Abstract: A fixture having a foot clamp for clamping a foot of an aerofoil and a tip clamp for clamping a tip of the aerofoil is provided with an array of supports between the foot clamp and the tip clamp. Each support within the array is independently addressable to one of the aerofoil flanks when the aerofoil is secured to the fixture. The support is driven by pneumatics till it contacts the aerofoil when it is locked by an alternative mechanism.

Abstract: A method of determining a tool path to machine a component, the method comprising the steps of: securing the component to a fixture having a zero point alignment datum, the component and the fixture having respective mobile reference points; aligning the fixture mobile reference points to target reference points on the machine tool; aligning a digitized model of the component to the component mobile reference points; determining the position of the component on the fixture from the component mobile reference points and the fixture mobile reference points; and adjusting a nominal tool path for the machine tool dependent on the position of the component.

Abstract: A method of determining a tool path to machine a component, the method comprising the steps of: securing the component to a fixture having a zero point alignment datum, the component and the fixture having respective mobile reference points; aligning the fixture mobile reference points to target reference points on the machine tool; aligning a digitised model of the component to the component mobile reference points; determining the position of the component on the fixture from the component mobile reference points and the fixture mobile reference points; and adjusting a nominal tool path for the machine tool dependent on the position of the component.

Abstract: A fixture having a foot damp for damping a foot of an aerofoil and a tip damp for clamping a tip of the aerofoil is provided with an array of supports between the foot clamp and the tip clamp. Each support within the array is independently addressable to one of the aerofoil flanks when the aerofoil is secured to the fixture. The support is driven by pneumatics till it contacts the aerofoil when it is locked by an alternative mechanism.