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The illustrated examples of cost reductions are from actual jobs that have been, or are, in production at the author's company. The actual examples are compared to estimated alternate methods. Emphasis is placed on the possible reductions in tooling, material, direct labor, and weight. Cost reduction techniques through the utilization of the work-hardening incurred when flow-forming are also discussed.

A description of the design and fabrication cost relationships of formed titanium sheet structures is given. Emphasis is placed on the potential advantages of implementing an advanced hot forming concept and related equipment. The use of this concept and/or equipment will insure quality products at minimum cost by extending current design and fabrication limitations and reducing the number of tools, parts, assembly operations, and assembly fit-up time normally required for structural assembly.

Cryogenic quenching (“cryoquenching”) is a Grumman-patented process whereby the substitution of liquid nitrogen for water as the quenching medium during the heat treat cycle produces distortion-free parts. The process has been a Grumman production capability since 1963, and has increased from an annual rate of 25,000 parts to the present pace of more than 300,000 parts per year. Cryoquenching is now saving thousands of man-hours in the aerospace industry and has substantially increased the tool life of drop hammer dies, form dies, and press blocks. When fully optimized, the process will ultimately lead to an automated heat treating operation, with high quality hardware, manufactured at minimum cost, as the end product.