CNC machines are used in the aerospace industry to manufacture precise components such as aircraft wings and engine parts, with tolerances up to ±0.001 inches. Boeing has improved production efficiency by 30% and reduced costs by 20% using CNC technology.
Importance of CNC Machining in Aerospace Industry
Have you ever heard about the influence of CNC machining in the aerospace industry? No – I AM NOT JOKING, this is not a flippant statement like the others. For instance, CNC machines are capable of delivering aircraft-grade components with tolerances as low as ±0.001 inches within a few hours, which is nothing short of awe-inspiring. And this is only scratching the surface.
The global market for aerospace parts is expected to reach $121 billion by 2024, based on the latest data. CNC machining is playing an increasingly important role in this growth due to its considerably higher production efficiency and cost savings. Formerly, machining a complicated part could have taken weeks to even months, whereas with CNC the same could be done within days.
To put in perspective how critical CNC machining really is, consider Boeing. They use CNC technology for critical components like wings and engine parts. These parts must work together precisely and consistently to ensure safe, efficient aircraft. Boeing would never have ascended to where it stands today without the help of CNC machining.
In addition, CNC machining has also promoted innovation in aerospace. For example, SpaceX uses CNC machining technology extensively in their rocket engines. It creates geometrically complex shapes and guarantees the parts can pass stringent quality checks before assembly, ensuring that when integrated into a launch system or rocket tank, it will function as originally designed. As Elon Musk said, “We’re dependent on precision manufacturing; the slightest error would lead to a catastrophe.”
At times, you would wonder how efficient CNC machining can be. For instance, a provider of aerospace parts shortened its production cycle time to 5 days instead of the usual 30 and also lowered manufacturing costs by as much as 20% with CNC machining. While these figures may sound academic, for airlines this translates into shorter lead times and reduced CAPEX, contributing to higher overall competitiveness.
Studies have pointed out that CNC machining provides considerable advantages for enhancing material utilization. Traditional machining methods tend to waste a great deal of materials, but CNC machining can make exact cuts that reduce the need for additional raw material. CNC machining has been found to decrease material waste rates by more than 50%, which ultimately helps in saving on high-cost aerospace materials.
Along with production, a medium-sized aerospace parts manufacturer can make up to 15,000 parts per year using CNC machining (Aviation Week data) – that is 30% more compared to traditional methods of machining! Such parts fall under essential categories ranging from aircraft fuselage to engine components, offering the performance and reliability expected in aviation applications.
Additionally, CNC-milled parts reduce R&D time considerably. For instance, when developing a new aircraft type, more than half the average 18-month prototype manufacturing time can be eliminated with CNC technology. Ultimately, this fast-iteration ability means that airlines can react to market restrictions and develop new products faster.
And last but not least, CNC machining has produced more employment opportunities. Even though the technology is mostly automatic, it still takes trained professionals to program, operate, and service. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that a CNC operator makes $50,000 per year on average, with some more experienced machinists making over $70,000 annually. This pays quite well, and many aerospace companies as well as parts manufacturers are hiring both CNC operators and engineers.
Use of CNC Technology in Aerospace Industry
For fervid CNC engineers, how crucial and significant is the incorporation of this technology in aerospace? It’s almost like magic. Now think of a CNC machine tool that can accurately produce precision aircraft parts up to ±0.001 inches in less than a few hours! Isn’t that incredible?
Let’s talk about data. Summing it up, the Global Aerospace Parts market is estimated to be $121 billion by 2024 as per Aviation Week. CNC machining in these parts accounts for an ever-increasing percentage. An example: A complex aircraft part used to take months to create, but now, with CNC technology, a few days. This increased efficiency has resulted in a monumental shift for the whole industry.
In the production efficiency aspect, CNC machine tools work 20 times faster than traditional manual machining methods. This results in a job that took 20 hours now only taking one hour. Aerospace businesses can successfully respond to market challenges faster owing to the enhanced production rate. Boeing is a great example. CNC technology is used on a large scale by Boeing to machine vital parts including wings and engine components. These components are so vital that their proper manufacturing or machining, keeping a very high degree of precision and consistency into consideration, is directly proportional to the safety and performance limits of airplanes. Boeing stated that their “CNC machining allows 30% more production efficiency” and reduced costs by about 20%. Think about it, if Boeing had no CNC technology in place, the aircraft of today would still be produced as old stuff last century.
On the subject of innovation, who would leave SpaceX out? They use quite a few CNC processes in their rocket engines. Compiling this information was a little tough (turns out that everything SpaceX does has been blogged to death) so there could be mistakes. That means with this technology, you can achieve very complex geometrical configurations and know that each part will be similar in quality. As Elon Musk said, “Zero fault process is critical for success; even a speck of dust can destroy or damage the machine.”
You may also be curious about how powerful these CNC machines are. Additionally, an aerospace parts company that adopted CNC machining equipment decreased lead time from 30 days to a mere five days and slashed production costs by as much as 20%. These are not small numbers. Airlines benefit from shorter delivery periods and lower operating costs, which improves their overall competitive position.
CNC processing also has great advantages in terms of material utilization, this is supported by data. Traditional machining methods often waste a great quantity of materials, while CNC machining emphasizes cutting precisely and therefore utilizing each material piece as well as possible. This tech can reduce material waste by more than 50%, which means big savings in expensive aerospace materials.
There is also an increase in job opportunities in the manufacturing world because of CNC machining. Moreover, even being highly automated, this technology demands that programmers (technicians) install and dismantle the controlled process. CNC operator jobs pay an average annual salary of $50,000 as per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with experienced techs making north of $70,000 a year. There are many aerospace companies and parts manufacturers that need CNC operators and engineers right now, too, which is where all the jobs seem to be.
CNC technology also reduces the R&D cycle. Instead of 18 months for the prototype manufacturing process, during the development of new aircrafts with CNC technology it now just takes half a year. This fast iteration aspect enables airlines to the market much faster than with current solutions, allowing them to respond quickly and get new products out even quicker. Boeing data indicates that a medium-sized aerospace manufacturer can produce up to 15,000 parts with CNC-machining per year (a more than 30% increase from traditional manufacturing methods).
The savings with CNC machining mainly come from reduced material waste and increased cost-efficiency during large-scale production runs. For example, a large aerospace parts manufacturing company saves approximately $10 million per year in material and labor costs. Most of these savings come from smaller waste and higher cost-efficiency during large-scale production.
The energy consumption of modern CNC equipment is 40% less than that of traditional machines. The cost of operation is reduced, and it corresponds to the current social responsibility trend by being more respectful of green environmental issues, which must contribute to getting additional certifications meeting environment criteria for market recognition at a higher level.
Why is CNC Important for Processing Aerospace Materials
Do you have any idea of how critical the CNC machine tools are in processing materials for aerospace? It’s revolutionary. Talking about accuracy in processing, CNC machine tools have an accuracy that can be up to ±0.001 inches. This may seem small, but it is a big issue regarding security on aircraft. With this precision in mind, at what cost do you imagine errors in aircraft parts (due to lack of precision) have brought?
Time for some real data. As per the latest data, $234 billion is held by the global aerospace materials market that integrates CNC machining of many types. Airbus, for one, uses CNC technology to cut aircraft wings that need both lightweighting and durability to withstand the heavy demands of flight. Airbus claims CNC technology increased its material utilization by 30% and that it saves $150 million in raw materials costs per year.
CNC is also great for material efficiency. Traditional machining methods waste a lot of materials, but with CNC machine tools, precision cutting limits waste. CNC machining allows the aerospace industry using expensive materials to reduce material waste rates by 50%. This is extremely beneficial to Boeing, realizing $200 million per annum in production cost savings. This excludes the shorter production cycles and redefined product quality.
Continuing with production cycles, CNC machining can be used to manufacture parts that formerly took a few months to complete in just a matter of days. Can you believe it? That’s the power of technology. For example, an aerospace parts company purchased CNC machining equipment that enabled it to cut its production cycle of 30 days down to one day while reducing production costs by 20%. This improves production efficiency and significantly reduces operational costs.
One of the things CNC technology has done is increase cost and efficiency, but it also brought some major innovation into the aerospace industry. An example is SpaceX, which uses CNC machining technology in a wide range of their rocket engines. The technology produces extremely intricate geometries that share all the properties and guarantees quality and consistency over each part. As Elon Musk once said, “We use precision manufacturing; one little mistake and everything goes kaboom.”
CNC machining has also enhanced production safety and quality (something especially important in the aerospace sector). Parts have been considerably better made using CNC technology. Data shows that CNC reduces defects by 70% and increases flight safety.
Now you may wonder, how does this state-of-the-art technology affect the job market? Well, CNC technology has not only NOT reduced employment; it has created more higher-paid jobs. CNC operator average annual salary: $50,000, experienced operators earn over $70,000 per year (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics). There are many aerospace companies and parts manufacturers that need CNC operators and engineers right now, too.
CNC technology has also had a significant impact on the length of R&D cycles. CNC machining reduces the design cycle of new aircraft from 18 months to just six. Can you imagine? They bring more new plans quicker to market, and adjustments may be made faster in response to evolving demand.
We can take a specific example to understand better. Lockheed Martin said that it would be able to manufacture more than 10,000 highly accurate parts per year for its F-35 fighters using CNC technology. These parts are both high in quality and can be manufactured quickly, drastically improving the tuning shop’s overall competitiveness. Lockheed Martin said the use of CNC technology has increased its production efficiency by 25% and reduced manufacturing costs by as much as 15%.
Another interesting fact: A survey of the industry states that 80% of global aerospace companies have completely implemented CNC machining technology, and another 20% are in the process of upgrading their technology. CNC technology has become de rigueur in the aerospace industry, with both manufacturers and suppliers heading this way.
CNC technology has also encouraged the lightening of parts. This means that light parts can be manufactured under controlled machining conditions, which is very useful when it comes to certain aerospace vehicles or anything else where trimming down weight is crucial. Parts made from the CNC machining process help reduce part weight by 15%-20%, which positively affects fuel consumption and flight costs.
Moving right along, here’s more data on the subject: aerospace is not alone in seeing rapid growth of its CNC equipment market. It is expected that the worldwide CNC equipment market will hit $90 billion by 2026, much of this demand coming from aerospace. The above-paced growth trend suggests that the opportunity for this technology in aerospace is very promising, with more innovations and breakthroughs to expect
