Automotive Machining

Numerous advanced machining technologies are being leveraged to enable automotive parts to be manufactured more effectively, be they by high-production OEMs and Tier-One suppliers, aftermarket product companies, race team and engine builders, and so on. Examples include honing, grinding, gear manufacturing, five-axis machining, robotic and transfer line automation, reverse engineering, and prototyping (which might involve traditional subtractive machining or additive manufacturing/3D printing). Data-driven manufacturing strategies are also increasingly being adopted as shops look to establish more effective measures for tight process control and high quality.

Aerospace Machining

Aerospace machining is frequently characterized by the tight tolerances and hard-to-machine metals typical of aircraft engine components, as well as the complex contours typical of both turbine blade forms and the aerostructural components making up a plane’s form. Because machined contours are so typical, five-axis machining is routine in this sector, include large-travel five-axis machine tools able to accommodate the largest aircraft structural components. Materials typical of aerospace machining include lightweight aluminum for structural members; hard and temperature-resistant metals including titanium and Inconel alloys for engine parts; and carbon-fiber composites that are both hard and lightweight for outer skins. Along with large five-axis machines, turn-mill machines and precision grinders are among the high-value machine tools routinely used in this sector.

Medical Machining

Medical Machining refers to all of the CNC machining related to surgical implants, orthotic devices and medical instruments. Challenges include small-scale machining or micromachining, because implanted devices often consist of very tiny components, and machining titanium, a material often used in medical devices because of its non-reactivity with the body.  Efficient small-batch machining of complex parts is also important because new medical devices are developed quickly and refined through many iterations. Moreover, for implantable parts, shows must receive FDA approval of their machining processes.