Explosion at Airbus factory, Toulouse

[akerosid]

According to reports, an explosion at an Airbus factory at St. Eloi, near Toulouse, injured five people. The factory manufactures pylons for A380 engines.

The cause of the accident is believed to have the explosion of a hydraulic press, causing the collapse of part of the building.

[hetfield]

5.000 instead of 3.000 psi seems too much.....

[Joe le Taxi]

Modern systems use 5000 psi, I think. Makes for smaller, lighter actuators.

[320DRIVER]

Before the thread flies off into the wrong direction... I don't recall hydraulic presses (the part which allegedely broke) being part of an aircraft system, so this debate re: 3,000 and 5,000 psi aircraft hydraulic systems may be a tad misleading.

320DRIVER

[wiggy]

Just to get this back on track..the local press (www.ladepeche.fr are carrying the story, you can find it via the link to "infos en direct" ) are claiming 5 injured, two, seriously, that it was probably due to a hydraulic press, rather than an aircraft component or test.

[320DRIVER]

The article interestingly mentions the pressure used in these industrial hydraulic presses, 800-1000 bar, i.e. 11,600 to 14,500 psi!

320DRIVER

[jet_noseover]

Link to the short video

http://www.euronews.net/create_html.php?article=361243&lng=1#

[Best foot forward]

I did a quick goggle search and came up with this.


"IRVINE, California, October 15, 2001 -- Airbus has selected Eaton to provide the hydraulic power generation system for the worl?s largest commercial airliner, the A380. The multi-year contract, with work to be completed at Eato?s California, Michigan and Mississippi aerospace units, has potential revenue value of $200 million over the next 20 years.

The A380 hydraulic system will incorporate Eaton's 5000 psi (pounds per square inch) fluid power technology allowing Airbus to achieve significant weight savings from fluid conveyance and actuation component volume reduction throughout the aircraft's structure. ""This win was strategic for Eaton’s Aerospace business as this will be the first civil aircraft platform incorporating 5000 psi fluid power technology,"" said Steve Eisenberg, Eaton vice president, Aerospace Operations. ""This program will position Eaton as a major strategic supplier to Airbus and the technology leader in 5000 psi fluid power component and systems for civil and military applications.""

[Rigga]

FYI Hydraulic Presses aren't normally known by their PSI value but Tonnage e.g. 40 ton press or 100 tonne Press, and that is not the weight of the machine!
To give you some idea of size, a ten ton press was used to install bearing packs onto Puma MRH Spindle Sleeves and was quite a small Angle-Iron and Hand Pump affair. At 15 tons that Press's frame could be seen to stretch and twist out of shape.
Presses for the manufacture of large items have to Form, Punch or Grind their way through quite thick materials and have to be firmly bedded to prevent their torsion/tension movement and/or reaction.
You could expect a Hydraulic failure could result in a short, sharp Leak or Jet of fluid. But a casing or mounting failure could be quite explosive to say the least. They don't build big machines like that just to impress people.

[xetroV]

Best foot forward, your post is completely irrelevant. This is a manufacturing accident, not related in any way to any aircraft system whatsoever, except that the plant just happens to produce Airbus pylons (which themselves are obviously not related in any way to the A380 hydraulic system).

[hetfield]

Refering my previous post, sorry to put the discussion in a wrong direction.

Mea culpa! Strange kind of humor.

[Airbus Instructor]

I believe everyone is sorry for this accident and we all wish fast recovery for the injured.