VISTAGY and CGTech Extend Partnership to Provide Integrated Solution for Automated Drilling and Fastening of Airframe Assemblies

VISTAGY's SyncroFIT® and CGTech's VERICUT Drilling & Fastening solutions combine to enhance the transition of engineering data from design to manufacturing.

VISTAGY, Inc., a leading provider of industry-specific engineering software and services, and CGTech, a recognized leader in Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software for numerical control (CNC/NC) simulation, verification, optimization and analysis software technology for manufacturing, today announced that they have expanded their partnership to enable automated assembly of airframe structures by integrating VISTAGY’s SyncroFIT® software for designing and manufacturing complex assemblies and large aerostructures and CGTech’s VERICUT Drilling & Fastening (VDAF) solution.

Previously, the companies partnered to integrate VISTAGY’s FiberSIM® composites engineering software and CGTech’s VERICUT Composite Programming and Simulation Suite (VCP), which together enable rapid design and manufacturing iterations to optimize the development of composite structures produced by automated fiber placement (AFP) machines. The new complementary offerings from CGTech and VISTAGY support airframe assembly processes, enabling engineers to have common interfaces and solutions for managing composite structures and handling airframe assembly.

SyncroFIT is the only production-proven, CAD-integrated, commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) solution for managing the complexities of airframe assemblies, with an emphasis on fastened structures. VDAF is a software application for simulating and programming auto-drilling and fastening machines that is independent of both the machine and CAD system. Together they address the broad needs of aerospace manufacturers by providing a single source solution that encompasses everything from upstream engineering definitions to downstream NC programming.

Given the fragility of composites, there needs to be precise control of speeds and feeds in the drilling process to avoid the possibility of de-lamination, splintering, etc., as well as to ensure high throughput. Automated manufacturing requires an enormous amount of detail. The integrated solution provides that detail with SyncroFIT defining the location of holes and fasteners and seamlessly transferring all the associated data to VDAF to be used in the automated manufacturing process.

“This is another example of how VISTAGY’s AeroSuite™ (including SyncroFIT, FiberSIM, the Quality Planning Environment™ (QPE), and VISTAGY Professional Services) addresses the full spectrum of challenges that arise from using composites within an airframe assembly,” said Steve Peck, director of product and market strategy for VISTAGY. “By creating engineering data that fully supports the entire airframe manufacturing process, we’re enabling manufacturers and suppliers to fully leverage the most advanced materials and processes available today.”

“VDAF is a natural fit with SyncroFIT creating a complete environment for companies designing and manufacturing airframe assembles with CNC automation,” said Bill Hasenjaeger, CGTech product marketing manager. “By integrating SyncroFIT and VDAF, we’re now able to ensure an easy and repeatable process from assembly design to assembly automation that yields a high quality product."

To learn more about how VISTAGY, CGTech, and Delta Sigma Corporation work together to increase the overall efficiency and accuracy of developing airframe assemblies, download a Webcast entitled: Assemble High Quality Airframes with New SyncroFIT 2011.