In Tatarstan, preparing for the production of a modernized Tu-160
The Kazan Aviation Plant named after Gorbunov (a branch of PJSC “Tupolev”) has begun the restoration of key technologies for the resumption of serial production of the strategic bomber Tu-160, reports the Tatarstan resource BUSINESS Online.
According to the author of the article, Timur Latypov, a schedule has been approved for the manufacture of the most important part of the future missile carrier, the titanium central beam. Experts point out the importance of the moment and remind that after the collapse of the USSR, the “titanium” shop at the plant was simply bombed out. Factory workers recognize that a lot of things are “in a neglected state”, even the documents have not been preserved.
The article Latypova, in particular, states:
“They began to restore the unique technology at the Kazan Aviation Plant named after Gorbunov - branch of PJSC "Tupolev" (KAZ). We are talking about vacuum annealing and welding of titanium assemblies, for which we used the installation of electron beam welding (ELU-24) and annealing (UVN-45). Against the background of the news lull regarding the resumption of production of the Tu-160, the factory newspaper "Forward!" Reports this.
Recall that in March KAZ entered into two contracts for the rehabilitation of equipment for the production of Tu-160, both must be completed before March 30 2017. PJSC "Electromechanics" (Rzhev) has pledged for 948 million rubles to put in order UVN-45. But the contractor for the restoration of ELU-24 then not identified. As the factory newspaper writes, they became Izhevsk OAO NITI Progress. He will be paid 710 million rubles. In total, it turns out, 1,7 billion is a rather big amount just for repairing two installations. What is so important about them?
In the second half of 70, preparation for the construction of the Tu-160 required a total reconstruction of the KAZ. Among other things, a new building was built with a workshop for the mechanical assembly of titanium assemblies and the installations mentioned above. A unique equipment for working with 20-meter monolithic slabs of varying thickness of titanium alloys appeared, because of them 38% of the Tu-160 design was made.
The bomber's “spine” can be called a central titanium beam with a length of 12,4 m and a width of 2,1 m, around which the other elements of the airframe were grouped. For example, wings were hung on its pivot points. For the manufacture of the beam, a technological process of electron-beam welding in a neutral medium or in vacuum was developed. “Titan, as you know, does not boil in the air - it starts to burn, and you can’t quench it, so they do it either in a vacuum or in a neutral environment,” told Adviser to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan Nazir Kireev. it should go very precisely - everything is calculated literally in fractions of a millimeter. ”
The beam was milled from two halves and welded into one piece in a vacuum chamber under special fits and fluxes. The popular science literature says that such welding still belongs to unique technologies and can be considered a national priority of the country. “Such welding was then only at the Kazan aircraft factory, and it appeared only in connection with the Tu-160,” Kireev recalled. “No other product had a titanium center section.”
There are allegations that the work at ELU-45 had to be carried out at night - because of the large energy consumption, it was the only way to avoid the blackout of half of Kazan.
"If only in this workshop there was a rout ..."
How important is the stage of restoration of two installations in terms of restarting the production of Tu-160, and to be precise, the construction of a new "strategist" - Tu-160М2? “At ELU, the center section is being welded. If we do not learn how to make this beam again, there will be no new Tu-160,” says a publication source in the aircraft industry. “As you know, the funds for the restoration of the installations have been allocated large. Will they succeed by the deadline? Is it difficult to say Installations have long and thoroughly been inoperable, because after the 90s, everyone literally bombed everything in this workshop. " "If only in this workshop there was a rout ..." Kireev sadly notes.
“Everything turned out to be in a neglected state,” correspondents of the newspaper “Forward!” Did not hide the state of affairs with two installations. According to their information, even no documents left. At the same time, the authors of the article are very optimistic: "Recently, the collective of workshop No. XXUM is widely known. After all, on the basis of this team, a new mechanical welding production is being created ... After the publication of the order of the plant director to create a mechanical assembly plant and workshops No. XXUMX, 45 passed quite a bit of time, and the results of the work are already evident ... GAP (Kazan Giproniiaviaprom - approx. Auth.) Approved the new layout of the workshop ... At present, each stage of work is described in detail ... By 45 March 40, it is necessary to work out and prin To install ELU-30, UVN-2017, to start making subassemblies of the central beam and the swivel unit. "
Judging by the words of Alexei Potapov, head of the workshop No. XXUMX, the schedule for the phased production of the new central beam and the Tu-45 swivel hub has already been signed. In addition, the workshop is repairing the roof, building and assembly work for the installation of new equipment for the vacuum system, control systems, cooling, electrics.
Interestingly, in the 70-e this topic Vel Kiev Institute. Paton. “When the installation in Kazan was finally brought to mind, a whole delegation came from there - they just admired it!” Valentin Bliznyuk, the former chief designer of the Tu-160, recalled.
Will we manage to do without Ukrainian specialists today? “Yes, the Paton Institute was at the head of the work,” says Kireev. “It was located in Ukraine, but this, of course, does not mean that it was only Ukrainian. Let me remind you that in addition to it 25 institutes were doing an electron-beam installation! And now ... will attract everyone who is able to do anything in this regard. "
According to the author of the article, Timur Latypov, a schedule has been approved for the manufacture of the most important part of the future missile carrier, the titanium central beam. Experts point out the importance of the moment and remind that after the collapse of the USSR, the “titanium” shop at the plant was simply bombed out. Factory workers recognize that a lot of things are “in a neglected state”, even the documents have not been preserved.
The article Latypova, in particular, states:
“They began to restore the unique technology at the Kazan Aviation Plant named after Gorbunov - branch of PJSC "Tupolev" (KAZ). We are talking about vacuum annealing and welding of titanium assemblies, for which we used the installation of electron beam welding (ELU-24) and annealing (UVN-45). Against the background of the news lull regarding the resumption of production of the Tu-160, the factory newspaper "Forward!" Reports this.
Recall that in March KAZ entered into two contracts for the rehabilitation of equipment for the production of Tu-160, both must be completed before March 30 2017. PJSC "Electromechanics" (Rzhev) has pledged for 948 million rubles to put in order UVN-45. But the contractor for the restoration of ELU-24 then not identified. As the factory newspaper writes, they became Izhevsk OAO NITI Progress. He will be paid 710 million rubles. In total, it turns out, 1,7 billion is a rather big amount just for repairing two installations. What is so important about them?
In the second half of 70, preparation for the construction of the Tu-160 required a total reconstruction of the KAZ. Among other things, a new building was built with a workshop for the mechanical assembly of titanium assemblies and the installations mentioned above. A unique equipment for working with 20-meter monolithic slabs of varying thickness of titanium alloys appeared, because of them 38% of the Tu-160 design was made.
The bomber's “spine” can be called a central titanium beam with a length of 12,4 m and a width of 2,1 m, around which the other elements of the airframe were grouped. For example, wings were hung on its pivot points. For the manufacture of the beam, a technological process of electron-beam welding in a neutral medium or in vacuum was developed. “Titan, as you know, does not boil in the air - it starts to burn, and you can’t quench it, so they do it either in a vacuum or in a neutral environment,” told Adviser to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan Nazir Kireev. it should go very precisely - everything is calculated literally in fractions of a millimeter. ”
The beam was milled from two halves and welded into one piece in a vacuum chamber under special fits and fluxes. The popular science literature says that such welding still belongs to unique technologies and can be considered a national priority of the country. “Such welding was then only at the Kazan aircraft factory, and it appeared only in connection with the Tu-160,” Kireev recalled. “No other product had a titanium center section.”
There are allegations that the work at ELU-45 had to be carried out at night - because of the large energy consumption, it was the only way to avoid the blackout of half of Kazan.
"If only in this workshop there was a rout ..."
How important is the stage of restoration of two installations in terms of restarting the production of Tu-160, and to be precise, the construction of a new "strategist" - Tu-160М2? “At ELU, the center section is being welded. If we do not learn how to make this beam again, there will be no new Tu-160,” says a publication source in the aircraft industry. “As you know, the funds for the restoration of the installations have been allocated large. Will they succeed by the deadline? Is it difficult to say Installations have long and thoroughly been inoperable, because after the 90s, everyone literally bombed everything in this workshop. " "If only in this workshop there was a rout ..." Kireev sadly notes.
“Everything turned out to be in a neglected state,” correspondents of the newspaper “Forward!” Did not hide the state of affairs with two installations. According to their information, even no documents left. At the same time, the authors of the article are very optimistic: "Recently, the collective of workshop No. XXUM is widely known. After all, on the basis of this team, a new mechanical welding production is being created ... After the publication of the order of the plant director to create a mechanical assembly plant and workshops No. XXUMX, 45 passed quite a bit of time, and the results of the work are already evident ... GAP (Kazan Giproniiaviaprom - approx. Auth.) Approved the new layout of the workshop ... At present, each stage of work is described in detail ... By 45 March 40, it is necessary to work out and prin To install ELU-30, UVN-2017, to start making subassemblies of the central beam and the swivel unit. "
Judging by the words of Alexei Potapov, head of the workshop No. XXUMX, the schedule for the phased production of the new central beam and the Tu-45 swivel hub has already been signed. In addition, the workshop is repairing the roof, building and assembly work for the installation of new equipment for the vacuum system, control systems, cooling, electrics.
Interestingly, in the 70-e this topic Vel Kiev Institute. Paton. “When the installation in Kazan was finally brought to mind, a whole delegation came from there - they just admired it!” Valentin Bliznyuk, the former chief designer of the Tu-160, recalled.
Will we manage to do without Ukrainian specialists today? “Yes, the Paton Institute was at the head of the work,” says Kireev. “It was located in Ukraine, but this, of course, does not mean that it was only Ukrainian. Let me remind you that in addition to it 25 institutes were doing an electron-beam installation! And now ... will attract everyone who is able to do anything in this regard. "
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