The More You Should Know About Aerospace CNC Machining.

Published by Worthy Hardware at May 9, 2022

Table of Content

■ What is Aerospace CNC Machining?

■ Why precision is so important in Aerospace CNC Machining?

■ Applications of Aerospace CNC Machining aerospace parts!

■ Aerospace machining materials!

■ Why choose Worthy for your Aerospace CNC machining project?

■ Conclusion

What is Aerospace CNC Machining?

The Aerospace CNC machining process is a new development in technology that involves fabricating CNC machining aerospace parts to assemble and maintain aircraft and space shuttles. Most CNC machining companies in the aerospace industry use various components, kits, and assemblies needed for crafts. the process is not time consuming compared to the previous manual process.

Many aerospace parts must be made with high-quality metals from clamps, hinges, bushings, and other custom parts. This ensures that the aircraft component works perfectly without any fear of danger.

For this reason, Titanium and Kovar are the most commonly used metals in the global aerospace manufacturing. Other materials include copper, stainless steel, bronze, aluminum, and other types of plastic.

Why precision is so important in Aerospace CNC Machining?

Precision is a significant aspect of the aerospace industry. The industry has numerous high production standards which focus on safety controls and CNC machining aerospace parts.

Compared to other industries, the aerospace manufacturing demands high accuracy and tightness intolerance, dimensions, and other parts. This is to avoid parts failure in the course of operating the aircraft.

Poor production procedures can lead to metal colossal safety threats to the end-users. This is why aerospace machining companies do all they can to meet industry standards and requirements. At the same time, CNC machining helps companies ensure that production is done in record time to meet the quality demanded by industry .

Using sound CNC machining equipment, qualified aerospace manufacturers. Can design and manufacture top-quality prototypes and end-use components for companies in the aerospace industry

Furthermore, working with aerospace-grade plastics and metals, the CNC machine system gets a tolerance of 0.002 mm.

A detailed post-processing and inspection system ensures that the completed aerospace prototypes and parts do not compromise the standards.

Applications of Aerospace CNC Machining aerospace parts!

CNC machining can be applied in many areas across aerospace manufacturing. One aircraft comes with multiple components. There are different processes in the development – from sheet metal fabrication and the injection molding stage to every other advanced manufacturing process like 3D printing and CNC machining.

For instance, the 5-axis machining simplifies producing complex aircraft components. Additionally, this aerospace machining process makes for easy milling, drilling, and manipulation along the linear and X, Y, and Z axes. These machining processes co-occur without impacting the parts, for example, re-configuring or fixture of the part.

In CNC machining, most aerospace companies combine sophisticated design with workflow software and modern inspection processes. This method helps develop end-use parts and top-notch tooling components for aerospace production.

There are numerous aerospace applications of precision machined parts in the aerospace industry. It will be difficult to exhaust the list. However, we have listed a few aerospace applications of precision machine parts:

Hydraulic Manifolds
Seats
Shafts
Turbine blades
Parts for oxygen generation
Valve components
Landing gears
Fuel Bodies
Filter bodies
Structure components
Castings
Housings
Electrical connectors and more

It is important to note that the role of CNC machining doesn't end in the production of aircraft end-use parts only. It also plays a crucial role in areas like aerospace R&D materials. This is a unique role that enables companies in the aerospace industry to reinvent new component designs quickly, test them, and edit them if need be considering the complex geometry in the industry.

Aerospace machining companies such as Worthy hardware partner with aerospace companies and OEMs to deliver CNC machined parts such as the landing gear, rocket's body design and other complex part in less time and with tight tolerance (usually about 0.002mm)

· CNC Use in Aviation

Whether it is a fighter jets, passenger airline, or cargo planes, high-level accuracy is of utmost priority in every stage and part of aircraft production, without any omission, from the inner layer or the exterior shell and ensure zero part failure.

For example, the engine helps keep the plane in the air for as long it flies; because of this, the engine will continuously use and process fuel. Hence, CNC machining makes some insignificant components vital to the engine's operation.

Another example is the cockpit. When you carefully look at this component, you will discover the role aerospace machining played. Some other minute interconnected components combine to form a navigational system that helps the aircraft navigate easily from point A to point B.

Ultimately, CNC machining plays a fundamental role in aerospace components. a perfect touch and tweaking of delicate parts such as the plane's wings during manufacturing can help ensure a smooth flight

· CNC Use in Space Travel

When it comes to space travel, top aerospace companies like SpaceX and NASA are always the first that comes to mind. These companies are known for designing and manufacturing the best technologically advanced spacecraft and rockets body designs used for various space travels. However, aerospace CNC machining plays a massive role in the success of these each product.

It is common knowledge to build spacecraft that can undoubtedly withstand their existence in space. Hence, precision comes into play. Precision helps to ensure that each part works efficiently and the safe operation of the spacecraft.

Aerospace machining materials!

Generally speaking, the most preferred metals for aerospace components manufacturing are either aluminum alloys or titanium and in rare cases, carbon fiber. the materials are preferred because of their extremely tight tolerances.

Aluminum (7075, 2024): Aluminum is one of the most commonly used machining parts in many aerospace parts and components. They are known to be lightweight metals and cost effective. Alu7075 and Alu2024 are two of the most commonly used aluminum alloys.
Titanium: Titanium is a metal with excellent resistance to corrosion and high temperature, making it a suitable choice for the machine's steady and efficient performance. Additionally, titanium is one of the lightweight metals which is highly workable, machinable, has high tolerances and is easily adaptable for more complex critical components. Ti6AI4V is one popular titanium grade commonly used in aerospace machining and manufacture parts of the aircrafts.
Engineering Plastic: Besides the two aerospace machining materials mentioned above, aerospace machining also involves using highly efficient engineering plastics such as polycarbonate, PEEK, Ultem Nylon 6, and PPs. These plastics are also referred to as high-performance plastics as they have ability to produce complex parts other plastics cannot produce.

These engineering plastics are helpful as alternatives to metals due to their lightweight, resistance to vibration, chemical resistance, and sealing properties. Engineering plastics also function as good electrical insulators during manufacturing process.

Engineers fabricate other aerospace components like tray cables, cabin interiors, armrests, housings, insulation, wear pads, valve components, and back-lit instrument panels.

However, it is essential to note that the aerospace plastic you choose to produce parts of the aircraft must meet the smoke, flame, and toxicity requirements.

Although steel is of high tensile strength, however, it is not recommended for the aerospace machining process because they are heavy, and this could be a bit challenging supporting the innermost layer or the outer shell of the aircraft in flight.

Using the right materials for aircraft manufacturing, using the right cutting tools and proper injection molding ensures guarantee in any piece whether in flight or even landing.

Why choose Worthy for your Aerospace CNC machining project?

·Tight tolerances

Tight tolerance is the ability of a manufacturer to produce machined parts with very minimal variations; Although some industries permit loose tolerances for material variations, there is no room for error in the aerospace sector.

CNC machining aerospace requires absolute consistency in precision and tight tolerance to guarantee human safety. A typical tight tolerance +/ 001 inches

·Material certificate

To a large extent, a material certificate is critical to the success of your aerospace CNC machined products. The material certificate, also known as the "mill test report" (MTR), shows a full detail of any CNC material's mechanical and chemical properties.

This information is provided to ascertain that the material does not go against international standards like the American Society for Testing Materials. A material certificate contains the following information:

Production specification
Signature
Material size
Material manufacture
Metal grade
Material weight and heat number
Test result
Chemical composition

·5 axis CNC machining

Considering the uniqueness and complexity of aerospace parts, they must be configured with 5-axis CNC machines.

5-axis CNC machining involves the functioning of a machine using an accurate CNC. This is done by cutting tools and parts across 5 axes simultaneously.

The framework of the machine allows complex geometries. Since the industry is ever progressive continuous reconfiguring and tweaking of pars is achievable using the 5-axis CNC machining.

The primary reason for the 5 axis machines is because they meet the high-performance industry standards of aircraft CNC machining. Engineers can drill or mill aerospace components to meet the desired design specification of the aircraft during manufacturing.

Conclusion

Aerospace CNC machining provides the solutions needed by manufacturers in the aerospace manufacturing industry. Also, the aerospace industry is characterized by stringent requirements and industry standards, which, if maintained, the result of a component would be a high-quality product, with attention to safety, high accuracy, management, and tolerance.

Whether it's aerospace or aircraft you want to design, Worthy Hardware is ever ready to help you achieve your manufacturing needs.

Worthy Hardware is a CNC manufacturing and sheet metal fabrication company,including CNC machining services,CNC milling services, CNC turning services, laser cutting services and stamping services.Call us +86-76989919645 or email us [email protected] for more discounts for your projects.