Aerospace CNC Machining | Aluminium, Titanium, Inconel

What we machine in this industry

Typical work includes structural brackets and fittings, avionics housings and chassis, antenna and sensor mounting hardware, optical benches and mirror mounts, UAV airframe and payload parts, lightweight interior hardware, and the ground support equipment, test rigs and jigs that keep programmes moving. For orbital and satellite payload hardware, see our satellite communications page.

Materials that carry load and heat

Aluminium 6061, 6082 and 7075 cover most structural and housing work. Where strength-to-weight or temperature resistance drives the choice, we machine titanium Grade 2 and Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V), Inconel 625 and 718, and stainless 17-4PH. Non-metals come in where weight or insulation matters: PEEK and glass-filled PEEK, and carbon fibre composites. Incoming stock is checked on our spark-OES spectrometers so the certificate matches the metal in the part.

Tolerances, finish and size

Metal parts are held to ±0.005 mm typical on 3-axis work; plastics, carbon fibre, ceramics and graphite are quoted at ±0.01 mm. Surface finish down to Ra 0.2 µm is achievable on metals, not on plastics. Milling covers workpieces up to 2000 × 1000 mm, and Swiss-type turning handles small slender parts from Ø 2 to 65 mm at up to 300 mm length.

Documentation that survives an audit

Our quality system is certified to ISO 9001:2015 / GB/T 19001-2016 by GICG (certificate U24Q2GZ688444R4S, valid until 17 October 2027). The site also holds IATF 16949:2016 from AENOR, an automotive standard whose certified scope is LIDAR metal shells and metal spectacle frames. Parts ship with EN 10204 3.1 material certificates, dimensional reports, first article inspection reports and full batch traceability, and critical features are verified on our Zeiss SPECTRUM coordinate measuring machine.

Finishing, packing and lead time

Surface treatment is not done in house: anodizing, passivation, plating and coating are placed with qualified subcontractors selected for environmental compliance and located close to our plant, with quality and delivery responsibility staying with us. Parts can be packed in our ISO Class 7 cleanroom packaging area, with kit and ESD-safe options. Prototypes typically run 5 to 10 working days.

Frequently asked questions

Are you AS9100 certified?

We do not claim AS9100. Our current certifications are ISO 9001:2015 from GICG and IATF 16949:2016 from AENOR, both listed with certificate numbers on our certifications page. If your programme requires AS9100 or Nadcap-controlled special processes, tell us in the enquiry and we will confirm exactly what we can supply.

Do you supply flight-critical parts?

We machine to your released drawing and supply the documentation you specify. Product design is excluded from our certification: design responsibility and airworthiness approval for the installation stay with you or your design organisation. Where a feature is difficult to produce as drawn, we raise it in a DFM review before quoting.

Which aerospace alloys do you machine?

Aluminium 6061, 6082 and 7075, titanium Grade 2 and Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V), Inconel 625 and 718, and stainless 17-4PH, plus PEEK and carbon fibre where weight or insulation drives the choice. Incoming grade is verified by spectrometer.

What tolerances and surface finish can you hold?

±0.005 mm typical on 3-axis metal work, ±0.01 mm on non-metals, confirmed per drawing. Ra 0.2 µm is achievable on metals, not on plastics.

How quickly can we get prototype parts?

Prototypes typically run 5 to 10 working days, depending on material and geometry. Send the drawing and we confirm the route and the date.

CNC Machining for Aerospace and UAV Programmes