Injection molding provides many advantages to a wide range of industries with the ability to mass-produce precision parts and components with high-quality and consistent repeatability. The advantages provided to other industries are amplified when considering the many advantages injection molding provides to the aerospace industry. Injection molded components engineered with reinforced thermoplastics allow for higher strength to weight ratios than lightweight alloys, such as titanium or aluminum.
Here are some of the most important benefits that injection molded components provide to the aerospace industry:
- High Strength
- Lightweight
- Precision Components
- Repeatability
- Scalability
- Versatility
- Rapid Prototyping
High Strength Plastic Parts for Aerospace
Injection molding components produced with high strength thermoplastic resins, which can include carbon fiber and glass filled reinforced resins, provide highly durable plastic parts that provide strength comparable to or greater than lightweight metal alloys. These injection molded components perform well in mission-critical applications with resistance to high temperatures and corrosion for reliable performance in harsh environments.
Lightweight is Critical for Aerospace Parts
Any aviation or aerospace application is extremely conscious about weight. Weight is an important consideration for airlines and aerospace components for performance and cost efficiencies. While one knob or bezel manufactured in plastic versus metal will not make much difference; outfitting an entire aircraft or missile with dozens of heavier components, increases fuel usage which can make a huge cost difference over time.
Precision is Mandatory
Injection molding provides a means of high volume production with repeatable high precision. Injection molds are designed to meet geometrical requirements with tight tolerances +/- .001. Precision parts are mandatory in aerospace products where there is zero room for error. The accuracy that injection molding provides increases safety, which protects the company, cargo, people and profits.
Repeatability Is Key for Quality
One of the biggest key quality performance indicators in high-volume productions is repeatability. Injection molding allows the optimum work instructions to be defined for press settings and cycle times. Once a process is zoned to meet all specifications including critical dimensions, that process is easily repeatable for the next tens of thousands of parts.
Scalability with Injection Molding
Injection molding allows for various mold designs which can include multiple cavities to produce multiple parts at once, such as a 2-cavity mold, an 8-cavity mold or even 16- to 32-cavities for smaller components. More than one mold could be constructed to produce the same part for high volume requirements, or one mold can be scheduled to run intermittently as parts are required. Injection molding allows for a lot of flexibility in meeting delivery requirements.
Versatility in Mold Design and Engineering Changes
Injection molding allows for easy engineering changes where adjustments to parts can be made without constructing an entire new mold.
Rapid Prototyping
Injection molding allows for rapid prototyping, either with less costly aluminum molds or by using one or two cavities of a high cavity mold, to test parts before going into full production.
Injection molding in the aerospace industry provides many benefits with high precision components that continually meet part specifications and hold up in harsh environments.
Injection Molded Aerospace Components
Injection molded aerospace components provide many advantages to aircraft, military, and defense requirements. Some of the most common injection molded parts for aerospace include:
- Housings
- Lenses
- Bezels
- Fuse covers
- Chassis components
- Panels
- Turbine blades
- Weapon components
- Panels
These are some examples of aerospace component requirements that can be met with injection molded products. Injection molding continues to offer opportunities to replace metal components in many industries, including aviation and aerospace.
QT Manufacturing Offers Mold Construction and Injection Molding for Aerospace
QT Manufacturing is a domestic manufacturer offering injection molding, mold making, and precision CNC machining to a wide range of industries. Our engineers design and build complex tools that meet high precision and critical dimension requirements. We provide added value to our customers with turnkey solutions from mold design to part production, including on-time delivery of quality parts.
Contact QT Manufacturing to Learn More
QT Manufacturing provides solutions to aviation and aerospace industries with experienced engineers, tool makers, and process technicians. We are certified to ISO9001:2015 and AS9100 rev D, giving you confidence in high-quality products and processes that will meet your specifications. Contact us online or by phone at (972) 221-0537 to learn more about our injection molding capabilities.
