Making new things possible

CNC prototyping and manufacturing specialists RapidDirect explains how on-demand manufacturing can help accelerate aerospace development.

The aerospace industry is experiencing fast growth and increasing demands. As a result, end users are demanding top-quality, precise, and high-performance aircraft. To keep up with these needs, manufacturers in the aerospace industry are shifting from traditional forms of production to on-demand manufacturing. By definition, on-demand manufacturing involves producing parts or products based on customer needs only. In contrast to traditional production methods where several items are produced and stored, on demand-manufacturing allows the production of only a specified quantity of an item at a time. On-demand manufacturing is used widely in aerospace parts prototyping and manufacturing to support customer needs for shorter, less costly and more efficient development cycles.

Despite being around for over 100 years, the aerospace industry continues to invest in cutting-edge technology. This pursuit of new technologies is driven by the need to meet safety and high-performance standards demanded by customers. On-demand manufacturing allows technological flexibility that helps accelerate development in the aerospace industry. The use of cutting-edge technology such as CNC Machining and AM during on-demand manufacturing to solve these challenges accelerates the aerospace development cycle. Similarly, with the application of advanced technology, more complex aerospace parts or innovation products design can be achieved.

You may very familiar with the phrase “time is money”. Time is extremely important, especially in the aerospace product development. In traditional manufacturing processes, product developers usually faced challenges due to the limits of minimum order quantities (MOQ) and production schedules. In contrast, on-demand manufacturing is more flexible, no MOQ. So, a shorter product development time can be expected. What’s more, on-demand manufacturing allows companies to communicate with both suppliers and customers more openly and directly. This accelerates communication and interaction during the aerospace development process. It allows efficient assembly of raw materials and reduces the wastage of resources and time. Similarly, on-demand manufacturing allows quick feedback sharing between manufacturers and customers without major disruptions in the development process.

On-demand manufacturing empowering innovation in aerospace development. This enables aerospace development to match the pace of customised and high-performance demands placed on it. Prototype development, for instance, can be complicated and costly. On-demand manufacturers use innovation to go over prototypes quickly before they start making the product. Similarly, they can make sample quantities of the product and release them for market testing as they continue to improve it. This allows for uninterrupted product release and early recall after development.

Innovative procedures such as 3D printing and computerized manufacturing can simultaneously model a product while testing its compatibility with other aerospace parts. Therefore, on-demand manufacturing directly accelerates aerospace development by enhancing creativity, innovation, and high performance for present and future models.

CNC machining techniques

On-demand manufacturing uses various innovative techniques to enable quick manufacturing of aerospace products and parts.

CNC Machining is a computerised manufacturing process, where software is fed with information to run the production of items. CNC machining is a form of the subtractive manufacturing process, meaning that it removes parts of a manufactured component. With this approach, it is easier to precisely modify manufactured aerospace or customise them based on the needs of the customer.

The two key benefits you get from CNC machining are: It has high tolerance/precision of up to ±0.0025mm. This is suitable for the aerospace industry where parts need to join or fit with each other precisely; It supports rapid and consistent production of aerospace parts and products.

When it involves precision you should not miss the 5-axis CNC Machining. This technique gives you the benefit of bringing complex shapes and structures to life with fewer setups than traditional methods. The 5-axis CNC machining also has the 3+2 axis machining, the only technique for simultaneous production. On top of precision, you can also get smoother surface finishes that make aerospace parts fit better.

3D Printing techniques

3D printing is another on-demand manufacturing technique is widely used in the aerospace industry; it is a form of additive manufacturing that allows the accurate layer-by-layer building of aerospace parts. 3D printing accelerates the product development cycle by reducing the time used in building prototypes during trials and the actual products. The aerospace industry aims at moving towards lighter, more precise, and safe aerospace parts. 3D printing gives you the benefit of producing complex structure aerospace parts with these qualities.

Stereolithography (SLA) is a 3D printing approach that accelerates the aerospace parts design process through accurate prototypes. With SLA you can add details to the product part and make its surface smoother.

Stereolithography in progress

Material Jetting (MJ) is part of the 3D printing process, where liquified materials are added layer-by-layer to build aerospace parts. MJ accurately determines the height and dimension of the materials being used in the production process.

3D printing supports the quick production of models and prototypes at a low cost. These prototypes are later used in building aerospace parts. Accelerated processes at this stage include thermoforming, injection moulding, and jigs and fixtures. 3D printing also allows manufacturers in the aerospace industry to trial low-weight and high-performance models through complex geometrical combinations. Traditional manufacturers produce multiple aircraft parts for one purpose. However, with 3D printing, several parts can be combined into a single and more effective component. This reduces the time and costs associated with assembling and keeping inventory.

In conclusion

To recap this discussion, on-demand manufacturing is destined to make the aerospace industry even better. Its current contributions to aerospace development include shorten production cycle and driven innovation. On-demand manufacturing uses 5-axis CNC machining and 3D printing to drive the production of precise and high-performance aerospace parts.

At RapidDirect, an all-in-one manufacturing solution for aerospace industry is here for you. With advanced technologies and adherence to quality requirements to bring your ideas to life.

www.rapiddirect.com