When it comes to the defense and aerospace industries you need the best materials to meet high specifications. These materials could be used all over the world for a variety of products and projects. So they need to stand up to the test. Looking specifically at metal machining services it’s a good idea to know the best practices for machining. This could include laser cutting, welding, and metal forming. This can get confusing since so many things make up “metal machining services”. There are several things that go into having the best practices for machining. To learn about all the best practices for top quality and high precision, keep reading!
Methodology
As with anything, there are many methods to procuring the best product. But one of the most important when it comes to metal machining is protecting the cut edges. Depending on the type of metal material, it can be protectively coated to prevent rust and corrosion. Cutting into a piece will obviously expose uncoated portions of the metal. The edges are important to the structural integrity of the material and if they become damaged due to exposure and develop rust it can be a huge problem. But how do you stop the edges from being exposed when you cut? “Wiping” the edges with a chemical conversion coating will prevent problems.
Location
The methodology being important likely seems obvious to you. But location can be equally important. When you cut metal, debris particles from the steel will fly out. These can cause permanent staining on other materials. This is why it is best to pre-cut your pieces away from other materials. It is also a good idea to have a plan in place for catching the steel debris so it can be properly disposed of.
Tools
Just like with methodology, a lot of keeping the materials in good condition and rust-free has to do with the tools you use. Things like saws or other abrasive equipment are almost never a good idea. For one, it will put far more of that steel debris that we mentioned earlier into the air. Additionally, these types of tools tend to leave rough and uneven edges that can be difficult to properly protect after cutting. Instead, tools specially designed to prevent edge rusting are usually the best for these kinds of jobs. This can include things like nibblers, electric sheers, skills saws, and aviation snips.
With the aerospace and defense industries, precise metal fabrication is in high demand as the reliable performance and safety of machinery depends on high-quality manufacturing. It’s important that manufacturers control the quality of parts each step of the way in the manufacturing process. The metal fabrication process for defense and military parts are becoming more and more rigorous. There are certain requirements for special approvals and certifications. Manufacturers must also be able to conform to particular military specifications (Mil-Specs). A well-qualified engineering team can perform to these standards by providing metal machining services that produce quality parts for the aerospace and defense industries.
Our Metal Machining Services
New Age Metal Fabricating (NAMF) and New Age Precision Manufacturing (NAPM) offer a wide variety of metal machining services that can benefit many industries, including the aerospace and defense industries.
Laser Cutting
Laser cutting is a process that involves cutting various materials into different shapes and sizes with the use of a laser beam. As the defense and aerospace industries are constantly looking for ways to cut costs, yet maintain safety and quality, laser cutting delivers a more cost-effective method. Laser cutting reduces the waste of material and time. For defense and aerospace equipment and technology, maintenance can be done and parts can be replaced at low costs. The level of precision laser cutting produces makes it a viable machining solution for the defense and aerospace industries. With a laser metal cutting service, parts and components can be produced with a high level of accuracy
Sheet Metal Punching
With sheet metal punching, heavy machinery is used to create holes and indents in a piece of metal. Like laser cutting, metal punching can create precise shapes. As the process creates custom hole shapes, also known as “nibbling”, very small holes are created one at a time. These custom holes can create customized shapes to fit specific needs. In some cases, laser cutting may be a better option because it places less physical stress on a workpiece. However, because lasers do not use physical force, they cannot reliably shape metal in the same way sheet metal punching can.
Metal Forming
Metal forming involves reshaping metal while still in its solid state. The plasticity of some metals allows them to be molded and shaped into the desired form. This is accomplished without melting the metal, which eliminates potential difficulties in handling molten metal and maintaining the integrity of the workpiece. Depending on the type of metal, certain temperatures are applied to soften the metal and make it easier to work with. Metal forming operations can be hot, cold, or warm. Temperatures used in these processes vary from metal to metal. Metal forming is used to create a variety of products including tubes, wires, pipes, metal sheets, and more.
Welding
One of the oldest metalworking processes, welding is still in use today. Welding is a metal fabrication process that joins metals and other materials using high heat to melt the parts together. During the cooling process, the parts fuse and become one piece. When done by highly-skilled craftspeople or on state-of-the-art automated machinery, welding can produce high-quality parts that meet the strict standards of the aerospace and defense industries. As these industries require high volumes of equipment and technology, automated seam welding can be a viable option. This form of welding is performed on an automated welding machine. This process can produce high-quality joins at high volumes.
Chemical Conversion Coating
Chemical film coating involves the application of the chemical chromate to metal surfaces. This is done to protect equipment and technology from corrosion. It also increases the durability of parts. Chemical conversion coating is a very essential step in the manufacturing process of aerospace and defense equipment. The military specification MIL-DTL-5541 requires that metal parts have protective coatings by chemical reaction with aluminum and aluminum alloy. The scope of this military standard depends on the type of metal used, which determines the thickness of the coating.
Painting
Metal finishing services like painting are often the last step of the manufacturing process, yet it is sometimes just as involved as the other steps. At NAMF, we have in-house capabilities for wet paint and electrostatic powder coating. Our metal finishing services finish parts that meet all Mil-Specs and the requirements of Chemical Agent Resistant Coating (CARC).
Leaders In Defense And Aerospace Metal Machining Services
At NAMF and NAPM, we control every step of the manufacturing process. You can count on our talented team of engineers and welders to produce your aerospace and defense equipment without needing to go to another company to finish manufacturing. We have almost every certification to service government, military, defense, and aerospace industries. We are also an approved vendor for special processes for most of the major defense and aerospace companies. Do you want quality parts delivered on time at the lowest possible cost? Contact us today.
