Navigating Mixed-Material Aircraft Assemblies

Why Mixed Materials? Balancing Strength, Weight, and Cost

Engineers choose different materials for a reason. Titanium offers exceptional heat resistance and superior strength-to-weight performance. Stainless steel offers durability and corrosion resistance. Thermoplastics help reduce weight and streamline interior components. The result is a part or assembly with optimized properties exactly where they’re needed, with no overdesign and no excess weight.

Fabricated components that combine these materials offer key advantages:

• Lower weight
• Higher durability
• Improved formability
• Cost-efficiency

That balance is critical in aerospace, but it also requires a manufacturing partner that understands how to bring those materials together successfully.

Titanium and Beyond: Expertise in Metallic Forming

The majority of aircraft assemblies we produce include at least one formed metal component, and in many cases, multiple. Our facilities are equipped for:

• Hot forming titanium
• Hydroforming aluminum
• Press brake forming of steel and other metals

We also support complex geometries with custom tooling and fixtures, developed in-house and continuously improved through Rapid Improvement Events (RIEs). For example, in one rotorcraft assembly involving bonded nut plates, our team created a locating fixture that simplified part alignment, eliminating guesswork and improving repeatability.

By optimizing these setups, we not only enhance quality but also make the process more ergonomic and efficient for our technicians.

Thermoplastic Capability: When and Where It’s Needed

While metallics are our specialty, our facility also features dedicated thermoplastic composite manufacturing, providing us with the flexibility to support hybrid assemblies that require more than just metal.

Thermoplastics are increasingly used in aerospace for their lightweight properties, corrosion resistance, and processing efficiency. In particular, structural or interior components that integrate thermoplastics alongside metals like titanium or stainless steel allow engineers to optimize performance while reducing weight and manufacturing costs.

At our site, thermoplastic parts are run on our CCM machines, then sent to our machining centers for secondary operations. From there, they’re deburred through sanding and tumbling, painted, inspected, and shipped all under one roof. This controlled, end-to-end process ensures these components are delivered to the assembly floor fully ready for integration.

By offering this thermoplastic capability in-house, we can eliminate the friction that often arises from managing multiple suppliers across dissimilar materials. Whether a project requires bonding thermoplastics to titanium or integrating composite covers with machined aluminum structures, our team understands how to manage the nuances of material compatibility, thermal behavior, and quality control, ensuring a more cohesive assembly process from start to finish.

The Real Challenge: Integration of Aircraft Assemblies

Bringing different materials together in a single assembly introduces real-world challenges:

• Thermal expansion mismatches
• Differing tolerances
• Handling and joining limitations
• Time-sensitive prep or bonding requirements

We manage these by treating the assembly as a system, not just a stack of parts. From bonding prep to sequencing and fixturing, our team builds processes that account for every variable, including customer specifications on surface prep timing, sometimes down to the hour.

For example, in our work on engine containment boxes with titanium components, we’ve engineered processes to manage bulk and access constraints. This allows us to achieve structural integrity without relying on adhesives.

One Facility. One Team. One Standard.

Every part of our mixed-material assembly process happens in one place:

• Metal Forming – Components with requirements ranging from strength to those with tight tolerances can be formed through our hot forming press, hydroforming presses, and press brake operations.
• Machining – Parts are precision milled and turned to meet tight tolerance requirements at our in-house precision machining operation.
• Thermoplastic Forming – Lightweight, durable composite parts are formed on-site and can be integrated with metallic structures.
• Inspection and Quality Assurance – Our comprehensive in-process and final inspections ensure each assembly meets aerospace standards.

This vertically integrated approach eliminates the coordination burden that comes with managing multiple vendors. Our cross-trained teams collaborate across disciplines, ensuring that every step supports the next, from forming and trimming to final build and delivery.

Unlike shops that only do machining or fabrication, we support programs with our wide range of capabilities, making Re:Build Cutting Dynamics a one-stop solution for customers seeking both precision and efficiency.

Real-World Experience You Can Trust

We’ve been delivering interior and structural aircraft assemblies for over 20 years, earning a reputation for quality, reliability, and precision. Our team has successfully built and delivered a wide range of assemblies, including seatbacks, firewalls, and engine containment boxes, each with its own unique set of complex materials and joining requirements. Whether the build calls for titanium, aluminum, steel, thermoplastics, or any combination in between, our team brings deep technical knowledge and proven processes to every step. We understand how to deliver multi-material assemblies on spec and on schedule, even under tight timelines. Our assembly capabilities were strong enough to spark the launch of an entire business line: our Phase Maintenance Kits, which combine part fabrication, assembly, kitting, and logistics into a seamless solution. It’s this kind of practical experience and ability to scale that makes us a trusted partner for demanding aerospace programs.

Re:Build Cutting Dynamics Should Be Your Partner for Aircraft Assemblies

As aircraft programs evolve, material integration will become increasingly complex. With a foundation in metal forming and a flexible approach to hybrid builds, Re:Build Cutting Dynamics is well-equipped to support next-generation aircraft assemblies, ranging from titanium to thermoplastics and everything in between.

If you’re looking for a trusted partner for your next aircraft assembly project, we’d love to talk. Contact our team to learn more about our capabilities or to initiate a discussion about your specific requirements.