Aerospace Sheet Metal Fabrication

Why do Companies in Aerospace use Protolabs?

Companies in aerospace (including aviation and defense) work with us for our diverse capabilities and capacity to deliver consistent and repeatable parts fast. Our automated manufacturing services, including sheet metal fabrication, can be leveraged throughout the product life cycle, from early prototyping and design validation to hot-fire testing and launch.  

We support customers in the aerospace industry by offering: 

• application and technical expertise at every stage of development and production 
• the ability to easily pivot from sheet metal fabrication to another manufacturing service, such as 3D printing or CNC machining, without development or production delays
• quality certifications: ISO 9001:2015 and ITAR registered
• ability to provide durable production-grade tools, fixtures, and aids in days
• diverse finishing options including powder coating, anodizing, welding, hardware insertion, and plating

What Materials Work Best for Sheet Metal Aerospace Components?

Aluminum. Lightweight and strong, this material offers excellent corrosion and temperature resistance. Its high strength-to-weight ratio makes it a good candidate for housing and brackets that must support high loading.

Stainless Steel. SS 17-4 PH is widely used in aerospace applications due to its high strength, corrosion resistance, and solid mechanical properties at temperatures up to 600°F. 

Sheet Metal Applications for the Aerospace Industry

Our sheet metal fabrication services are most leveraged throughout the prototyping process for aerospace applications but is also implemented for one-off end-use parts or low-volume production. Sheet metal fabrication is often used for aerospace components including: 

• Enclosures
• Brackets
• Panels
• Mounts
• Face plates
• Satellite components
• Safety switch brackets
• Flight simulator components
• Drone parts