Aerospace and defense industries endure some of the worst conditions on our planet (and others). Every piece of equipment and component used in these industries adheres to strict performance and requirements for safety, weight, durability, and precision. So many parts must operate in extreme temperatures, face vibrations and repetitive motions; endure extreme pull, push, and twist; and maintain quality made from the smallest components to the largest parts. Aerospace custom-fabricated plastics parts are advancing and improving aerospace and defense technologies by providing manufacturers with strength, flexibility, and cost-conservation options that are not always available from traditional materials.
At Welch Plastics, we have built a legacy of custom fabrication for the aerospace industry. By delivering precise, engineered, and robust solutions that conform to strict regulations, we have provided parts and components that support current technology advancements in aircraft, spacecraft, and defense systems. These can be used to manufacture very light cockpit or instrument panel parts, or housing for sensitive electronics made from high-performance polymers, but custom-fabricated plastics for aerospace parts will continue to play a significant role in technology advancements.
The Critical Role of Custom Plastic Fabrication in Aerospace and Defense
Custom plastic fabrication isn’t just a manufacturing process to produce parts; it is an extensive problem-solving at the highest level. Aerospace engineers often encounter the same set of challenges and requirements, including the need to reduce weight without compromising strength; decrease fuel or energy consumption; components that must operate smoothly amid extreme heat, pressure, vibration, etc.; to put it simply, the answers must be accurate.
With advanced polymers today and advanced fabricating techniques, plastic parts can replace or meet or exceed many metal component requirements. Here are some reasons why:
- Weight Reduction: Many plastics are 50% or more lighter than aluminum, and offer multiple opportunities in weight savings vs steel and heavier metals for a significantly lower weight, which provides better savings in fuel costs or greater payload capacity
- Corrosion Resistance: Plastics do not oxidize and rust like metals; they are better suited for parts exposed to moisture, chemicals, and temperature changes.
- Customizable Designs: CNC Machining, thermoforming, and injection molding for plastics can create complex forms and detail, or incorporate features that cannot be accomplished with different materials.
- Cost Benefits: The lower lead-time and waste of materials create cost benefits that enable production once a basic quality level is established.
Examples of Custom-Fabricated Plastics Parts in Aerospace
The flexibility of plastics enables multi-function use in aerospace and defense. The examples of custom-fabricated aerospace plastic parts listed below are some of the most common.
1. Cockpit and Cabin Parts
Control panels, seat parts, etc., can be custom-fabricated in aerospace to enable optimal ergonomics and comfort. Polycarbonate or acrylic operational parts may be used, which can enhance impact resistance and have flame-retardant quality.
2. Wall Panels and Trim
Thermoforming can create engineered, durable, lightweight interior wall panels, ceiling liners, and flooring that still meet the FAA Guidelines for flammability and smoke emissions.
3. Avionics and Electronics Housings
Housings for sensitive defense electronics and aerospace electronics are a concern for shielding from electromagnetic interference. Housings must also withstand vibration and extreme temperatures. In industrial applications, PEEK and Ultem high-performance plastics would also do well.
4. Aerospace Fasteners and Connectors
Custom molded fasteners with engineered polymers are also lighter weight than standard fasteners and do not have any galvanic corrosion problems found with advanced composite structure assemblies.
5. Covers and Fairings
Custom covers and fairings allow for the best fit and streamline aerodynamic characteristics while protecting system components from environmental conditions and debris.
Materials Considerations for Custom Fabrication in the Aerospace Industry
Material selection is critical in aerospace manufacturing. Welch Plastics works with several high-performance polymers that can meet the demanding needs of the aerospace industry:
- PEEK (Polyetheretherketone): Outstanding tensile strength, incredible chemical resistance, and thermal stability—ideal for engine and structural parts.
- Ultem (Polyetherimide): Consistent high heat resistance and intensity of flammability.
- Polycarbonate: Outstanding impact resistance and optically clear—for cockpit window covering and instrument covers.
- Acrylic (PMMA): Extremely lightweight, clear, and great weatherability.
- Nylon: Long life durability with fantastic abrasion resistance; typical applications are mechanical parts.
How Custom Fabrication for Aerospace Parts Increases Innovation Cycles?
In the aerospace and defense sectors, time is important, and even more so when it concerns innovation. By investing in custom plastic fabrication, you can speed up the design-to-production cycle in a few ways:
- More Quickly Prototype: The differences in time with CNC machining and 3D printing allow for the ability to quickly iterate designs with the limited lead time of metal tooling.
- Test at Lower Costs: Lower weight when prototype fabrication lowers production costs and permits more iterations of design, reaching decisions.
- Modular Design: Plastics can be fabricated as modular parts, allowing for easier upgrades or maintenance.
- Complex Geometry: New fabrication techniques can allow for parts to be fabricated that were either cost-prohibitive or impossible to do in metals.
Aerospace Plastic Fabrication Compliance and Quality Standards
The aerospace and defense sectors demand absolute accuracy and more compliance standards related to safety and compliance. The following are examples:
- AS9100: Quality management in aerospace manufacturing.
- FAA Flammability: Materials in the cabin.
- MIL-SPEC: Military specifications for defense.
Welch Plastics takes custom-fabricated plastics parts for aerospace very seriously. Every custom-fabricated plastics part for aerospace goes through a regimented process during every step of development, from material sourcing to final finishing.
Every part will go through many touchpoints to ensure that what we manufacture performs as intended during mission-critical scenarios. It’s our compliance that makes sure we get every part right.
Case Example: Lightweight Components for Military UAVs
One project we completed was the development of lightweight housings and structures for military-grade unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). By utilizing high-strength PEEK and CNC machining, our work was able to realize:
- 40% Weight Reduction compared to Aluminum parts.
- Improved Fuel Efficiency through reduced overall aircraft mass.
- Enhanced Durability in extreme weather conditions..
The project gave an example of how custom fabrication for aerospace parts provides benchmark support for operational efficiency and mission success.
Why Partner with Welch Plastics for Aerospace and Defense Projects?
Selecting the right manufacturing partner is just as important as selecting the design itself! With Welch Plastics, you will have:
- Experience – decades of involvement in aerospace and defense.
- Fabrication capabilities – CNC machining, thermoforming, injection moulding, and laser cutting.
- Material capabilities – we can advise which polymer meets each application.
- Quality management systems – traceability and conformity to aerospace standards.
- Customizable process – the capability to create and deliver single prototype parts or up to a complete production run.
When you partner with Welch Plastics, you are acquiring much more than parts; you’re acquiring an innovation partner.
The Future of Aerospace Custom-Fabricated Plastics Parts
Emerging trends indicate that plastics will play an even greater role in aerospace:
- Sustainable Polymers – bio-based and recyclable plastics for support in green processing.
- Additive Manufacturing – using 3D printing processes to produce complex aerospace components with reduced weight and waste.
- Nanocomposite Materials – remarkable strength-to-weight ratios for aerospace structures with extreme specifications.
The need for custom fabrication on the aerospace side will only increase, as manufacturers always want to get lighter, more efficient, and with more capabilities without sacrificing safety or durability.
Conclusion
Custom fabrication for aerospace parts is much more than a manufacturing service; it is an enabler for the innovation that is flight and defense. From lighter aircraft frames to more efficient electronic housings, aerospace custom-fabricated plastics parts allow for the performance and safety requirements, and cost efficiencies to be met in a single manufacturing service.
Welch Plastics Inc. has the definitive experience, technology, and quality systems in place for you to acquire precision plastic components for aerospace and defense. If you are interested in discovering how advanced plastics can change the direction of your next project, our team is prepared to make it happen.
Call Welch Plastics to discuss your aerospace or defense manufacturing project. We can help mobilize prototyping your next groundbreaking design or launching into your production run, with high-performance, custom-fabricated plastic solutions to meet your requirements.
