Aerospace & Defence
The aerospace & defence industries demand the highest standards of precision, reliability, and safety due to the critical nature of the components used in aircraft and spacecraft.
Sodick machines play a crucial role in supporting quality control for these industries in many ways:
High Precision: Sodick EDM machines offer micron-level accuracy, allowing aerospace manufacturers to produce components with extremely tight tolerances. This precision ensures that parts fit together seamlessly, minimising any potential defects or errors in assembly.
Complex Geometry: Aerospace components often have intricate and complex shapes, which can be challenging to achieve when using traditional machining methods. Sodick’s EDM technology enables the creation of intricate features and cavities with precision, ensuring that the final components meet exact design specifications.
Consistency: Sodick’s machines are renowned for their repeatability and consistency – qualities essential to aerospace manufacturing, as even slight variations in dimensions can lead to performance issues or safety concerns.
Reduced Material Stress: EDM is a non-contact machining process, meaning minimal mechanical stress is exerted on the material being machined. This is crucial for aerospace materials, as excessive stress can lead to material deformation or structural weaknesses that compromise component integrity.
Minimised Heat Affected Zone (HAZ): Our EDM technology produces minimal heat during machining, reducing the risk of heat-related distortions or changes in material properties. This is especially important for aerospace components that require consistent mechanical properties across the entire part.
Surface Finish: Sodick machines achieve exceptional surface finishes that are vital for aerospace components; smooth surfaces help reduce friction, improve aerodynamics, and enhance overall performance.
Hard Materials Machining: Aerospace parts often necessitate hard materials such as titanium, stainless steel, and various alloys. Sodick’s EDM technology can effectively machine these materials without the need for extensive tool changes, ensuring the integrity of the parts.
Tool Wear Reduction: Our machines use electrical discharges to erode the material, eliminating the need for physical tool contact. This reduces tool wear and the potential for tool-induced defects, resulting in higher-quality components.
Prototyping and Iteration: Sodick EDM machines are ideal for rapid prototyping and iterative design processes, allowing aerospace engineers to test and refine designs before committing to large-scale production – and ultimately leading to better-quality final products.
Traceability: The advanced software available with Sodick machines enables traceability, documentation, and process monitoring. These detailed manufacturing records support quality control by helping to identify any deviations and ensuring adherence to industry standards.
Quality Assurance: Within the aerospace industry, where safety, performance and reliability are paramount, Sodick’s high-speed, high-accuracy EDM technology helps manufacturers produce components that meet stringent quality control requirements. This, in turn, leads to safer and more efficient aircraft and spacecraft.
Exceeding Demanding Finish Standards: Components that are manufactured for the aerospace and defence sector demand an exceptionally refined finish. Sodick’s EDM machines excel at creating minimal re-cast layers, a critical aspect in an industry characterised by parts operating at exceptionally high velocities.
Discover Your Perfect Machining Solution
We have the perfect machine tailored to your aerospace and defence sector needs. Contact our specialists today to begin your journey with a brand-new EDM machine.