Designing aerospace and defense components comes with significant challenges, especially in the early development stages when materials and manufacturing processes must be tested and validated. To address this, product engineers rely on Protolabs to accelerate design iterations, prototype using final materials, and produce intricate geometries. Our automated manufacturing solutions support the entire product life cycle, from initial prototyping and design validation to hot-fire testing and final launch.
Accelerate iterative design with our rapid prototyping and low-volume production solutions. When it’s time for full-scale production, collaborate with our applications engineers to ensure your aerospace components meet all end-use requirements.
Leverage our AS9100- and ISO9001-certified machining and 3D printing processes to produce high-precision parts for demanding applications. For qualifying projects, we also offer aluminum traceability to ensure material integrity.
Utilize our instant quotes with design for manufacturability (DFM) feedback to refine your part design before aerospace manufacturing begins. Effortlessly move through both early and late-stage prototyping for a seamless development process.
Select from a range of machined metals such as aluminum, titanium, and stainless steel 17-4 PH, as well as 3D-printed metals like Inconel and cobalt chrome.
Receive high-quality, production-grade jigs, fixtures, and other tools within days to keep your development and workflow progressing smoothly.
Discover how we collaborated with NASA to crowdsource the generative design of a moon exploration tool, completing it within an incredibly fast timeline.
Titanium: This material, available through both machining and metal 3D printing, is known for its light weight, strength, and exceptional resistance to corrosion and high temperatures.
Aluminum: With its excellent strength-to-weight ratio, aluminum is ideal for housing and brackets that must bear significant loads. We provide Aluminum 7075 T7, which is designed to withstand repetitive stress cycles typical in aerospace applications, as well as Aluminum 2024 T3, which offers superior corrosion resistance, particularly for components exposed to harsh environments. Both machined and 3D-printed aluminum parts are available.
Inconel: This 3D-printed nickel-chromium superalloy is perfect for rocket engine components and other high-temperature applications due to its exceptional heat resistance.
Stainless Steel: SS 17-4 PH is commonly used in aerospace applications for its high strength, excellent corrosion resistance, and strong mechanical properties at temperatures up to 600°F. It can be processed through both machining and 3D printing.
Liquid Silicone Rubber: Our fluorosilicone material is designed for resistance to fuel and oil, while our optical silicone rubber serves as a superior alternative to PC/PMMA for optical applications.
Our digital manufacturing services speed up the production of various metal and plastic aerospace parts. Some typical aerospace applications include:
