How we halved the lead time for an aerospace bracket

A European aerospace customer approached us with a Gr.5 titanium bracket whose lead time had increased to six weeks. The order was recurring, volumes were growing, and delays were beginning to block their assembly line. At Mepro Sisteme, we tackle this type of challenge through high-precision CNC machining in Brașov, combined with a rigorous Design for Manufacturing (DFM) process that reduces waste from the engineering phase.

The starting point: a comprehensive DFM analysis

Before touching a single milling cutter, our industrial engineering team in Romania re-engineered the part's technological route. We identified four operations that could be consolidated into a single clamping setup on the 5-axis machining centre, eliminating three manual repositioning steps that added nearly 40 minutes to each cycle. This type of integrated mechanical machining is the internal standard we apply for parts with tolerances below 0.02 mm.

Intelligent fixturing: the key to repeatability

We designed a modular fixture with zero-point clamping that allows for series changeovers in less than 90 seconds. For serial production of metal parts, this reduction in setup times completely transforms the economics of the order. Combined with integrated Renishaw probing, the system automatically verifies the raw part's position and adjusts offsets before the first cut.

Measurable results after the first month

• Cycle time reduced from 47 to 14 minutes per part
• Scrap rate reduced to below 0.4% — compared to 2.1% initially
• Process capability Cpk > 1.67 on critical dimensions
• 100% on-time delivery for the last 12 batches

“Mepro didn't just deliver parts — they delivered a stable process. We can now plan production with confidence.”

Why European ISO standards matter

All process documentation complies with AS9100 requirements and the European ISO standards we apply across the entire factory. Material traceability, 3.1 certificates, and CMM reports are digitally archived and available to the customer in the project portal within 24 hours of dispatch. For regulated industries, this discipline is not optional — it's why customers choose us for long-term programmes.

What you can apply in your workflow

If your team manages parts with multiple repositioning steps, start with an honest DFM audit. Most often, 60% of time savings come from eliminating redundant operations, not from faster machines. Speak to a Mepro engineer for a free evaluation of your workflow.