PJSC "Kazan Helicopter Plant" (Kazan) is one of key enterprises holding "Russian Helicopters". The products of this enterprise constitute a significant part of its supplies. In addition, KVZ developed and brought to mass production new type vehicles - light helicopter "Ansat".
Historical reference
The history of the enterprise is inextricably linked with the Leningrad aircraft plant No. 387. With the beginning of the war, it was evacuated to Kazan. The helicopter plant was reorganized in 1951, when the production of the first Mi-1 rotorcraft in the USSR was launched in the capital of the Tatar Republic. Since 1954, the Mi-4 has been produced here, and since 1965, the legendary Mi-8.
The helicopter plant (Kazan) became an order-bearer in 1970 - for the previously achieved successes and the development of the unique Mi-14 amphibious helicopter, the team was awarded. In 1980, the company was awarded the Golden Mercury award.
New era
The beginning of the 90s (the time of the collapse of the USSR) became difficult for the plant. Incorporation process, shortage working capital, the loss of part of the sales market could lead to a stop in production. However, the coherence of the team, the talent of designers and managers contributed to overcoming the crisis. It was during this period that the first stage of technical re-equipment began. The purchase of imported metal-cutting equipment made it possible to increase the accuracy of processing parts and assemble structures with complex geometries.
In 1993, the helicopter plant (Kazan) began designing the multi-purpose Ansat. By the way, this was the only case of developing a new untested model aircraft in the 90s. The Kazan people took a risk, put the authority of the enterprise on the line and brought the project to mass production. Today Ansat is the only domestic helicopter of this class.
Products
The 2000th helicopter plant was greeted in full armament. Kazan has become one of the world's leading centers for the production of rotorcraft various types. Models for civilian, official and military purposes are collected here:
- Multi-purpose helicopter Mi-17 middle class.
- Its modifications of the Mi-171V (specialized, medical, etc.).
- Mi-17V5 (transport, rescue).
- Mi-172 (passenger).
- "Ansat".
- Multi-purpose Mi-38 middle class.
Pride of the enterprise
Still, the favorite brainchild of the factory workers is their original development - the light-class Ansat helicopter. For more than a decade, its appearance was polished; numerous consultations were held with responsible departments and potential consumers. If in the 90s the country did not have enough funds to purchase new models of high-tech avionics, then in the mid-2000s progress was made.
In 2005, the Kazan Helicopter Plant presented a prototype of the maneuverable light combat helicopter Ansat-2RTs at the MAKS exhibition. I liked the car, but the competition in the field military equipment in Russia is high. The emphasis was placed on the civilian version, which is so lacking in the country. In 2013, certification of a cargo-passenger modification with a mechanical control system took place.
Today, the Ansat program is developing in military and civilian directions. The Ansat-U training helicopter is already being purchased by the Russian Ministry of Defense for training cadets at flight schools and is being supplied serially under a contract. The civilian version of the helicopter was certified in stages in 2013-2015. The delays were caused by the integrated (fly-by-wire) control system installed on Ansat. It turned out to be too innovative. The helicopter plant (Kazan) turned out to be a pioneer here. At least if we take the 90s (the first Ansat prototype was created in 1997), then the Kazan people were pioneers in the world in introducing this system.
There are a lot of similar models on the world market (Eurocopter helicopters, for example). But the civilian version of Ansat competitive advantages the same as for the Mi-8/17 helicopter. First of all, this is the price-quality ratio.
Modernization of production
The helicopter plant (Kazan), the photo of which is impressive, continues to develop. In September 2015, a unit assembly building was opened at Kazan Helicopter Plant, designed for models and Ansat. It was created as part of a plant modernization project that started in 2008. The new premises housed several assembly areas for fuselages of all three types. Detailed assembly and installation of the skin, strength elements, and other fuselage components is also carried out there. Thanks to the commissioning of the building, KVZ plans to achieve greater productivity and improve quality.
Previously, assembly areas were located in two separate areas. Their combination in one building significantly reduced logistics costs. Accordingly, the time spent on assembling helicopters has been reduced. Production volume increased, and deliveries of finished vehicles to consumers accelerated.
The new hull features a unique sprinkler chamber designed to test fuselages for leaks. Having a closed circuit in which water circulates, the camera is capable of simulating rain of any strength. To check one fuselage, up to 9 m 3 of water is required. The case is equipped with sound insulation, minimizing the penetration of noise outside. All necessary drawings are transferred to the site using paperless technology through computer terminals.
Geography of supplies
KVZ helicopters fly in more than 100 countries around the world. These are countries in Asia, the Asia-Pacific region, Africa, and Latin America. Markets where Kazan equipment is less represented are Western Europe, the USA, and Canada. Every year, depending on the number of contracts, helicopters are supplied to 4-8 countries. The share of exports in sales is about 80%.
KVZ has special hopes for the Ansat helicopter. The civilian version is aimed at all traditional markets. This is Russia, CIS countries, Southeast Asia, Africa, South and Latin America. Applications are submitted as domestic commercial structures, and foreign. The first of foreign partners The Ansats were purchased by the Chinese. A separate development is the military training and patrol modification "Ansat-U". The Air Force has already purchased 40 units, and contracts are expected from partner countries - Belarus and Kazakhstan.
Helicopter Plant, Kazan: address
The enterprise occupies about 2 km 2 in the western part of the city. PJSC "Kazan Helicopter Plant" is located at the address: 420085, Republic of Tatarstan, Kazan city, Tetsevskaya street, 14.
In total, more than 50 million flight hours were flown worldwide. We go on an excursion to the Kazansky helicopter factory", part of the Russian Helicopters holding company.
OJSC Kazan Helicopter Plant is a manufacturer of helicopters of the Mi-8/17 family. The plant carries out a full cycle of creating helicopters from development and serial production to after-sales support, personnel training and repairs. Over the entire history of the enterprise, more than 12,000 Mi-4, Mi-8, Mi-14, Mi-17, Ansat helicopters and their modifications have been delivered to 100 countries around the world.
Blade production. The Kazan Helicopter Plant is the only enterprise in Russia and the world that produces blades using three fundamentally different technologies: the production of metal blades, composite blades using the winding and laying method.
This is how metal blades are assembled. The rigidity is based on a honeycomb-shaped frame:
Cell block:
These elements are called ribs and are designed to give the blades their shape:
Blade assembly:
Assembly shop. Helicopters are assembled here:
Mounting area for power plant cowlings on the fuselage:
Rivet seams on the surface of the helicopter tail:
There is a lot of manual labor at the factory. Here is the assembly of the parts of the end boom on which the tail rotor is located:
The now obsolete name “helicopter” was borrowed from the French language already at the end of the 19th century. The authorship of the word “helicopter” (from “spins” and “flies”) belongs to N. I. Kamov.
Assembly shop. On the picture: Mi-17V-5 helicopter:
Engine:
The main advantage of helicopters is the ability to take off and land vertically - a helicopter can land (and take off) in any place where there is a flat area measuring one and a half times the diameter of the propeller.
Cockpit installation:
The main disadvantages inherent in all rotorcraft compared to airplanes are the smaller maximum speed flight and increased fuel consumption.
Also, the disadvantages of helicopters include difficulty in controlling compared to airplanes.
Installation of harnesses under the floor of the Mi-38 cargo truck:
Helicopter production reached more than 900 helicopters per year
Installation of the dashboard:
As mentioned at the beginning, helicopters Russian production, manufactured in Kazan, have accumulated more than 50 million flight hours worldwide. There are up to 8,500 domestic helicopters in operation around the world. For example, this Mi-17V-5 will fly to Azerbaijan...
Kazan Helicopter Plant is a manufacturer of Mi-8/17 helicopters, which is part of the Russian helicopter-building concern Russian Helicopters. Russian-made helicopters manufactured in Kazan have flown all over the world. more than 50 million flight hours During the entire existence of the Kazan Helicopter Plant, more than 12 thousand helicopters, Mi-14, Mi-4, Ansat, Mi-17 and their variations were delivered to one hundred countries around the world.
Story
The plant’s history begins on 09/04/1940, when, by order of the People’s Commissariat of the Aviation Industry, the Leningrad Aviation Plant No. 387 was built, which was then evacuated to Kazan during the war and merged with the Kazan Aircraft Parts Plant No. 169. Since in 1940 the aviation share of the enterprise, it is from this date that the history of the current Kazan Helicopter Plant begins. During the war years, the enterprise produced about eleven thousand Po-2 biplanes for the front - for this, in 1945, the plant staff was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. At the plant, by 1945, the production of military aircraft per month increased from one hundred to about fifty copies (3.5 times). Every tenth military aircraft produced here was created aviation industry Union of Soviet Socialist Republics during the Second World War. Being actively involved in the post-war renewal National economy, and in 1947-1951 the plant produced over 9 thousand of the country's first S-4 (self-propelled combine harvesters).
In 1951, the Kazan Helicopter Plant began manufacturing Mi-1 helicopters - it became the first mass production of rotorcraft in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The Mi-4 helicopter, manufactured at the plant since 1954, became the first Soviet helicopter exported abroad. In 1965, the company began serial production of the Mi-8, the most popular and mass-produced of all Mi-class helicopters.
Plant No. 387 was renamed the Kazan Helicopter Plant in 1966. In 1973, the enterprise mastered the production technology of the Mi-14, an amphibious helicopter widely used in naval aviation. Successes achieved labor collective were awarded the International Golden Mercury Prize in 1980, and the Order of the October Revolution in 1970.
Despite the fact that in the 90s there were objective problems in the development of the Russian aviation industry, the plant received the right to participate in the international market and was converted into an open Joint-Stock Company, which made it possible to re-equip production, introduce modern technologies assembling devices of complex geometry and processing materials.
In 1993, the company began developing Ansat, the only helicopter designed and created in Russia in the post-Soviet period. In 1997, the Kazan Helicopter Plant received an official certificate from the MAK Aviation Register, allowing it to develop helicopters, and the first Ansat prototype equipped with a fly-by-wire system appeared. It made its first flight in 1999. Ansat in currently, along with the Mi-17 helicopter, the main product of the plant, is included in the updated the lineup plant
In 2007, the Kazan Helicopter Plant became part of the Russian Helicopters concern.
Products
The company today owns the infrastructure characteristic of machine-building multi-batch production, has a modernized technological and production base that allows for the production and repair of helicopters: Kazan Helicopter Plant carries out the entire cycle of construction of helicopter equipment from design and serial production to its warranty support.
Mi-17 is a multi-purpose medium helicopter, which is an improved version of the Mi-8 helicopter. At the moment, more than eleven thousand helicopters of this type have been produced. Currently, the Kazan Helicopter Plant is mass producing three main variations:
Mi-172 is a passenger variation, intended to transport passengers. Special VIP variations are also produced;
Mi-17-B5 is a transport variation, intended for transporting cargo on an external sling and inside the cabin. Actively used during rescue operations;
Mi-17-1V is a multi-purpose variation, on the basis of which helicopters of various types are produced intended purpose, including the departure hospital.
Ansat is a multi-purpose light helicopter developed directly by the Kazan Helicopter Plant. The Ansat helicopter series is actively developing in two directions: civil and military. The Ansat-U training helicopter is purchased by the Russian Ministry of Defense for military training centers and flight schools and is supplied serially. With the help of quick-detachable installations, the Ansat multi-purpose helicopter can be quickly re-equipped to perform a wide range of missions: passenger transportation, cargo delivery, patrolling, search and rescue operations, emergency health care, fire extinguishing.
According to the program of the Russian Helicopters concern to create the multi-purpose medium helicopter Mi-38, the enterprise is responsible for the construction of prototypes of the helicopter and the establishment of its serial production.
In order to ensure the competitiveness of their products, improvements are carried out throughout the life of the helicopter. service. To service the machines currently in use, the Kazan Helicopter Plant has a modernized repair base that provides a high degree of repair and restoration of helicopters.
Production
In accordance with the objectives of the technical re-equipment of the plant, it continues to be equipped with high-performance modern equipment, and unified procedures and processes are being introduced. The development of the industrial base is aimed at reducing costs and, thus, reducing the cost of production and increasing the volume of products produced. At the same time, the task has been set to increase the reliability and quality of manufactured helicopters, to increase the range of helicopters in terms of standard sizes and available capabilities.
Experimental design bureau and research work of the enterprise
The company, as a developer, plans to build targeted variations and modernized versions of the Ansat helicopter; performing work on ultra-light helicopters weighing up to one and a half tons, up to two and a half tons. Together with the open joint-stock company “Moscow Helicopter Plant named after Mil M.L. » modernization of mass-produced Mi-8/17 helicopters and preliminary preparations for mass production of the Mi-38 helicopter are underway. The research and scientific activities of the enterprise are concentrated on increasing economic effect production and technical level of the plant to obtain product developments that will be competitive. Every year up to two hundred people participate in inventive and rationalization activities. Of the three hundred proposals submitted by them, about thirty patents for industrial designs, inventions, utility models and about two hundred and fifty rationalization proposals are being implemented.
Autumn Marathon: Kazan Rotorcraft
01.
The Kazan Helicopter Plant, part of the Russian Helicopters holding company, is now located within the city. Probably 70 years ago, when by order of the People's Commissariat of the Aviation Industry the Leningrad Aviation Plant No. 387 was created, later evacuated to Kazan and merged with the Convoy Parts Plant No. 169, there was a dense outskirts here. Perhaps even a dense forest.
But now residential areas are getting closer. Po-2 biplanes were built here, every tenth combat aircraft produced by the USSR aviation industry during the Great Patriotic War was assembled here..
And the first Mi-1 helicopter left the KVZ workshops more than 60 years ago - in 1961. The first of more than twelve thousand...
Metal shavings curl... Probably, this is something like how floristry fans, sitting in a greenhouse, watch a rare flower bloom. The bees are buzzing. The machines are humming... Why are they humming! These machines also run on rails!
03.
The head of mechanical processing production, Kalyupa Igor Nikolaevich, turned out to be an amazing guide. He talked about production with such passion, with such a sparkle in his eyes that I was afraid to miss a single word. And this is taking into account the fact that before current moment For some reason I was firmly convinced that I was only interested in airplanes... 
04.
Kalyupa Igor Nikolaevich: - We conceived the reorganization of the helicopter plant in the late 90s. What were the main tasks then and what problems needed to be solved?
Updating of outdated machine tools. To maintain the production that existed at that time in working order, colossal funds were required.
Staff. At the beginning of the century, the system of vocational technical education was destroyed. There were plenty of accountants, managers and lawyers, but try to find qualified turners and millers...
The number of orders has fallen from internal consumers of our products. In the heady 90s, the plant survived by selling helicopters for export.
05.
When I came here in 1987, KVZ was producing a helicopter a day. 220 working days equals 220 cars. But then the decline began and, when we reached the “bottom,” the plant was producing about 33 cars a year. The number of personnel from 12,000 people who worked in the late 80s was reduced by almost 2 times. And the average age of turners and milling operators reached 55 years! This was our background at the start of the reorganization. There were no people and there was a lot of outdated equipment. It’s hard to believe, but in terms of personnel, in terms of personnel, after passing the low point, we almost did not grow. Currently, the plant employs about 7,000 people. At the same time, at the moment you produce not 30, but about 110 helicopters per year. This became possible solely due to the implementation of the first stage of reorganization of mechanical processing production.
06.
49 processing centers were purchased. We preferred the products of the Japanese company Mazak. The reorganization began with the localization of individual areas. However, we quickly came to the conclusion that our plans should be adjusted and not limited to “spot” improvements. Thus, we began to reorganize the entire production complex as a whole. We developed the action plan ourselves. 
07.
It must be said that when choosing a supplier production lines we compared different manufacturers: from Germany, Italy, Japan. But the technologies proposed by the “Land of the Rising Sun” fit best into our strategy. These are amazing machines! 
08.
We are located in the turning workshop. This does not mean that milling is not done here. It is also present, but in smaller volumes. This machine has a robotic “arm”. The operator simply observes the process. The main task during optimization is to remove as much as possible from one square meter. more products, reducing the production time of one part and, accordingly, increasing the number of parts produced. This part used to take 18 hours to make. Now we have already spent 12 hours. It goes to the swashplate of the new Ansat helicopter. Quite complex, it's worth noting. Previously very large percentage constituted a marriage. Why? Partial production took place on one machine, then another was used. Now all turning, milling, and drilling are carried out within one cycle. And there are a lot of such details. On average, after the introduction of new equipment, labor productivity increased 4 times.
09.
Important nuance. If previously it was impossible to walk through these workshops without tripping over the equipment several times, now you will not see the equipment. We have completely abandoned stamping production. Instead of stamping, parts are made from duralumin blanks. 
10.
A 4-kilogram blank produces an elegant 200-gram part. Some may think that the material utilization rate is too low. But it’s worth paying attention to something else. Previously, in order to obtain a stamped blank, it was necessary to purchase material and send it to the factory. It was necessary to produce stamps. It was necessary to maintain a rather large staff. And now a whole link has been excluded from the technological cycle. This saves a lot of time and money. And the shavings... The shavings are not sent to a landfill, they go back into use. This, by the way, is nothing more than shavings! But we'll talk about it a little later. 
11.
By the way, when carrying out reforms, no matter how strange it may seem, we started with toilets. Production culture cannot be separated from general culture and even hygiene. Each worker has three sets of overalls. One is in use, one is clean - hanging in the locker, and one more is in the wash, after which it is returned clean to the owner's locker. What efforts should the owner make to maintain the cleanliness of his workwear? He must remember to promptly place the dirty kit in a special bin. That's it! The chief technologist's service is located right in the workshop. Previously, technologists were located somewhere in distant buildings and we often only knew that they were there in principle... If any questions arose, we had to call and wait for specialists to arrive. Now they are close. The mechanical processing department and the program writing department are also located here. We write all programs ourselves. The next place on the excursion program was workshop No. 43. Milling workshop. 3- and 5-axis milling machines process, for example, such workpieces.
12.
The Integrex 1550 model and two Wortex 815 replaced three lines of 8 machines each - a total of 24 machines, which previously processed the structural elements of the helicopter - frames. 
13.
Vibration damper hub. The vibration damper is an option, not every customer buys it. But for passenger transportation, where comfort is important, it is indispensable. If earlier it took 136 hours to make this hub, now it only takes 18. 
14.
Here is a power element for the MI-38 helicopter, which is currently being tested. Previously, for the production of this element, a workpiece weighing about 2 tons was used. With the weight of the finished part being about 100 kilograms. Can you imagine how much material went into the chips? 
15.
This line consists of 4 MAZAK machines. Each machine is equipped with 120 tools. You can watch railway and a two-level system of 56 pallets, two loading stations for workpieces. There are only 4 such lines in Russia. We are now working to ensure that this line operates fully automatically. There are a number of organizational issues that we are addressing to achieve this goal.
16.
Designers, technologists and quality control service are located here in the workshop. 
17.
By the way, practice has shown that we do not always have enough magazine for 120 tools. Therefore, a store center for another 240 units of tools was installed next to these machines. When a part is being processed according to some program and the computer determines that one of the cutters has exhausted its assigned resource, the running carriage replaces the cutter or drill. Subsequently, the condition of the tool is assessed, and part of it, after sharpening, is used for other types of production. Why can't it be used here? After sharpening, the tool changes properties and we came to the conclusion that it is easier for us to use a new tool than to make changes to software, which is required when using a tool with an extended life.
18.
The tool is chipped. When it is necessary to find out the history of a drill, the operator in a matter of seconds receives all the necessary information, from sharpening angles to the production date. One magazine with tools (cutters, drills) frees up approximately 250 sq. m of workshop area, which was occupied by the same set of tools when using the old technology. When a tool is consumed, a file is automatically generated and sent to the supply department and the manufacturing company. The program specifies a minimum balance and the procurement department purchases new tools on time.
19.
Observer and part-time night guard. Rats and mice do not threaten the machines! :) 
20.
Notice those flat pieces. They are produced on a machine typically used in woodworking. We saw it at one of the international exhibitions and realized that we could use this unit for our purposes. There are a large number of different consoles and panels in the helicopter cockpit. We wrote our program based on the mathematical model created by the designers. To start the process, the operator just needs to select the part number and press the “start” button. 
21.
Shavings! Previously, before the reorganization, we sent a loaded Kamaz with shavings from the plant every day. Now productivity has increased 4 times, respectively, waste has become 4 times more. Every 28 seconds a briquette like this from duralumin shavings falls out and every 32 seconds a briquette from steel shavings falls out. The cost of a briquette on the market is approximately 5 times more than unpressed chips of the same weight. Thus, we also save on transportation costs - we do not remove “air” from the plant, and we earn more. These briquettes are melted down and used in other types of industry.
22.
The vibration damper hub, the preparation of which we saw at the beginning of the excursion, is already assembled. 
23.
Ready frames. 
24.
In the DSP (final assembly shop), the information baton was picked up by the Director of Marketing and Sales of the Kazan Helicopter Plant Valery Aleksandrovich Pashko... The Kazan Helicopter Plant produces rotorcraft for both civil and military purposes. The customer has the opportunity to literally “assemble” his helicopter, choosing from an extensive list of options those that he really needs.
25.
This also applies to the equipment of the cockpit. Of course, it is very convenient when workplace crew is an ultra-modern “glass” cockpit. But, often, a cabin with “alarm clocks” (classic dial gauges) looks preferable. Especially in cases where the equipment is operated in extreme conditions: heat or, conversely, the Far North.
The “Digital Cockpit” has built-in control. Often, if a system malfunctions, is damaged, or fails, a flight becomes simply impossible. But there are times (especially for military equipment) when you need to take off at any cost. The Digital Cockpit also requires more time to prepare for departure. Usually this is at least 10 minutes (the gyroscopes are spinning up, and so on). The “analog” cockpit allows you to get the car into the air 5 times faster.
Each of the equipment options has both advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, the choice is made based on the goals that will be set for the crew and the conditions in which the helicopter will be operated.
26.
The experience gained over many years of producing rotorcraft is being invested at the Kazan Helicopter Plant into the development of new equipment. For example, Ansat is a light multi-purpose helicopter. The Ansat helicopter program is actively developing in two directions: military and civil. The Ansat-U training helicopter is purchased by the Russian Ministry of Defense for flight schools and combat training centers and is supplied serially. With the help of quick-detachable equipment, the universal Ansat helicopter can be quickly re-equipped to perform a wide range of tasks: cargo delivery, passenger transportation, search and rescue operations, patrolling, fire fighting, emergency medical care. 
27.
As part of the program of the Russian Helicopters holding company to create the medium multi-purpose helicopter Mi-38, the plant is responsible for the construction of experimental prototypes of the helicopter and the organization of its serial production. 
28.
Helicopter blades can be either metal or composite. These blades are installed on Mi-17 (5 pieces) and Mi-38 (6 pieces) helicopters. The use of a composite blade on the Mi-17 gives an increase in lift by 500 kg. The modern aerodynamic profile of the blade can significantly improve the performance of a helicopter. But the weight of metal and composite blades is practically the same. The point is that the blades should not be too light. Weight characteristics must correspond to the optimal values calculated by the designers. A blade that is too light will not be able to enter autorotation mode. But the service life of a composite blade is almost 2.5 times higher than that of a metal blade.
29.
A modern helicopter is no longer a product entirely produced in one country. Often the customer chooses seats from Germany, an emergency escape system made in France, an airborne radar from the USA... 
30.
Moreover, the helicopter is, in fact, a piece product. Each machine is assembled for a specific customer and manufactured within a period of 9 to 12 months. Why such a time difference? Everyone has different requirements for configuration and equipment. 
31.
For example, someone may require the installation of cutters so that when a helicopter collides with power line wires, it will simply cut them and not fall to the ground. They are made in Canada and ship within 6 months. This device is patented by a Canadian manufacturer. 
32.
The production is mesmerizing and hypnotizing. It seems that you can stay here for days, just watching the amazing process of the birth of helicopters... This is the Kazan Helicopter Plant. A place where the historical past merges with the present and smoothly flows into the future. A place where the flow of time intricately twists, revealing romantic landscapes that have become standards of aviation aesthetics...
