Precision Metal Processing for the Aviation Industry
Everyone knows flying a plane isn’t like driving a car—you can’t just get out and walk at the next intersection if there’s a mechanical problem.
All components used in aviation are subject to strict quality control measures, and any physical changes to an aircraft require approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, the governing body that oversees aviation and aeronautics in the US. Even something as simple as installing a camera outside your Cessna will require engineering documents and must be inspected before the aircraft is deemed airworthy.
When the Parts Need to Be Perfect, Metal Works Can Help
Metal Works is best known for building structural components for construction projects, but it’s certainly not all we do. Recently, we’ve invested in a 12kW Bystronic laser, which allows us to cut metal with an extremely high degree of precision and create aviation parts to keep everyone safe and comply with federal regulations.
Airframe components, engine parts, gaskets, fasteners, brackets, and many other parts can be cut from steel, aluminum, and related alloys. The laser can also cut titanium, brass, and composite materials, making it capable of producing just about every piece of an aircraft.
Why is a Laser Especially Good for Aviation/Aerospace Applications?
Customers in the aviation/aerospace industry have highly specialized needs. Metal alloys are carefully chosen for their weight, where less is more. Also considered are thermal stability (they’ll be subject to high and low temperatures), strength, rigidity (or flexibility), and their ability to be joined. If there is a single piece that’s incorrect, it can be hazardous.
The precision with which these materials need to be processed is extreme, generally outside the ability of a human to achieve through conventional methods. But a CNC laser is entirely controlled by software, and the clean cut made by the light exerts no force on the material, so it doesn’t become deformed in the same way other manufacturing technologies often do.
Whether building a prototype aircraft or fashioning a custom modification or repair part, clients in the aviation and aeronautics industries will look to CNC technology and the best available cutting tool for the materials they work with—a laser.
Our Journey Has Always Included New Beginnings!
Metal Works started as a two-person blacksmith operation. Today, it has become one of the biggest steel structure manufacturers in the Western U.S. and continues to diversify and grow. Laser cutting technology is its most recent technological addition, allowing Metal Works to better serve clients and bring our expertise to whole new industries.
If you need something cut with exceptional precision, contact Metal Works today to find out how we can help. We’re excited to get started!