How Expromet Technologies Group selects manufacturing processes for components across the cabin interior
Overview: Aircraft interior manufacturers require metal components that are strong, lightweight, dimensionally precise and certifiable to aerospace standards. Expromet Technologies Group supplies cast, forged and machined components across the cabin interior – with the technical expertise to recommend the optimal manufacturing process for each individual part.
The aircraft cabin is one of the most engineered environments in mass production. Every metal component within it, from the legs that anchor a seat to the floor, to the latches that secure an overhead locker and the structural brackets within a galley unit, must meet demanding load requirements, withstand years of cyclic use and contribute as little weight as possible to the overall aircraft.
For interior manufacturers and their supply chains, the manufacturing process selected for each metal component directly determines cost, lead time, performance and certification risk.
Expromet Technologies Group works with OEMs and Tier 1s to supply precision investment castings, pressure die castings and closed die forgings for aircraft interior applications. Through its group companies, Expromet has the capability and the track record to advise on and deliver the right manufacturing solution for each component.
The engineering challenge: strength, weight and repeatability at scale
Aircraft interior components sit at the intersection of several competing demands. They must be structurally sound: seat structures, overhead stowage systems and galley components are all subject to dynamic load and certification requirements. They must be lightweight, because every gram added across hundreds of seats, stowage bins and galley units has a measurable impact on fuel consumption and payload. And they must be produced to consistent tolerances, because interchangeability and fit-up during assembly leave little room for dimensional variation.
These demands do not point uniformly towards a single manufacturing process. A component that requires high surface definition and a complex three-dimensional form may be best served by investment casting. One that carries significant tensile or fatigue loads may benefit from forging. One that requires tight tolerances and a fine finish may need machining – but the question is whether it needs to be machined from solid, or whether a near-net-shape forging or casting can reduce material waste and machining time substantially.
Expromet adds value by getting that process selection right from the outset. Aircraft seating is one of the most demanding applications within the cabin interior, and a useful illustration of how that process selection works in practice.
