For this production program, titanium Bracket Assembly for Aircraft Interiors
An aerospace systems integrator approached Nelotiv with a challenging requirement: complex 5-axis machined titanium brackets developed for aircraft interior mounting systems. The parts needed to satisfy extremely tight dimensional tolerances of ±0.005mm while incorporating intricate internal passages for cable routing — all crafted from aerospace-grade Ti-6Al-4V titanium with full AMS material certification and traceability.
In this documented project, the client had previously worked with another supplier who struggled to maintain dimensional consistency, particularly on thin-wall features that were prone to thermal deformation during machining. This inconsistency had created a bottleneck in their assembly line, delaying downstream production and increasing rework costs.
For this production program, technical Assessment & DFM Optimization
Our manufacturing engineers conducted a complete Design for Manufacturability (DFM) review. The original part design required six separate machine setups to complete all features — a process that introduced cumulative alignment errors and extended cycle times. Through collaborative redesign with the client's engineering team, we reoriented the bracket geometry to reduce setups from six to three, while preserving all functional interfaces and internal cable-routing passages.
The optimization not only improved dimensional repeatability but also reduced per-part machining time by approximately 35%. The redesigned orientation allowed us to machine critical thin-wall features in a single setup, minimizing thermal distortion risks.
During process development, machining Strategy & Process Control
We deployed our HAAS UMC-750 5-axis universal machining center with high-pressure through-spindle coolant delivery. Titanium's low thermal conductivity makes it susceptible to heat buildup at the cutting zone; maintaining consistent temperature was essential to prevent dimensional drift on thin-wall sections. The through-spindle coolant system produced 1000 psi fluid directly to the cutting edge, ensuring efficient heat evacuation throughout extended machining cycles.
Material was sourced with full AMS 4911 certification, with heat traceability documentation maintained from raw stock through finished part. Each bracket was assigned a specific laser-marked identifier linking it to material certificates, inspection records, and process documentation.
Inspection & Quality Verification
For this production program, all 500 brackets underwent coordinate measuring machine (CMM) inspection against the client's dimensional specifications. Thin-wall features, internal passage geometry, and mounting interface surfaces were verified against tolerance requirements. Final inspection reports documented 100% dimensional pass rate across the production batch — eliminating the rejection rate issue that had plagued the previous supplier relationship.
Beyond dimensional verification, we conducted surface integrity checks to confirm no machining-induced micro-cracking or residual stress anomalies on critical structural features. Titanium's sensitivity to surface damage requires careful process control; our optimized toolpath strategies and coolant delivery supported clean, defect-free surfaces satisfying aerospace structural requirements.
Project Outcome
In this documented project, the client received 500 flight-ready brackets within the contracted 8-week delivery window, with full documentation packages supporting their aerospace quality system requirements. Per-part cost decreased 22% compared to the previous supplier, driven by reduced setups, improved cycle efficiency, and eliminated rejection waste.
