexpensive, lightweight aerospace filters. Moreover, the complexity of design, materials selection and other technical limitations are also factors in process choice, unlike formed wire mesh products. In this paper, according to manufacturing demands of special aerospace filters, PCM, PEF and LBM have been appraised technically and economically, to aid the manufacturing engineer in his choice of process for fabricating metal aerospace filters.