Custom Tooling Solutions for the Aerospace Industry

We provide multiple tooling material options based on your project stage and production volume. For prototyping and pre-production, we use cost-effective CNC-milled wood (Perfect Plank, Mahogany) or polyurethane materials that allow rapid turnaround and easy design modifications. These low-cost tools are machined to exact print specifications and can produce functional prototypes for design validation. For production runs, we create durable aluminum casting tooling from the approved master pattern, ensuring dimensional stability, extended tool life, and consistent part quality for high-volume aerospace component manufacturing.

Our rapid prototyping capability typically delivers master patterns and initial prototypes within just a few weeks, depending on design complexity. We CNC-mill wood or polyurethane tooling to your exact specifications, mount it on a mold base, and form initial prototypes for your review. This accelerated timeline allows aerospace engineers to evaluate fit, function, and design performance early in the development cycle. If modifications are needed, our flexible prototyping approach enables quick adjustments before committing to production aluminum tooling investment.

Yes, our prototyping process is specifically designed for design flexibility. When we create initial prototypes using wood or polyurethane master patterns, modifications are easily implemented based on your feedback and testing results. Changes can be machined into the prototype tooling to refine dimensions, adjust features, or optimize functionality before we proceed to aluminum production mold casting. This iterative approach ensures your final aerospace components meet all specifications while avoiding costly changes to production-grade tooling.

Our tooling supports a comprehensive range of aerospace-grade plastics selected for their performance properties. Options include ABS and High Temperature ABS for structural components, UV-resistant ASA/ABS for exterior applications, HDPE for chemical resistance and durability, PETG for clarity and impact strength, and specialty materials like KYDEX for demanding environments. Our engineering team evaluates your specific requirements—including temperature extremes, chemical exposure, tensile strength, impact resistance, and regulatory compliance—to recommend the optimal material and corresponding tooling design for your aerospace application.

Absolutely. Our experienced sales and engineering team, including Brad Hill and Cody Hill, provides comprehensive design assistance throughout the tooling development process. We collaborate with aerospace engineers to optimize tool design for manufacturability, recommend appropriate materials based on performance requirements, advise on draft angles and wall thickness considerations, and develop cost-effective solutions from concept through production. Using SolidWorks CAD software, we can review your specifications, suggest design improvements, and ensure the final tooling will consistently produce aerospace components that meet your dimensional accuracy and quality standards.

We implement rigorous quality control throughout the entire tooling and production process. All tooling is CNC-machined to exact print specifications using advanced automated equipment and SolidWorks CAD interface for precision. During production, our custom quality control system monitors progress through all manufacturing stages, inspecting parts for dimensional accuracy, surface finish, and specification compliance. With 45 years of aerospace industry experience, our team applies proven inspection protocols to ensure every component meets the exacting standards required for aerospace applications, from initial prototypes through high-volume production runs.

Yes, our tooling solutions scale from prototype quantities to high-volume production runs. For low-volume or prototype needs, we use cost-effective wood or polyurethane tooling that delivers precision parts without production-grade investment. For high-volume manufacturing, we create durable aluminum production molds that ensure consistent quality across thousands of parts. Our facility houses eight thermoforming machines ranging from 2'x3' to 5'x9', including a 4'x7' rotary thermoforming machine with cycle times 2.5 times faster than standard equipment, enabling cost-effective high-volume aerospace component production.

Beyond tooling and forming, we provide comprehensive fabrication services to deliver assembly-ready aerospace components. Our two 5'x10' CNC trimming centers perform precision trimming to drawing specifications, contour cutting, and edge finishing. Additional capabilities include precision drilling for fasteners, heat bending for complex geometries, bonding and assembly operations, threaded insert installation, and secondary machining. Using SolidWorks for design and CNC interface, we can apply multiple fabrication operations to thermoformed parts, reducing your assembly time and ensuring components arrive ready for integration into aerospace systems.