what is aluminum rapid prototyping for Aerospace industry

Aluminum rapid prototyping in the aerospace industry refers to the use of rapid prototyping techniques and processes specifically with aluminum materials to quickly create functional prototypes of aerospace components or systems. This approach allows aerospace engineers and designers to rapidly iterate and test their designs, accelerating the development timeline and improving the efficiency of the prototyping phase.

Aluminum is a preferred material for aerospace prototyping due to its favorable properties, including its lightweight nature, high strength-to-weight ratio, good machinability, and excellent thermal conductivity. These properties make it suitable for various aerospace applications where weight reduction, strength, and heat management are critical factors.

The process of aluminum rapid prototyping in the aerospace industry typically involves the following steps:

Design: Aerospace engineers and designers generate 3D CAD models of the component or system they want to prototype. These models capture the geometry, dimensions, and functional requirements of the part.

Rapid Prototyping Technique Selection: Various rapid prototyping techniques can be employed for aluminum prototyping, including additive manufacturing (such as selective laser melting or fused deposition modeling) or subtractive manufacturing (such as CNC machining or rapid tooling). The selection of the technique depends on factors such as the desired level of detail, complexity, accuracy, and available resources.

Prototype Production: Using the chosen rapid prototyping technique, the aluminum prototype is produced layer by layer in the case of additive manufacturing or machined from aluminum stock material in the case of subtractive manufacturing. CNC machining is a commonly used method for aluminum rapid prototyping due to its ability to create precise and detailed parts.

Post-Processing and Finishing: Once the prototype is fabricated, post-processing steps such as removing support structures, sanding, polishing, or surface treatments may be applied to achieve the desired surface finish and accuracy.

Testing and Evaluation: The aluminum prototype is then subjected to various tests and evaluations to assess its performance, functionality, and compatibility with other components or systems. This may include structural testing, fit and assembly checks, functional testing, or thermal analysis.

Our Low-volume Manufacturing Capabilities
Barana Rapid has over ten years of low-volume manufacturing services and a robust supply chain. It can produce various parts for you and provide high-quality low-volume manufacturing services. At the same time, we have an experienced team to assist customers in optimizing designs, selecting appropriate processes, reducing costs, and realizing rapid mass production.
	CNC Machining CNC machining is used to control a wide range of complex machinery. It is a computerized manufacturing process that uses pre-programmed software and codes to control the movement of production equipment.	Type	Tolerance
		Linear dimension	±0.025mm-±0.001inch
		Hole Diameters	±0.025mm-±0.001inch
		Shaft Diameters	±0.025mm-±0.001inch
		Part size limit	950 * 550 * 480 mm(37.0 * 21.5 * 18.5 inch)
	Plastic Injection Molding Plastic injection molding is the process of melting plastic resins (thermosetting/thermoplastic polymers) and injecting them under pressure into a mold cavity, where they fill and solidify to form the final product.	Standard capabilities	Description
		Mold cavity tolerances	±0.05 mm
		Standard lead time	15 business days or less
		Part to part repeatability	±0.1 mm
		Production grade	1-100,000 cycles
	Sheet Metal Fabrication Sheet metal fabrication converts flat sheets of steel or aluminum into metal structures or products by cutting, stamping, folding, and assembling.	Dimension Detail	Description
		Edge to edge, single surface / Edge to hole, single surface / Hole to hole, single surface	±0.05 inch
		Bend to edge / hole, single surface	± 0.010 inch
		Edge to feature, multiple surface / Over formed part, multiple surface	± 0.030 inch
		Production grade	1-100,000 cycles
	Vacuum Casting Vacuum casting is a manufacturing process where the material goes into a silicone mold with a vacuum to produce complex production parts.	Standard capabilities	Description
		Maximum build size	±0.025 mm-±0.001 inch
		Standard lead time	Up to 20 parts in 15 days or less
		Dimensional accuracy	±0.05 mm
		Layer thickness	1.5mm - 2.5mm
	Die Casting Die casting is a process of manufacturing parts by pouring or forcing molten metal into steel modes to create various kinds of parts.	Standard capabilities	Description
		Maximum build size	±0.025 mm-±0.001 inch
		Standard lead time	Up to 20 parts in 15 days or less
		Dimensional accuracy	±0.05 mm
		Layer thickness	1.5mm - 2.5mm
	Aluminum Extrusion Aluminum extrusion facilitates the manufacture of complex parts through the process of plastic deformation. Material is forced through a mold or orifice to achieve the desired shape.	Standard capabilities	Description
		Press sizes	450T - 3000T
		Standard lead time	2 weeks for small molds, 4 weeks for larger molds
		Minimum order volume	0.5 ton aluminum for smaller machines, 1.0 ton of 6063 aluminum for larger machines.
		Post-processing	Full service CNC cutting, threading, slotting, face milling, etc.
	3D Printing 3D printing is a manufacturing process in which a three-dimensional part or object is created from a digital 3D or CAD model.	Standard capabilities	Description
		Min. wall thickness	1.0 mm
		Layer height	50 – 300 μm
		Max. build size	250 * 250 * 250 mm (SLA), 420 * 500 * 420 mm (SLS), 500 * 500 * 500 mm (FDM)
		Tolerance	± 0.5% with a lower limit of ± 0.5 mm (± 0.020″)

Iterative Design Optimization: Based on the test results and evaluation feedback, necessary design modifications can be made to improve the prototype. The rapid prototyping process allows for quick iterations, enabling engineers to refine and optimize the design until it meets the required specifications and performance criteria.

Aluminum rapid prototyping in the aerospace industry offers several benefits, including reduced development time, cost savings, improved design validation, accelerated design iterations, and the ability to test and validate concepts before committing to full-scale production. It allows aerospace engineers to quickly visualize, evaluate, and refine their designs, ultimately leading to the development of high-quality aerospace components or systems.

What Separates Barana Rapid’s Inspection Processes from the Rest?

Careful measurement, inspection and testing are necessary to ensure the conformance of your parts. We perform multiple inspections at every step of the product development journey, from incoming material verification to final 3D scanning. You will receive complete digital files and Certificates of Compliance so you can meet your own regulatory and performance goals.

An International Team with Unparalleled Experience

Quality inspection relies not only upon using advanced digital equipment but also having highly trained personnel with years of experience. As parts become more complex and tolerances more demanding for advanced applications, precision measurements conducted by professionals are the only way to ensure perfection.

Inspections and Review for Every Stage of Production

To ensure quality from start to finish, Barana Rapid provides the following inspection and review services:

Extensive incoming materials verification

Design for manufacturing reviews for all quotes provided

Contract reviews upon receipt of POs

First article and in-process inspections

Final inspections and testing with reports and certifications as required