Revolutionizing Aerospace Manufacturing with High-Precision Tooling

In an exclusive interaction with Industry Outlook, Vijaykrishnan Venkatesan, Managing Director of Kennametal India Limited, highlights how advanced tooling technologies are supporting the evolving landscape of aerospace manufacturing. As the industry embraces complex materials and digital processes, smart and adaptive tooling is enabling greater precision, efficiency, and global competitiveness.

Vijaykrishnan Venkatesan, a global industrial business leader, brings over two decades of expertise in strategic operations, change management, and customer-centric growth across Asia-Pacific. Recognized for steering transformation, he serves on key industry forums including CII, IMTMA, and Invest Karnataka Forum.

How is the increasing demand for lightweight aerospace components shaping advancements in high-precision tooling within India's aerospace manufacturing sector?

The aerospace manufacturing sector encompasses the full spectrum of production needs from engines and structures to landing gear, composites, and other critical components. With this industry gradually switching to high tech material like CFRP, titanium, aluminum, and hard alloys in order to make aircraft lighter and fuel efficient, the need to find solutions that can machine those materials with precision and consistency is on the rise. 

Although these superior materials bring a number of advantages, there are some machining challenges, since they demand tight tolerances, excellent surface finish and high thermal stability. One way to meet such requirements is through tooling solutions that offer not only precision and high metal removal rates but improved cutting speeds and greater flexibility, all while maintaining excellent tool life.

This is where expertise in materials science and tooling development matters. For example, certain special solid carbide end mills have been specifically engineered for machining titanium- one of the most difficult materials in aerospace. These tools provide outstanding productivity, with a consistent metal removal rate of up to twenty cubic inches of titanium per minute, with a tool life exceeding one hour.

Similarly, specific modular drills or high-feed milling cutters are useful in efficient metal removal while maintaining tight tolerances crucial for structural components like ribs, panels and landing gears. Over the years, cutting tool providers have developed an extensive portfolio of advanced tooling solutions that enable aerospace manufacturers to innovate and build better every day.

Achieving micron-level precision in aerospace manufacturing in India is challenging due to thermal expansion, tool wear, and vibration. How are tooling innovations addressing these issues?

Aerospace machining requires innovative solutions which can resist harsh conditions while delivering precision and durability. Superhard materials such as Cubic Boron Nitride (CBN) and Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD) are very wear resistant and maintain sharp cutting edges at high temperatures. Certain PCD-tipped tools and CBN inserts are designed specifically for high-performance aerospace machining. Advanced coatings such as TiAlN and AlTiN prolong the life of the tool by improving thermal stability and minimizing friction. Modern ALTiN-coated inserts exemplify this innovation in action.

Geometry of the tools is also crucial. Features such as lower approach angles, variable helix angles, and larger core diameters enable minimization of cutting forces and vibration while machining materials such as titanium and nickel-based alloys. For instance, tools with internal coolant channels enable efficient chip evacuation and cooling, essential for dimensional consistency.

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With automation and AI-driven machining gaining traction, how are aerospace manufacturers integrating these technologies to enhance high-precision tooling efficiency?

Digital engineering, IoT and AI are fast gaining popularity in the aerospace industry. OEMs and tier suppliers are integrating intelligent systems across the aircraft lifecycle in an effort to handle the ever-increasing complexities of components manufacturing. One of the key areas where we are seeing a transformative impact is digital twin technology. With the creation of virtual models of aerospace parts, machining conditions and processes, manufacturers are able to simulate performance, optimize tool paths, and predict tool wear before starting production. This reduces trial-and-error on the shop floor, cuts down downtime and enhances first-pass yields, which are critical for high-stake industries, such as aerospace and automotive.

IoT-enabled tooling solutions give real-time data on parameters such as temperature, vibration and cutting forces, allowing for predictive maintenance and smarter decision making. Some aerospace equipment manufacturers have been able to boost their productivity by 50 percent and make considerable cost savings when machining hard-to-cut materials such as Inconel, with the help of these solutions.

Given the stringent global aerospace quality standards, how are Indian manufacturers leveraging high-precision tooling to meet international certification requirements?

To meet stringent global aerospace standards like AS9100 and NADCAP, Indian manufacturers are turning to high-precision tooling solutions that ensure dimensional accuracy, surface integrity, and process repeatability. Given the complexity of working with materials such as CFRP, titanium, aluminum, and hard alloys, it can be challenging to maintain consistency across high-tolerance applications using conventional tooling.

To address this, manufacturers are increasingly adopting advanced tooling systems. Solutions such as advanced end mills, ALTiN-coated inserts, solid carbide drills, CBN inserts, PCD-tipped tools, and modular drilling systems offer high metal removal rates, thermal resistance, and repeatable performance—critical for qualifying under international certification protocols. These tools are engineered to handle difficult-to-machine alloys while minimizing tool wear and maintaining part integrity.

Additionally, digital platforms like tool management solutions enhance traceability, inventory control, and compliance by offering detailed usage reports and tool lifecycle visibility. This supports not only productivity but also the documentation and process control required for audits and certifications.

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Looking ahead, what emerging technologies or process innovations are expected to redefine high-precision tooling for aerospace manufacturing in the next five years?

Aerospace manufacturing is continuously evolving—both in the materials used and the processes followed—to meet the growing demand for lighter aircraft, efficient fuel consumption and reduced emissions. In the next five years, high-precision tooling for aerospace manufacturing will be transformed by technologies like IoT-enabled CNC machines, advanced tooling solutions and sustainability.

The integration of IoT-enabled, multi-tasking machines is revolutionizing factory operations, enabling OEMs to build factories of the future. Augmented and Virtual Reality are also being adopted for remote machine commissioning, and troubleshooting.

In the coming years, the need for innovative tooling solutions will be paramount to keep pace with the demands of machining advanced aerospace materials, as mentioned earlier. Simultaneously, the industry is increasingly focused on sustainability, with efforts to reduce emissions, noise, and material waste for managing a green product lifecycle.