Aerospace
Explore Machinery for
Aerospace Manufacturing
From structural components to high-temperature engine components, aerospace manufacturing demands precision, repeatability, and the ability to form some of the most challenging materials. Beckwood delivers all of that, under one roof.
We design and build the broadest range of aerospace forming equipment, so you can reliably source from a single, trusted partner in the US.
Better Quality, Better Control
In a rapidly evolving space sector, manufacturers are increasingly bringing critical production processes in-house to gain greater control over quality and lead times. The unique requirements for this space often exceed the capabilities of standard press equipment which is available for outsourcing. Discover how our machinery can empower your facility to bring manufacturing in-house with greater quality and greater process control.
Application-Specific Engineering
Press Solutions Built to Match Your Process
Hot Forming Titanium &
Superplastic Forming
Achieve extreme precision at temperatures up to 2,000°F for lightweight, high-strength alloys. From retrofitting existing hot form equipment to providing new hydraulic or leading-edge servo electric hot forming equipment, Beckwood is a top supplier to the aerospace industry to meet the increasing titanium demand in the market.
Sheet Hydroforming &
Rubber Pad Forming
From high temperature engine alloys to structural components, Beckwood provides both deep draw and fluid cell hydroforming, along with rubber pad press equipment that is designed to fit your desired requirements.
Compression
Molding Presses
Compression molding presses can be used to shape a wide range of products from lightweight composites to powder materials. This makes them excellent for aerospace manufacturing facilities which often produce a low volume of high-variety parts.
Double & Triple
Action Deep Draw
Ideal for forming high-nickel alloys and other hard-to-form materials that fall outside of the sheet hydroforming size range, these machines can be tailored to exact requirements from an overall tonnage, size, and tooling standpoint so customers can experience a seamless transition from existing equipment.
Linear Servo Press
Technology
With instant feedback for diagnostics and data acquisition to record and measure torque, force, position, and time, no press offers greater precision or better part quality than our servo-electric models.
Custom Forming Solutions
for Space Industry
Beckwood specializes in engineering one-of-a-kind forming systems, from unique bulge form equipment to custom hydroform equipment, to meet the demand of space exploration.
FAQs
Aerospace Press
What can a compression molding press do?
Compression molding presses are extremely versatile tools which utilize heated and/or cooled platens to achieve a desired forming temperature profile. We can manufacture single or multicavity custom compression molding presses for:
- Thermoplastic forming or stamping
- Injection Molding
- Composite Forming
- Extrusion Forming
- Reaction Injection Molding
- Powder Compacting
- HDPE Sheet Making
- UHMW Sheet Making
How do hot forming and superplastic forming compare?
During the hot forming process, both the tool and blank achieve a preheat temperature up to 2,000°F to increase the plasticity and elongation characteristics of the material. The introduction of heat allows for the formation of high-strength materials at significantly lower tonnages when compared to cold forming without the risk of cracking, spring-back, or residual stress.
SPF uses extreme temperatures in conjunction with argon gas to form high-strength alloys into complex shapes in a single step. During an SPF cycle, preheated blank sheet metal material is clamped between a die and a plate. Argon gas, injected through the die into the forming chamber, pushes the blank into the die. The resulting parts have a fine surface finish and are near-net-shape, eliminating the need for secondary finishing.
Beckwood hot forming and SPF presses provide ultimate precision, optimal temperature control and uniformity, and extreme process repeatability that is critical to success in aerospace manufacturing. Platens can be fabricated from ceramics, stainless materials, or other exotic metal alloys depending on the specific application requirements. Automated insulated door systems can be provided to efficiently contain the heat within the forming chamber, while also allowing adequate access during part or tool loading and unloading sequences.
Our hot forming and SPF presses are both available with hydraulic or servo-actuated options. Beckwood is currently the only manufacturer to offer servo-actuated hot forming presses.
What are the advantages of linear servo-electric press technology?
High precision, uptime, reliability, and unmatched forming flexibility are pillars of this world-class press technology. The use of a servo motor and linear motion system allows for greater control over the pressing process, including the ability to generate force throughout the entirety of the stroke. This makes linear servo presses ideal for stamping of high-strength sheet metals, complex draw forming, progressive die forming, assembly, and any application that requires high-precision and/or accuracy. With options for tonnage, frame type, dwell time, heated platens, safety features, and more, these machines can be configured to suit your aerospace manufacturing needs.
What’s the difference between EVOx™ and LSP™?
With both lines you can easily program ram position, force targets, and speeds for maximum productivity. The key difference between the EVOx™ and LSP lines are their positional accuracy and max tonnage capacity.
With presses ranging from 125 – 500 tons, Beckwood LSP™ offers the highest tonnage capacity of any linear servo press available.
For low-tonnage part forming and assembly operations, our line of EVOx™ servo-electric presses is right for the job. The EVOx™ is available in a tonnage as low as 2.5 tons, up to as high as 100 tons. Positional repeatability to within ±0.0005″ is made easy with this machine designed for high accuracy and high precision.
What is TRIFORM™?
Our versatile TRIFORM™ equipment can be used to create near-net aerospace parts and space equipment like fuselage panels, fuel tanks, engine components, and more in just a single operation. Across the board, these presses are proven to improve part quality, minimize defects and scrap rates, reduce production steps, and ultimately streamline production. Our TRIFORM™ line includes:
- Sheet Hydroforming Presses
- Deep Draw Hydroforming Equipment
- Ring Expanders
- Stretch Forming Equipment
How do rubber pad forming and sheet hydroforming compare?
Beckwood’s Triform™ sheet hydroforming presses thrive in low-volume, high-mix production environments where tool changes occur frequently and manufacturing processes are continually refined. Sheet hydroforming presses use a pressurized rubber diaphragm and a single un-mated tool to create near-net-shape parts in just one cycle.
Rubber pad forming is an alternative to sheet hydroforming which has a lower initial startup cost. Like sheet hydroforming, rubber pad forming uses a single unmated tool and an elastomeric diaphragm to form parts. This allows for immense forming versatility in environments where low-volume, high-mix workloads are common. One benefit of rubber pad forming is that most hydraulic presses can be converted to a rubber pad press with the simple addition of an enclosed, elastomeric pad box. Unlike sheet hydroforming processes, rubber pad forming will almost always require additional secondary finishing operations.
Can pressing replace machining in aerospace part forming?
While CNC machining is highly efficient, high costs arise in the form of the time and labor spent programming the machining path, the time spent machining, and the cost of wasted material. With some calculated DFM, many parts that would seem ‘ideal’ for machining can be made to a higher quality with a hydraulic press, servo-electric press, or hydroforming machine.