Aerospace Institute Speeds Up R&D with Xometry's On-Demand Complex Parts

Facing the challenge that standard components could not meet the demands of precision experiments and that the bill of materials involved multiple suppliers, a leading aerospace research institute turned to Xometry's one-stop, on-demand manufacturing services. Xometry delivered a full-chain solution—from sourcing standard parts and high-precision custom manufacturing (including metal and resin 3D printing) to final assembly—successfully overcoming the critical hurdle of tolerance matching between standard and custom components.

About the Customer

This customer is a prominent aerospace research institute in China. During the agile development phase of their prototype, engineers frequently encountered the "component assembly" dilemma: to rapidly construct an experimental setup, they often needed to combine off-the-shelf electromechanical products with self-designed custom structural parts. The key to improving R&D efficiency was ensuring that the purchased standard parts and the manufactured custom parts could be assembled seamlessly, without requiring engineers to coordinate with multiple suppliers themselves.

The Challenge: When Standard Parts Fall Short and Supply Chains Slow You Down

When building a "spherical biaxial motion device," the engineers' bill of materials (BOM) revealed two core pain points:

Adaptability and Precision Limitations of Standard Parts: The device's drive system utilized standard, commercially available servos and rotary tables. While these industrial off-the-shelf items provided the necessary power, their fixed interface forms could not directly adapt to the special spherical structure required for the experiment. Furthermore, the experiment demanded high overall motion precision from the device. The inherent assembly tolerances of the standard parts alone were insufficient, creating an urgent need for high-precision custom parts to provide compensation and connection.

A Fragmented, Complex Supply Chain: To realize the device, the BOM included items with vastly different attributes:

• Standard electronic components that needed to be sourced.
• A core, uniquely shaped spherical shell requiring metal 3D printing (with specific demands for strength and structure).
• Conventional brackets needed for resin 3D printing.

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The Solution: A One-Stop "Turnkey" Project from Procurement to Assembly

Xometry took on the entire project, providing a full-chain solution encompassing "sourcing + manufacturing + assembly" to ensure the final delivery was a tolerance-matched, fully functional assembly:

Precision Assembly and Tolerance Control (Core Value): This was not just about delivering parts; it was about delivering a finished product. After manufacturing, Xometry's engineering team completed the final assembly, integrating the servos, rotary table, and custom components. By strictly controlling the machining tolerances of the custom parts, we eliminated assembly gaps inherent in standard part fits, ensuring the device moved smoothly and precisely, meeting the experiment's required accuracy standards.

Standard Parts Sourcing and BOM Consolidation: The customer no longer needed to contact multiple distributors. Xometry directly sourced the specified servos and precision rotary tables, consolidating the complex supply chain management into a single, streamlined process.

Multi-Process Custom Manufacturing (Addressing Standard Part Shortcomings): To meet the structural requirements that standard parts couldn't fulfill, we provided precise manufacturing processes:

SLM Metal 3D Printing (Aluminum Alloy): Used to manufacture the core spherical shell and critical connecting parts, meeting the specific demands for structural strength and complex geometry.

SLA Resin 3D Printing and CNC Machining: Used for internal brackets and high-precision adapter flanges respectively, ensuring precise interface alignment while keeping costs manageable.

The Outcome: Precision-Engineered Subassemblies, Delivered Ready for Integration

Through Xometry's one-stop, turnkey service, the customer gained an exceptional delivery experience:

Significant R&D Efficiency Gain: Engineers were freed from tedious supply chain coordination and manual assembly, allowing them to immediately focus their efforts on core experiments and algorithm debugging.

Perfect Tolerance Matching: By managing both the procurement and the custom part manufacturing under one roof, Xometry effectively controlled cumulative errors. The custom parts fit perfectly with the sourced standard components, solving the most challenging aspect of assembly precision.

Full-Process Management: The customer only needed to provide a single list to receive a completely assembled kit. From part procurement and 3D printing to tightening every screw, all steps were handled by Xometry.

Significant R&D Efficiency Gain: Engineers were freed from tedious supply chain coordination and manual assembly, allowing them to immediately focus their efforts on core experiments and algorithm debugging.

From the Engineer's Perspective:
"In the past, developing non-standard devices was always complicated by the issue of tolerance matching between externally purchased standard parts and custom-machined components. Xometry's one-stop solution perfectly solved this pain point: they not only handled the complex metal 3D printing and sourcing of components but also delivered a finished product that had undergone precision assembly and adjustment. What we received was a functionally ready component that met our precision requirements. This efficient and worry-free delivery experience is exactly what R&D personnel need."

Next Steps

Are you also facing the complex challenge of managing "standard + custom" part procurement, on-demand manufacturing, and assembly? Upload your drawings now and experience Xometry's one-stop manufacturing and assembly service. Let us solve the entire puzzle, from component sourcing to finished product delivery.