4 Smart Ways to Reduce Weight in Aerospace Manufacturing

Updated in December 2024

Weight reduction is an important consideration when designing and building parts for the aerospace industry. But engineers don’t always need to rely on sharp corners and tiny radii to meet these crucial specifications. The tooling required to machine unique geometries is often expensive and time-consuming—if it even exists at all. 

How can aerospace engineers reduce weight in parts and components without increasing cost and lead time? A simple conversation with this Colorado machine shop can help you find a solution. Here are some of the tips we give aerospace engineers to reduce weight in their initial designs. 

Weight Reduction Tips That Won’t Increase Cost or Lead Time 

Focused on Machining has extensive experience manufacturing high-quality, custom-machined parts and components for aerospace industry customers, so we encounter weight reduction challenges all the time. We’ve found several precision machining strategies for reducing weight that make life easier for engineers and machine shops:

1. Avoid small pockets. When a design includes shapes with sharp corners, such as triangles or squares, the inside pockets are often so tiny that it takes us up to 25 minutes to tool a single shape. Just think of all the milling required! If small pockets are absolutely necessary for your design, a drill hole is a much faster option that often accomplishes the same goal. 

2. Stick to circular shapes. If you don’t need a special shape, don’t use one. Circular shapes are almost always easier and faster for us to drill than anything with sharp corners. 

3. Use a standard wall thickness. Decreasing wall thickness from 0.06” to 0.03” may seem like a simple way to reduce weight, but you’ll pay more for this non-standard size. Eliminating a fraction of a pound usually isn’t worth the extra cost when there are better ways to drop ounces.

4. Increase the radius. A tiny radius can have a big impact on the amount of time it takes for us to create a pocket. If you’re designing a square pocket for weight reduction purposes, include at least a ⅛” radius. Any opportunity for us to use a ¼” tool cuts cost and lead time significantly.

BONUS TIP: In general, you can save production time and part costs by designing weight-reduction features specifically for manufacturability. For these non-functional features, specify looser tolerances like ±0.015" and rougher surface finishes with an RA of 63 or 125 microinches (µin). This simple change can potentially reduce machining time by 50% without any effect on the part's performance.

Focused on Machining Case Study

We recently received a design featuring pockets with sharp corners and a tiny radius. We knew that machining these pockets would be time-consuming and labor-intensive. We’d have to machine out a large portion with a big tool and then use a small radius tool to meet the specifications. 

How did we solve this problem? 

First, we contacted the customer to discuss their design. When we determined that the pockets were for weight reduction only, we increased the size of the radius and reduced labor time by nearly 10 minutes per pocket. And yes, we still achieved the weight the customer needed!

There will always be parts—in aerospace machining or otherwise—that require sharp-cornered pockets, 0.03” wall thicknesses, or tiny radii. If these specifications are key features of your part, we’ll absolutely take the time to machine the precise pockets you need. But when weight reduction is your goal, let’s figure out how to cut costs and lead time as much as possible.

Are you searching for the right  AS9100 machine shop for your next aerospace project? Look no further! We offer a range of capabilities with different aerospace materials, including nitronic 60, titanium, and Inconel machining.  

Request a quote today and we’ll be glad to assist you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is lightweighting in manufacturing?

Lightweighting is an approach that aims to reduce the weight of a product while maintaining or improving performance or functionality. 

What are the benefits of lightweighting in aerospace manufacturing?

There are a variety of benefits, including:

• Improved performance and increased payload capacity

• Reduced fuel load requirements

• Reduced emissions from more efficient engine operation

• Lower costs through reduced raw material usage

What materials are common in aerospace manufacturing?

Aerospace manufacturing uses a variety of materials, including aluminum alloys, titanium alloys, composite materials, steel alloys, and more.

What are lightweight metals?

Among the most common lightweight metals in manufacturing are aluminum, titanium, and magnesium.

What are some common design strategies for lightweighting aerospace parts? 

5 important strategies are to avoid small pockets, stick to circular shapes, use a standard wall thickness, increase your radii, and specify loose tolerances for weight reduction features.

Want Accurate Quotes? Avoid RFQs for Prototype and Production at the Same Time

When you’re requesting a quote for a prototype part, you may be tempted to ask your machine shop to provide a production quote simultaneously. Understandably, it can be helpful to know the cost of manufacturing larger quantities up front. But there’s one small (but often costly) problem:

It’s virtually impossible for manufacturers to accurately quote production before building a prototype. 

In fact, when machine shops delay quoting production volumes until after a prototype has been made, customers typically get the benefits of faster lead times and lower costs.

The Disadvantages of Quoting Prototype and Production Simultaneously

The bottom line is that it’s already challenging for manufacturers to estimate the cost of a part that they haven’t made before—and almost impossible to tell how the price will vary if we’re making 1,000 of that same part. When we quote a prototype part for the first time, we’re inevitably making educated assumptions about setup time, run time, inspection time, outside processing, and other factors that impact the end estimate. 

While these assumptions are to be expected for a prototype quote, our goal is to have as much information as possible before giving our customers a production quote. Quoting prototype and production simultaneously increases the likelihood of receiving an inaccurate production quote: 

• More often than not, the production quote is too high, because anytime a machine shop makes educated assumptions, they need to estimate conservatively 

• If for any reason the quote is too low, the shop will have to revise for production volumes and provide a new quote anyway

However, once we’ve built a prototype part, we have a much better idea of the cost that goes into making that part. And chances are we’ll have identified areas where we can improve efficiency and save you money on production runs.

The Best Way to Quote Prototype and Production

At Focused on Machining, we’re committed to efficiency and accuracy—not only in the parts we build, but in the quotes we provide to our valued customers.

Instead of rushing to put a production quote on paper immediately, your best bet is to let us get to work on the prototype first. We want to turn around your prototype parts as soon as possible. You’ll have your prototype in 2-3 weeks for testing; and once we know how to make it, we’ll provide you with an extremely detailed production quote. 

In other words, you’ll only have to wait a few weeks to receive your production quote, and you’ll know that the quote you get is extremely accurate (and may even save you money).

We do recommend that you tell us up front if you want a production quote—even though we won’t provide it immediately. If we know that you plan to order hundreds of parts following the prototype, we’ll be on the lookout for ways to streamline our processes specifically for production, resulting in shorter lead times and lower costs for you. 

If you need to get parts quoted for prototype, production, or both, turn to a trusted machine shop like Focused on Machining in Denver, CO that prioritizes accuracy and precision every step of the way. Request a quote today.

The Value of Working with an ISO-Certified Machine Shop

If you’re looking to get the most value out of a machine shop vendor—everything from quality and efficiency to traceability and documentation—your best bet is to select a machine shop that’s ISO-certified. Even if your industry doesn’t require it. 

ISO certification is the difference between working with a shop that flies by the seat of its pants and one that has a clear set of documented procedures to satisfy the highest possible industry standards. 

And if you’re thinking that this means paying more for a part, think again. Yes, it’s true that many ISO-certified manufacturers charge extra. But our Denver machine shop’s philosophy is that ISO certification shouldn’t come at any additional expense to customers. 

So whether you’re in an industry like defense where material traceability is essential, or a different commercial industry where standards aren’t as strict, you’ll benefit from Focused on Machining’s integrated ISO process. 

What is an ISO Certification?

An ISO certification ensures that a machine shop has developed, implemented, and maintains a quality management system conforming to a set of requirements defined by International Standards.

Focused on Machining is ISO 9001:2015 certified to provide manufactured components, which means that we: 

• Develop and document all processes 

• Provide traceability for materials and processes 

• Regularly self-audit and submit to external audits.

View or download our ISO certification here.

The documentation process that ISO-certified shops must follow creates standard procedures for key tasks involved in completing a manufacturing project. It makes each of the following processes easily repeatable with the goal of improving quality and efficiency: 

• Quoting

• Ordering and receiving materials

• Production

• Quality assurance

• Shipping

How We Run an Efficient ISO Process to Reduce Customer Costs

Although ISO requirements are strict, the reality is that implementation is often messy and time-consuming. Paper folders and handwritten information will satisfy documentation requirements, but they aren’t exactly a model of efficiency. And yet that’s how many shops are still handling ISO implementation. 

The big thing that sets our ISO process apart from other Colorado machine shops—and helps us keep costs down—is that we do everything digitally.

Our ISO checklist is embedded into the software we use. Digitally automating the ISO process takes the burden off our plates so that we can focus our time and resources elsewhere. Everything is accounted for, including: 

• Customer orders and quoting. When you request a quote, all data uploaded is secure and encrypted. It’s stored on servers designed to host sensitive data, regulated workloads, and address the most stringent U.S. government security and compliance requirements. 

• Manufacturing parts. We build parts digitally and store all relevant information in one place: customer data, materials we need to order, outside processes, and anything the machinists need to know. Our digital briefs replicate information automatically in the case of repeat production. 

• Inspection. We upload inspection results directly into our digital system. If you have an issue with a part down the road, we can go back years to provide any documentation you may need. All documentation is broken down into two pages for ultimate convenience and simplicity.

Benefits of Choosing an ISO-Certified Manufacturer (Even If You Don’t Need Documentation)

Simply put, ISO-certified manufacturers adhere to the highest possible standards. And since our streamlined system helps us reduce costs, we can offer our customers more for their dollar than other machine shops in Colorado.  

Whether you need documentation or not, you’ll enjoy these benefits when you work with Focused on Machining: 

• Advanced traceability. Traceability may only be essential for industries like defense and aerospace, but it’s still valuable in other commercial industries. We recently had a food and beverage customer ask about plating and material makeup for their parts. Thanks to our ISO process, we were able to easily pull up documentation and provide full traceability. 

• Lower risk. Since everything we do is process-driven, there’s a lot less room for error. You can trust us to get your quote right and deliver parts on time because we keep everything well-organized in our digital system. 

• Better customer service. Our efficient processes free us up to focus on what matters most: manufacturing high-quality parts to satisfy our customers. And if there’s ever an issue, we can troubleshoot it quickly and easily.

Next time you need a new part, Focused on Machining can provide you with exceptional results you won’t get anywhere else. Request a quote using our secure part upload form and we’ll respond within 24 hours.

Decrease the Cost of Manufacturing Your Part By Up to 50%

Inside Tips on Negotiating with Your Manufacturer

It’s no secret that one of the biggest factors in choosing a manufacturer is price. Engineers and buyers want low-cost parts (although a low-quality part has no value at all, regardless of the price). Manufacturers want to quote low enough to acquire the customer, but not so low that their business model doesn’t work.

Instead of shopping around for a rock bottom price and taking a risk on quality, talk to your manufacturer about how to decrease the price of your part. At Focused on Machining, we often work with our customers on price, especially if they’re investing in a long-term relationship with us. And a win-win-makes everybody happy.

One of the best ways to get a better deal on your part is to tell your manufacturer if you plan on repeat production. If you need parts a few times a year, even at a relatively low volume (as low as 10 pieces), a smart manufacturer should be willing to reduce the price—and if they don’t, come and talk to this Colorado machine shop instead. :)

How Repeat Production can Decrease Cost

I’m pulling back the curtain on our business to show you why our Denver machine shop is willing to reduce our prices for repeat production:

• Programming, modeling, and set up leverage. We can spread out our engineering costs over more parts and a longer period of time. The expense of initial setup and machine programming is a lot cheaper when it’s spread out over 100 parts instead of 10. And once you perfect the setup and programming, subsequent part runs are much less labor-intensive. 

• Recurring revenue covers reduced shop rates. Who doesn’t love recurring revenue? If our shop can count on regular orders from your company, we can work with you to reduce rates. That’s revenue we didn’t have to generate by finding new customers, putting out new quotes, and designing setups for new parts. 

• Vendors often offer discounts on bulk or repeat orders. We have great vendors who work with us to offer discounts on materials and finishes for large orders or recurring revenue (I told you everybody loves it). We can pass those savings directly on to our customers.

• Repeat production = stronger relationships. At Focused on Machining, we’re dedicated to building long-term relationships with our customers. Practically, client retention makes good business sense. But it’s more than practicality: we want to be your very own, go-to Colorado CNC machine shop—your source for manufacturing—and we do that working with our customers whenever possible.

Case Study

This is a real quote we submitted to one of our customers. When they told us they were doing repeat production and wanted to work with us, we were able to offer them a cost reduction of over 50% per piece.

If you’re submitting an RFQ for a part that will be produced more than once, don’t forget to mention repeat production! A manufacturer who really wants to partner with their customers should be willing to work with you on price. 

Even better, save the hassle and reach out to us for your next repeat production job. We’ll work with you to find the best price without compromising lead time or quality. 

Quotes that custom machined part buyers can depend on

When I bought Focused on Machining, one of the first things that I was going to update was our ability to quote parts faster and better than any of my competition. One of the biggest issues that most machine shops have is that one person does all the quoting. That can be scary for shops that have may have an employee on the brink of retirement with the only institutional knowledge of quoting every job that comes in. Scaling this business and understanding that our customers deserve better service was and still is a big goal of mine. As I researched companies that could help with this, I came across Paperless Parts, who has become one of our best business partners.

Paperless Parts Quoting Platform

We turn quotes around in 12-24 hours, which was largely unheard of even just a few years back in the manufacturing industry. We can also view a 3D model of the quote which we would have never been able to do before. On-time delivery is one of our core values - using this quoting software ensures that we stick to our schedule for important parts that our customers are depending on in order to be successful at their job. The back and forth on part questions and specifications between us and our customers has been cut dramatically (roughly 75%) and our internal communication has become more efficient. The software has a fantastic internal communication tool. Our customers have noticed the difference, too. Recently, one of them let me know that they had sent out a quote to 3 shops and not only did our quote come in at the best price but it also had the least amount of follow-up questions. Our specifications were spot on which also saved our customers time.

Our partnership with Paperless Parts has not only taken our business to the next level in differentiating ourselves from our competition but more importantly, has ensured that our customers always get the most accurate quote, FAST!

Justin Quinn, President

Investing in Machinery & People will Pay Dividends Back!

If you’re like me, I’m constantly thinking of how I can increase business, improve efficiency, and keep my employee morale up. We’ve had a crazy past few weeks here between our new machine, a day of off-site employee training, and gearing up my two girls to get back to school. We are finally starting to make chips on our new Doosan and I’m thrilled with how all our employees haven’t skipped a beat! For all of you who have installed new machines, you know what I mean. Between late nights and short fire drills, we are getting back into our rhythm and I’m excited for new opportunities at Focused on Machining (FOM).

As a business owner, investing in new equipment and my employees are two of my top priorities. For us to continue to be one of the best Colorado machine shops, I know these two things go hand in hand and our success depends on it. As we continue to build FOM and increase our machining and CNC capabilities, we are also doing some employee training which will increase shop efficiency, communication, and productivity. I’m so proud of the work this team has accomplished over the past month both in the shop and out of it. We recently took some of our employees off-site for a development day. It was great to connect with them in a setting that was different than the shop.

We are already seeing the benefits of the team building and managerial training we did. Sessions like the one we had are so important to building a team we can all trust & depend on.

While I’m ranting on about professional development, I hope many of you will check out the Rocky Mountain Tooling & Machining (RMTMA) Fall Conference that is happening at the Hartwig Facility on Thursday, October 8. The RMTMA board has worked hard to bring you some great sessions that would benefit a novice machinist to the experienced CEO. You can attend in person or join us virtually. Check out RMTMA.org for more details.

Keep investing in your shop & people!

Justin Quinn, President