Enclosures are the underappreciated CNC machined components for aerospace and defense. When those of us in manufacturing think of the machined parts most characteristic of aircraft, we might think of contoured structural components or engine components made of high-temperature alloys. Enclosures are the sophisticated rugged housings protecting electronics, generally machined from aluminum, and they are becoming all the more important with the rise of more capable aerial weapon and reconnaissance systems that fly unmanned.
Advance CNC Machining, which focuses on precision four- and five-axis machining center work, has become an enclosure expert. For various customers (not all in aerospace, some in marine applications), Advance CNC has produced more than 100 enclosure part numbers. What these lightweight precision parts have in common are critical sealing requirements; cooling details ensuring the temperature stability of the electronics within; and elaborate geometry conforming to the electronics assemblies.
From a distance the enclosure may look like a metal box. It is that, albeit a metal box with a lot of critical machined detail.
I filmed this video at Advance CNC to capture some of what I have learned about these parts. Here are some of the machining challenges and considerations of producing aerial system electronics enclosures: