CNC Machining for Aerospace
Precision-machined structural brackets, turbine components, avionics housings, and optical assemblies — titanium, aluminum, Inconel, and stainless steel to tolerances of ±0.005 mm with full material traceability.
Your flight-test schedule requires six titanium actuator brackets with ±0.008 mm true position on 14 bolt holes, each verified against AS9102 first-article inspection requirements — and the vendor your program has been using just quoted 8 weeks. Aerospace prototype machining is not general-purpose CNC work: every feature tolerance, material cert, and inspection record must trace back to a documented process, or the parts cannot fly.
KUSLA Prototype machines aerospace structural and mechanism components for commercial aviation, defense R&D, satellite systems, and UAV platforms. Every aerospace project includes documented material traceability, CMM inspection with GD&T verification, and first-article inspection reporting aligned with AS9102 requirements.
Aerospace Components We Machine
| Material | Governing Spec | Required Certs | KUSLA Verification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ti-6Al-4V (Grade 5) | AMS 4928 (bar), AMS 4911 (sheet) | Mill cert with chemistry + mechanical | Incoming hardness test (HRC), dimensional, CoC match |
| Al 7075-T6 | AMS-QQ-A-225/9, AMS 4078 | Mill cert with temper verification | Hardness check (HRB 87), conductivity test |
| Al 6061-T6 | AMS-QQ-A-225/8, AMS 4027 | Mill cert, temper | Hardness, conductivity |
| Inconel 718 | AMS 5662 (bar), AMS 5596 (sheet) | Mill cert, heat treat record, chemistry | Hardness (HRC 36–44), microstructure spot-check |
| 15-5PH Stainless | AMS 5659 (bar, H1025) | Mill cert, condition verification | Hardness (HRC 35–42), magnetic permeability |
| PEEK (aerospace grade) | Victrex 450G / 150G | Lot traceability, batch CoA | Visual inspection, density check |
Titanium aerospace brackets are where most shops lose money — not on the machining itself, but on tool life management. We recently machined 8 Ti-6Al-4V actuator mounting brackets (AMS 4928 bar stock) for a UAV program. Each bracket had 14 bolt holes at true position ±0.008 mm and required a surface finish of Ra 0.8 µm on all mating faces. We ran at 45 m/min cutting speed with TiAlN-coated carbide, 0.08 mm/tooth feed, and high-pressure through-spindle coolant at 70 bar. The critical variable was tool change intervals — we changed inserts every 18 minutes of cut time instead of waiting for visible wear, because Ti-6Al-4V work-hardens the surface layer once the cutting edge rounds over. All 8 brackets passed CMM verification on the first run, and we provided the full AS9102 FAI package with each shipment.
Materials for Aerospace CNC Machining
| Material | Application | Key Property | Cost | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ti-6Al-4V (Grade 5) | Structural brackets, actuator mounts, fasteners | Strength-to-weight, corrosion, fatigue life | $$$$ | Primary structural |
| Al 7075-T6 | Ribs, skins, avionics chassis, UAV frames | High yield (503 MPa), lightweight | $$ | Workhorse |
| Inconel 718 | Turbine components, exhaust fittings | Retains strength at 700°C | $$$$$ | High-temp |
| 15-5PH Stainless | Landing gear fittings, hinges, pins | High strength (H1025: 1069 MPa UTS) | $$$ | Structural steel |
| Al 6061-T6 | Non-critical brackets, jigs, test fixtures | Good machinability, weldable | $ | Secondary |
| PEEK | Electrical insulators, bushings, seal seats | High temp, low outgassing, radiolucent | $$$$ | Specialty polymer |
Tolerance & Inspection for Aerospace Parts
| Feature | Standard | Critical | Surface (Ra) | Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bolt hole true position | ±0.025 mm | ±0.008 mm | 1.6–3.2 µm | Structural joints, bracket mounts |
| Bore fits (press/transition) | ±0.015 mm | ±0.005 mm | 0.4–0.8 µm | Bushing seats, bearing interfaces |
| Mating face flatness | 0.025 mm | 0.008 mm | 0.8–1.6 µm | Flange joints, sealed enclosures |
| Profile of surface | 0.05 mm | 0.02 mm | 0.8–1.6 µm | Aerodynamic surfaces, fairings |
| Concentricity (TIR) | 0.025 mm | 0.008 mm | 0.4 µm | Rotary actuators, shafts |
| Wall thickness (thin-wall) | ±0.05 mm | ±0.02 mm | 1.6 µm | Lightweighted ribs, pocketed structures |
Aerospace Manufacturing Processes
5-Axis CNC Milling
Complex structural brackets, ribs, and multi-angle features machined in single setups. Ti, Al, Inconel, and stainless steel.
CNC Turning
Shafts, bushings, connector fittings, and rotary actuator housings. Live tooling for cross-holes without secondary operations.
SPDT Diamond Turning
Ultra-precision optical mirrors, IR windows, and waveguide components. Surface finish to Ra 0.005 µm (5 nm).
Metal 3D Printing
DMLS/SLM for topology-optimized brackets and complex internal channels. Ti-6Al-4V and AlSi10Mg. Parts in 5–10 days.
Sheet Metal
Avionics chassis, EMI enclosures, heat shields, and structural panels. Laser cut + precision bent aluminum and stainless.
Low-Volume Production
1–5,000 units with aerospace-grade quality and documentation. Bridge production for flight-test and certification builds.
Aerospace Sectors KUSLA Supports
| Sector | Typical Components | Key Material | Critical Spec |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial aviation | Structural brackets, duct fittings, seat tracks | Al 7075, Ti Gr5 | AS9102 FAI, AMS material specs |
| Defense R&D | Prototype housings, test fixtures, mechanism parts | Ti, 15-5PH SS | Material traceability, DFARS compliance |
| Satellite & space | Thermal plates, deployment arms, waveguides | Al 6061, Ti | Low outgassing (ASTM E595), mass constraints |
| UAV / eVTOL | Motor mounts, fuselage frames, landing gear | Al 7075, carbon | Thin-wall pocketing, weight optimization |
| Propulsion | Nozzle bodies, manifold fittings, shroud segments | Inconel 718 | High-temp stability, surface integrity |
| Optics & sensors | Mirror substrates, gimbal brackets, lens mounts | Al 6061, PEEK | Sub-micron surface finish, thermal stability |
Frequently Asked Questions
Standard aerospace machining tolerance is ±0.025 mm for general features. For critical interfaces — bolt hole true position, bore fits, and mating face flatness — KUSLA holds ±0.005–0.008 mm with CMM verification. All critical dimensions are reported with GD&T callouts in the inspection documentation.
Yes. KUSLA machines Inconel 718, Waspaloy, and other nickel-based superalloys on rigid 5-axis centers with ceramic or coated carbide tooling, high-pressure through-spindle coolant, and controlled cutting parameters to maintain surface integrity. Tool life management is critical — inserts are changed at fixed intervals to prevent work-hardening.
KUSLA provides CMM-measured dimensional inspection reports with GD&T verification aligned with AS9102 FAI requirements. Material certifications (mill certs, CoC with chemistry and mechanical data) and process documentation are included. Reports are delivered in standard formats compatible with aerospace quality management systems.
Aluminum aerospace parts typically ship in 5–8 business days. Titanium and Inconel parts require 7–12 days due to lower cutting speeds and additional inspection steps. Complex 5-axis parts with tight GD&T requirements may take 10–15 days. Material procurement can add lead time for specialty alloys not in stock.
KUSLA is ISO 9001:2015 certified. Aerospace projects are produced under documented quality procedures with full material traceability, in-process inspection, and CMM final inspection. While KUSLA does not hold AS9100D certification, the quality documentation package supports customers who require AS9102-format FAI data and material traceability for their own AS9100-certified quality systems.