Scott Miller, a Lycoming spokesman, said, “Now we don’t have to worry if there is a supplier out there to fill our needs. We can fill our own needs.” He referred to an announcement last week that the engine maker has begun to produce pistons for its engines in-house for the first time in more than 40 years. A new process, developed in conjunction with Cosworth Group of England and Japanese machinery manufacturer Takisawa, pushes a single raw billet through four independent but interconnected machine tools. The process takes as little as two minutes. At the other end, a single piston emerges having undergone automated quality control. Every fifth piston is manually inspected as well to ensure consistency. The manufacturing standards are said to be “far in excess of anything Lycoming’s competitors have.”
Lycoming Reclaims In-House Piston Manufacturing
Key Takeaways:
- Lycoming has resumed in-house piston production for its engines, a practice not seen in over 40 years, ensuring self-sufficiency and eliminating reliance on external suppliers.
- A new, highly efficient manufacturing process, developed with Cosworth Group and Takisawa, allows a single piston to be produced from a raw billet in as little as two minutes.
- The process incorporates both automated and manual quality control to ensure consistency.
- Lycoming's new piston manufacturing standards are significantly higher than those of its competitors.
Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->
See a mistake? Contact us.
