For obvious reasons aircraft parts need to meet the strictest quality standards. It’s easy to understand why engine parts or mountings must hold up – you’d certainly be in for a white-knuckle ride if the airplane engine worked its way loose!
But that’s only the half of it.
A quick peek at advice from the UK Civil Aviation Authority and you will see that the highest standards are required for EVERYTHING!
Refer to TSO-C22g and you’ll get an idea. This standard dictates the requirements for any and all aircraft seat belt components.
The star of the show in the video below is a lowly seat belt bezel, which must be designed and engineered to the highest standards – TSO-C22g. This part is more complex than it might seem to a layman…
Clearly, you can’t use the bloke with a CNC machine in his shed for this kind of work. You need an established precision engineering company. This blog post provides an insight into what to look out for when trying to choose the right company for your aircraft parts.
The first thing to consider is the machines.
The Correct CNC Machines For Aircraft Parts
5 axis machines are critical in a modern machine shop. High end machines allow intricate aircraft parts to be manufactured with minimal operations.
As a result, you get increased production speed, reduced labour costs, and decreased likelihood of operator error. Further, these machines use shorter cutting tools, minimising the time required to machine your parts and lessening the chance of dimensional inconsistencies due to vibration.
With the machines in place, you next need to consider the software used to bring the machines to life!
Sophisticated Software
High end machines need sophisticated software to ensure optimal performance. Software systems such as OpenMind Hypermill integrate processes, reduce machining times while improving the reliability of cutting, drilling, and tapping operations.
Without the correct software, your precision engineering company will not be able to push machines to their production limits. This means they will struggle to manufacture complex parts without sacrificing quality.
Engineering Expertise – Earned NOT Bought
Your ideal precision engineering firm must have engineers with the expertise you need, preferably gained over decades. This expertise and experience will enable these engineers to use both hardware and software effectively. The upshot is, your parts are finished to the quality you desire.
Inspection Is Critical
Even with advanced equipment, software, and engineering in place, the parts made must undergo thorough inspection in line with a certified quality management system such as ISO 9001. Procedures, configuration, and dimensions should all be carefully checked to ensure that it complies entirely with your specifications. This will help ensure that when you receive your part, it will be right the first time of asking!
Delivery On Time
If you are to accommodate your customers’ schedules, your precision engineering partner must first be able to accommodate yours. The CNC workshop you need will stick to the agreed timescale, despite any unforeseen hiccups and always (hopefully) deliver on time!
7 Ways The RIGHT Precision Engineering Company Will Improve Your Margin
With all of this in place you are on the right track, your aircraft parts will be manufactured as you want them, time after time.
But there’s more… The RIGHT CNC machining workshop will save you money and BOOST your margin in ways you’d never thought of. Download the eBook to find out how!