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CNC Automation for Aerospace & Defense Industry

The What, Why and How of Automation Read how automation applies to the industry Solution Finder Find the right solution for your production needs References Check our case stories Download Our Guide Free aerospace & defense automation guide

Profitable and Flexible CNC Manufacturing for Aerospace & Defense industry

Manufacturers in the aerospace & defense industry use high-end CNC machines for batch production that comes with many challenges in combining profitability with flexibility and production resilience. Intelligent automation enables high spindle hours and resource utilization, fast and reliable lead times, constant quality, full traceability and automated production planning for flexibility even when facing sudden changes. Want to know how? Download our CNC automation guide from below!

Fastems is the leading supplier of CNC automation solutions for variable batch production. We’re an automation open-integrator with 40 years and 4000 systems worth of experience, much of it in the aerospace & defense industry. We integrate your CNC machines and supportive processes to one highly productive unit operated with our industry-leading MMS control.

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The ‘What’, ‘Why’ and ‘How’ of Automation

Take a look on the typical applications, the production challenges, automation benefits and the best practices around automation below to understand the relevance of automation for the aerospace and defense industry.

CNC automation applications include parts for:

  • Jet engines (e.g. turbine blades or axels) ​
  • Fuselage parts
  • Wing ribs/skeletons
  • Landing gear​
  • Helicopters and drones​
  • Armored vehicles​
  • Aerospace hydraulics and actuation
  • Aircraft brake components

See our Aerospace & Defense Case Stories

Production Challenges and Automation Benefits:

  • More customization and amount of variants​
  • Shorter lead times and planning horizon​
  • Costs & tied capital reduction​
  • Demand variance​
  • Traceability needs​
  • Availability of workers​
  • Constant quality

See How Automation Helps With The Challenges

Automate Production – Not Just Movement

Learn how to get the most out of your CNC machines and other equipment by applying batch production automation best practices summarized below:

  1. Stabilize and integrate manufacturing process steps
  2. Automate physical part transfers throughout the value chain
  3. Benefit from automated, intelligent production planning software

Read the full story here or get our guide!

Case Examples from the Aerospace & Defense Industry

Here you can find a few success stories we have delivered for the aerospace and defense industry.

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BAE Systems

“Fastems is a world leader in FMS logistics but this installation pushed even them to the limits of their technology.”

Read full case study

MTU Aero Engines

To maximize the production capacity of its machine tools, MTU signed a contract with Fastems for the delivery of a Multi-Level System (MLS).

Read full case study

Advanced Machining & Fabricating

FMS for Low-Volume, High-Mix shop provides stable, predictable process. Increased requests for complex components? The solution: Fastems FMS.

Read full case study

Fastems to Deliver a Laser Cleaner Robot for F-35 Lightning II Wing Assembly Line

Fastems is delivering two Automated Structure Laser Cleaner (AutoSLC) units for the F-35 Lightning II Wing Line. The delivery of the new project is estimated to be completed in the end of 2021.  Fastems’ AutoSLC solution is based on a robotized system, which is equipped with a laser ablation scan head, designed to automatically remove primers and other protective coatings from F-35 wing components. Laser ablation provides a pristine surface to which nutplates can be mechanically bonded without using attach […]

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Solution Finder

Use the filters below to find the suitable automation solution for your manufacturing setup. Please note Fastems is an open integrator and therefore able to integrate almost any machine tool in the world, so if you can’t find what you were looking for, just contact us directly!

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FPT - Flexible Pallet Tower

Easy plug-and-play pallet tower that supersedes traditional pallet pools and automatic pallet changers.

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FPC - Flexible Pallet Container

Easy and extendable pallet automation solution that supersedes pallet pools and automatic pallet changers.

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FMS ONE

All of the best FMS practices in ONE product.

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MLS - Multi Level System

Integrates any machine tools in the world together. Comes with industry leading software, tool automation and various auxiliary processes.

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RoboCell ONE

Flexible production of heavier workpieces in varying batch sizes thanks to the Manufacturing Management Software (MMS) by Fastems.

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RoboFMS ONE

All of the best robotic-FMS practices in ONE product.

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RoboFMS

All the benefits of flexible manufacturing for 5-axis machines with no pallet.

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TSC - Tool Service Cell

Tool Service Cell is a robot-based setup cell that automates the cutting tool renewal process.

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AMC - Agile Manufacturing Cell

AMC is robot-based manufacturing cell that brings the traditional benefits of flexible manufacturing for direct machine tending.

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Robotic Production Cells

Automated machine tending systems with modular design. Integrates to value-adding processes like deburring or measuring.

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Tool Automation

Automated tool logistics save money by increased unmanned production hours and secured availability.

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ALD - Autoloading Cell

Automated raw material loading and ready part unloading with a robot – stable quality and longer unmanned production periods.

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RFC - Robotized Finishing Cell

Automated grinding, polishing, deburring and other finishing processes for increased quality and unmanned production hours.

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Ultra Heavy Pallet Automation

Automation benefits even for 10 000 to 40 000 kg payloads – including vertical pallets.

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Next steps? Download the Guide for Aerospace Automation!

If you are under consideration on how to reduce cost per unit, cut down setup costs, increase unmanned production or reduce WIP or inventory, this guide is the one to download.



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Head of Services, USA

Tyrone Brown

+19376202940

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