Machining Parts for the Aerospace Industry

Posted on Jul 6, 2020

Machining Parts for the Aerospace Industry

Machining parts that are meant for the aerospace industry requires some of the highest quality standards.

These parts must guarantee the health and safety of staff and passengers and shall make high-precision instruments and devices easier to operate optimally. Precision is therefore of utmost importance in the machining and manufacture, in high pressure and high-altitude conditions, of the aerospace and aircraft composite components. Precision machining techniques are important for producing instrumental aircraft-wide aerospace components. These components are often 'life-critical,' complex parts that must meet high tolerance thresholds with very precise specifications.
 

Machining parts for engines, airframes & seating

An aircraft is like a human body: all parts must function well to work properly. The entire system can be broken up by a defective or damaged part. Let us examine certain areas of a plane where the highest quality machined parts are essential:

Engine – The motor supplies the mechanical power that allows the aircraft to move, so it can be considered the heart of the aircraft. If parts of a motor fail, a sudden power loss or a complete mechanical breakdown may happen. High-end plastics have high wear and low friction resistance. This gives them a long and reliable lifetime and enhances safety if lubrication fails.
 

Airframe – The airframe supports the aircraft, just like the skeleton supports the body. A powerful but lightweight airframe is required. High-end plastics have a high tensility and bending power equal to but with a fraction of the weight of metal. Reduced aircraft weight increases fuel efficiency and speed.
 

Connectors – All the muscles, ligaments, and joints stay together in the body. This task is carried out by connectors in an aircraft. These components need to be versatile yet robust enough to withstand continuous mechanical and environmental stress. Rust and corrosion-resistant military-grade plastics can withstand rapid changes in temperature and air pressures without distortion.
 

Seating – Body fat is generally considered a bad thing, but in our bodies it actually plays a significant role, protecting our bones from injury and cushioning them. If not, a minor decline could lead to severe internal injuries for this protective fat. Sitting is also a critical survivability factor on a plane. A well-built seat leads to energy absorption during impact and protects against head injury. Seating parts should be as resilient and reliable as the ones used in the engine. 
 

Machining parts for all sections on an airplane is a very important process and the foundation of the safety of passenger and cargo planes alike.
 

What makes machining parts for planes so tricky?


Aerospace components must guarantee personnel safety and facilitate the optimal performance of high-precision instruments and machines. Consequently, precision is of supreme importance in the machining and fabrication of aerospace and aircraft parts, which require the highest levels of functionality under high-pressure and high-altitude situations. Below we have listed some of the most common manufacturing challenges for aerospace parts:
 
· Advanced and not very common alloys 
· Very complex designs
· Accuracy tolerances being very low
· Special equipment and machine tools
 

Machining Parts and Technological Capabilities

 
The most crucial aspect is the quality of the machine tools when it comes to CNC machining parts with the highest precision and quality. Below are some key requirements:

  • A complete addition to quality devices that are capable of a quick and smooth production of large volumes. 

  • Multi-task capability, in contrast to offering multi fixture operations only, for machining in one single operation. This CNC machining ability will make the generation of aerospace components more reliable. Multi-task capabilities also provide improved internal flexibility as operators move from machine to machine and where the quality of their work is better (even if a single machine part can be completed). 
  • One-Stop-Services that enables the manufacturer to manage the supply chain and simplify the production process means that all of the CNC Machining needs can be met

  • Capabilities like live tools to make parts from a bar stock 
     

Quality & Precision

Computer Numerical Control (CNC), a highly precise automated method that uses programmed numerical control to operate machine tools used in partial configuration processes, can often only securely achieve the complexity of aerospace parts through production runs. The highest level of accuracy and efficiency required by industry is achieved by CNC machining. 

Machined parts for Aerospace requires the use of state-of-the-art equipment and production processes including, 3, 4, and 5-axis CNC machining, metal fabrication, welding, prototyping, sheet metal forming, assembly, warehousing, composites cutting, kitting and others.

Precision distinguishes the successful performance of critical tasks from the serious impact of failure, making it essential to select the right aerospace machining parts service provider for component production.

:: Read more : How to machine precision parts?

 

Characteristics of Machining Parts for Aerospace

Several features are common in aerospace machining, including narrow tolerances, hard-to-machine exotic metals and alloys, and complex contours of components such as turbine blades and other structural components. Modern technology and innovations in machining have enabled the necessary precision of complex prototypes and precise components required to operate systems in aircraft, spacecraft, missiles, and satellites. The immeasurable advantages of precision parts for aerospace applications are sometimes invisible, but are essential in many important areas, including:
 

National Defense

Precision metalworking provides the most advanced systems to protect people's well-being in the national army. The systems include fighter jets, long-term bombs and missiles, and transportation to various deployments worldwide for moving military equipment and personnel.
 

Space Travel

Without the CNC machining of high-precision parts of aerospace production, we can't explore beyond our planet. Precision components facilitate the operation of spacecraft and international space stations that are critical in data collection and collection from outer space and surfaces of other bodies in our solar system.

 

Machining Parts for Aerospace on IMTS-Exhibition.com

You can find many machine tools on our site that suitable for CNC machined parts for aircraft. Just head to our product section or check out our search function to find hundreds of manufacturers in our product database.  If you want to learn more about machining parts related questions and their applications make sure to check out our other blog entries

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