N.M.F. Canada is strategically located in the heart of the Canadian aerospace community in Mirabel, Quebec near some of the world's largest aerospace companies such as Bombardier Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, Bell Helicopter and many others. N.M.F. Canada fabricates the aluminum skin which covers the structural skeleton of airplane wings. David F. Cook, President of N.M.F. Canada states "our determination to 'get the job done' is simple; once price is established, 'quality and on time delivery' is non-negotiable."

Building of the modern, 100,000sq foot plus wing skin manufacturing facility began in 1992 at the request of Bombardier. Phase III included the addition of 45,000sq. ft. and the installation of a 10,000 RPM, 3 spindle, 5-axis Cincinnati Gantry milling machine; first of its kind in Canada. The 5-axis gantry is capable of machining components up to 60 feet long and within very precise tolerances.

The team selected NCL multi-axis machining software from NCCS. NCL is a powerful Computer-Aided Manufacturing software package which generates simultaneous 2 through 5-axis NC tool paths and provides parametric 3D modeling. All geometric modeling and tool path functions are fully associative. A change to the model results in an immediate change to corresponding tool paths. NCL also supports full parametric programming where a family of parts can be machined by simply modifying user defined variables. NCL is ideally suited for environments where design changes are frequent and machine time is critical.

"NCL supports more 5-axis machining options than any product on the market which gives us the flexibility we need to machine the components in the most effective way possible." Says Deshaies, "In addition NCL is able to utilize CATIA models which is how many of our customers supply us with engineering data."

The process involves reading the customer supplied model into N.M.F.'s CATIA system where additional manufacturing data may be added and tooling can be designed. The models our then brought into NCL where 3, 4 and 5-axis tool paths are produced. Finally the NC programs are simulated and verified before sending them to the machine. The process has enabled N.M.F. to meet their goal of being fully production ready when the 5-axis gantry went on-line, complete with a backlog of 5-axis NC programs.

The three seats of the NCL software continue to help N.M.F meet their production requirements. Says Mr. Deshaies, "In addition to being able to create virtually any tool path strategy we want, NCL enables us to fully optimize our programs for maximum machine efficiency. The software is open and flexible allowing our programmers to easily make changes to previously programmed tool paths, optimize feedrates at critical locations, and change cutter parameters, all without having to re-select geometry or re-enter redundant information. We have been able to optimize our programs reducing machine time by up to 40% from the initial prove-out."

N.M.F. has received many achievements throughout the years including "Supplier of the Year" by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and "Supplier of Excellence" by Israeli Aircraft Industries for outstanding cost reduction and quality achievements as well as many others. Contracts awarded to N.M.F. include: the Canadair regional jet wing skin, the Canadair challenger, the LEARJET 31, 45 and 60 wing skins, and the Bombardier CRJ-700. Other contracts include work from de Havilland for the Dash-8-400 wing panels and from Israeli Aircraft Industries for the Astra wing panels and the Galaxy wing panels.

Machining is just one of N.M.F's many operations which include: shot peening, shot peen forming, anodize, finishing of complete wing panels and complete assembly capabilities. N.M.F.'s goal and dream is to design and build the shape of wings to come. Through their innovation and application of technologies, such as the NCL Multi-axis Machining Software, it seems likely that they will indeed 'get the job done'.