Industry Solutions · Aerospace Components

Sheet Metal Machines for Aerospace Component Manufacturing

Tight tolerances, exotic alloys, full traceability — precision forming and cutting for aircraft and ground equipment.

Step 1Cutting & Blanking
Step 2Bending & Forming
Step 3Welding & Finishing
Step 4Automation & Tooling

Aerospace Manufacturing Basics

How Aerospace Components Are Made

Aerospace sheet metal parts are made from aluminum alloys (2024, 7075), titanium and stainless steel, usually 0.5–6 mm thick. Blanks are laser cut or sheared, bent on high-precision CNC press brakes, stretch- or press-formed on hydraulic presses, tubes are bent for hydraulic and fuel lines, and every step is documented for traceability.

Low volumes, many part numbers and strict quality requirements mean aerospace shops value accuracy, repeatability and documented programs more than raw speed.

Typical Parts & Materials

Brackets & clipsSmall parts with tight bend tolerancesAluminum 2024/7075 0.8–3.0 mm
Ribs, frames & stringersFlanged and joggled profilesAluminum 1.0–4.0 mm
Skins & panelsLarge curved panelsAluminum 0.8–2.0 mm
Hydraulic & fuel linesPrecise tube bendsStainless / titanium tube
Ground support equipmentFrames, covers, cabinetsSteel / aluminum 1.5–6.0 mm

Manufacturing Process

From Flat Sheet to Finished Part

Select a stage to see what happens and which HARSLE machines do the work.

Step 1Aerospace Components

Cutting & Blanking

Fiber lasers cut precise contours without tooling; shears produce strips and blanks.

Laser Cutting Machine

60 models in the HARSLE range.

Shearing Machine

43 models in the HARSLE range.

Recommended Machines

Machines for Aerospace Components

Live from the HARSLE product range — models suited to aerospace manufacturing are listed first.

View all 60 Laser Cutting Machine models

Challenges & Solutions

What Matters in Aerospace Manufacturing

Tight tolerances
Multi-axis CNC press brakes with angle programs and crowning hold angles across the full length.
Crack-sensitive alloys
Correct bend radii, V-die selection and controlled speed prevent cracking in 7075 and titanium.
Traceability
Stored CNC programs reproduce every part number exactly and support quality documentation.
Many part numbers
Offline programming and laser cutting keep short runs economical.

Automate Bending

Panel Bender for Aerospace Manufacturing

A HARSLE panel bender clamps the sheet flat and forms all four sides in one cycle with universal tooling — ideal for the repeat panels, doors and boxes found in aerospace components.

Bending length 1400–3000 mm (AutoBend)
0–180° bending angle, 0.2 s per bend
Minimal operator skill, fast changeovers

Explore panel benders

Global Footprint

Shipments & Customer Stories

Every shipment and customer story HARSLE publishes appears here automatically. Filter by machine or country.

1,209Shipments published
118Destination countries
118Customer stories
LiveUpdated as we ship

All 1,209 shipments

Knowledge Center

Aerospace Manufacturing Guides

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about machines and processes for aerospace components.

Ask our engineers

What press brake is best for aerospace parts?

A high-precision multi-axis CNC press brake (for example HARSLE MasterBend with 6–8 axes) with accurate back gauges, crowning and angle programming suits small, tight-tolerance aerospace brackets and profiles.

Which materials are common in aerospace sheet metal?

Aluminum alloys such as 2024 and 7075, titanium alloys and stainless steels, typically 0.5–6 mm thick.

How do you avoid cracks when bending 7075 aluminum?

Use a larger inner bend radius, bend across the rolling direction where possible, choose the correct V-die opening and consider heat-treat condition (O or W temper) for tight bends.