Aerospace Sheet Metal Fabrication

Last updated on November 9th, 2023

Page author: Bill Carson

Since 1985, Re:Build Cutting Dynamics has been a leading provider of aerospace sheet metal fabrication services. Our dedicated team is able to provide a number of diverse solutions for aerospace applications, so if you’re in need of aerospace sheet metal for your products, be sure to contact us today.

We process aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, and carbon steel for aircraft OEM’s, including fixed-wing and helicopter applications. Read on to discover all that Re:Build Cutting Dynamics can do for you and how we stand out among aerospace sheet metal fabrication companies.

Aerospace Sheet Metal Overview

As industry experts know, aerospace sheet metal is thin sheets of metal alloys most often used in components that make up enclosures, brackets, mounts, panels, and more. These sheet metal fabrications essentially work together to build the skeleton of an aircraft.

The metal sheets are usually anywhere from 0.4 mm to 6 mm in thickness, with thicker pieces being incorporated into more essential and structural components, such as the wings and exterior of the aircraft.

Why Is Sheet Metal Fabrication Important in the Aerospace Industry?

For industry-related operations, aerospace sheet metal forming is incredibly important due to its variety of features, such as it being:

• Lightweight – Aerospace sheet metal incorporates lightweight materials, making the construction of the aircraft lighter and more fuel-efficient during longer trips.

• Durable – Though the materials are more lightweight, they are strong and considerably durable for their density. This allows even ultra-thin sheets of metal to withstand heavy-duty operations. 

• Formable – During sheet metal fabrication, the malleability of the material allows it to form into complex shapes, making it a more ductile and aerodynamic solution for the aerospace industry.

• Cost-efficient – Compared to other structural materials, aluminum and stainless steel used for aerospace sheet metal forming are the more cost-efficient solution that still delivers heavy-duty results for everyday operations. 

Also, when it comes to maintenance on your aerospace sheet metal, cracks and dents can often be quickly repaired without the need for a full replacement of metal components. This also makes maintenance more cost-efficient for aerospace companies, airlines, and more.

Our Aerospace Metal Fabrication Services and More

Re:Build Cutting Dynamics is an experienced provider of aerospace fabrication services, prioritizing quality and precision for each of our projects. The scope of the aviation and aerospace component manufacturing services we offer from our Ohio facilities includes:

• In-house engineering, tooling development, and manufacturing
• A 10,000-psi hydroforming press for completing wrinkle-free curved components with less than 10% thinning
• More than 5,000 hours per month of blank cutting capacity using the newest state-of-the-art equipment
• Complex assembly incorporating our fabricated components
• Kitting and 4P/L for ready-to-use component repair sets

Read more about our aviation and aerospace component manufacturing capabilities by visiting our hydroforming page.

Additionally, we supply FAA-required component repair kits, including flight safety components, and kits for OEM and spare parts applications.

Other services we can supply include the complete manufacture of complicated assemblies such as:

• Faraday cages
• APU boxes
• Firewall assemblies

CNC Forming for Aerospace Fabrication

Our CNC brake press, milling, and routing capabilities ensure the utmost precision in the manufacture of all your components.

Computer numerical controlled equipment involves highly automated servomechanisms, allowing every component to meet the most exacting specifications while maintaining tight tolerances. These include:

• Brake press forming of complex, multi-bend pieces up to 12’
• Deep drawing with less than 10% thinning
• 5-axis milling in-house
• 3-axis and 5-axis routing
• Robotic 5-axis welding with 360-degree turn stock

Our Aerospace Sheet Metal Fabrication Company’s Engineering Capabilities

At Re:Build Cutting Dynamics, we have a cross-functional and fully trained staff with backgrounds in engineering, manufacturing, and production environments to help supply superior craftsmanship when it comes to aerospace metal fabrication and more.

We have experience with the development of component definition from a variety of dataset sources, our custom tooling is machined and developed in-house, and we offer production planning support for a wide variety of components and assemblies.

These components and assemblies include:

• Sheet metal parts (aluminum, steel, titanium, brass)
• Machined parts
• Composites (continuous fiber plys, chopped fiber, PEEK, PEKK)
• Assemblies

We also have experience working with commercial and military aerospace applications including structural parts, interiors, exterior skins, firewalls, and more. All of these factors help to make us the ideal aerospace sheet metal fabrication engineers for your operations.

FAQs – What You Need to Know About Aerospace Sheet Metal Forming

What components work best for aerospace sheet metal fabrication?

Aluminum and stainless steel are the two materials that are most commonly used and best suited for aerospace fabrication. Since aluminum is incredibly durable, yet lightweight, it offers unmatched temperature and corrosion resistance during heavy-duty operations.

Stainless steel 17-4 PH is also one of the most used materials for sheet metal fabrication due to its solid mechanical properties, high strength, and corrosion resistance at even the most extreme of temperatures.

How are holes created during the sheet metal fabrication process?

For aerospace sheet metal fabrication, punching, drilling, and laser cutting can be used to create holes and additional features to your metal surface, making it easier to adjust to your specifications.

What kind of coatings are applied to aerospace sheet metal?

Anodizing is the process usually applied to aerospace components to further improve corrosion resistance. Primers and topcoats can also be applied for further protection of your aircraft parts.

How strongly are parts tolerance-controlled?

To ensure the overall safety of those utilizing the aircraft, there are stringent regulations when it comes to sheet metal fabrications. That means that measurements should often be within +/- 0.005 to ensure operation clearance and optimal performance.

Re:Build Cutting Dynamics Is an Aerospace Fabrication Company You Can Trust

Re:Build Cutting Dynamics is AS9100 and ISO9001 certified. All parts we supply for aerospace metal fabrication and beyond are subject to very robust digital documentation for complete traceability.

These factors mean we are a company you can rely on for superior aerospace sheet metal fabrication and safe, dependable components.

Contact Re:Build Cutting Dynamics for Aerospace Fabrication

If you feel we would be a good fit for your company, please contact us today for more information regarding our aerospace metal fabrication capabilities. We look forward to partnering with you.