The aerospace market experiences scrutiny like few others. Financial accountability is coupled with moral accountability, and brands can be extinguished with minor errors. All parts of an aerospace project, therefore, require the highest levels of quality. Here’s how to ensure that every component can fly safely.

In aerospace manufacturing, the choice of metal makes a big difference. This is because different metals behave differently when under stress, when heated, and when cooled. The characteristics of metals have a strong influence on manufacturing techniques, such as deep hole boring and gundrilling. Here’s a quick guide.

Cost or quality? Or both? Everyone grapples with this conundrum. However, dodgy parts are at the root of many engineering failures. From biomedical equipment to oil and gas components, there are multiple scenarios where precision matters. Today, we look at the enduring problem of cost versus risk.

Machine honing is a precision metalwork technique used to create super-flat, shaped, and super-smooth surfaces. By applying an abrasive stone anvil to cut against the metalwork, and applying intense pressure and movement, pieces of any shape and size can be altered to exact material specifications.

Oil and gas exploration and extraction relies on long, thin, durable tubing to work. However, only a very limited number of engineering companies have the expertise, machinery, and tools to create the precision-tooled, high-capacity metal tubing that fossil fuel industries need. At Hone-All, we can assist the production of oil and gas tubing by creating precision-bored, deep hole extraction equipment to bespoke order. We regularly process stainless steel extraction tubing using high-capacity, specialised stainless steel super-alloys, such as Inconel 718 and AISI 4145.

But what are the specific advantages that fuel companies gain by using us for their orders? Read on...

However skilled, a single engineering business can't be a master of all trades. If you need specialist services for single projects, such as boring or drilling, it can be better value to outsource. Outsourcing precision engineering can cut costs, reduce your workload, increase productivity, save you money on equipment purchase and hire, and enhance your profit margins. You don't need to move production abroad, either - Hone-All handles all of our outsourced services on British soil. Here's our guide to how outsourcing your engineering could benefit your business.

Hone-All's long association with the aerospace industry includes honing, drilling and boring services for bespoke parts, from landing gear for military aircraft to pistons for helicopter rotors . Along the way, we've invested in our people, systems and equipment to ensure accuracy, traceability and repeatability guaranteeing the stringent quality requirements required by this safety critical industry. Our continuing approval to AS9100D is testament to our commitment and success in meeting and exceeding the highest of standards.

At Hone-All, we have a long history of association with the aerospace industry, so we were excited to learn about a new initiative from the UK government offering grants for innovative products in this sector.

Metalworking brings you better results if you take a systemised approach to your components. Honing requires you to work with bore size tolerances of 0.0001” so precision is a necessity. With the right machine, fixturing, abrasive, and oil, you can improve your quality and cycle times and reduce costs and lead time therefore improving your competitiveness. Let’s look at this in more detail:

Gun drilling is the ideal process for drilling small diameter holes without losing straightness and precision. It creates close tolerance holes in high-temperature alloys and a range of steels. Machines must be configured to precise specifications, then operated using precision tooling, high-pressure coolant, and an interrupted feed. Some applications require a sub-micron finish that a gun drill can’t achieve, so extra processes and customisation are often needed such as honing.