Project Background
In aerospace and high-end manufacturing, the reliability of a single precision component can affect the safety and efficiency of an entire system. As a core member of Aviation Industry Corporation of China, AVIC Optoelectronics supplies products used in national key equipment such as fighters and transport aircraft, as well as high-end optoelectronic systems.
Technical Challenges
In early 2025 AVIC Optoelectronics ran a global supplier bid requiring clamps to maintain sealing stability across extreme temperature differences from −60°C to 200°C, with vibration compliance beyond the specified levels.
Conventional stainless steel undergoes brittle transition below −50°C, while aviation-grade titanium alloy carries excessively high cost and processing difficulty. Low-temperature toughness, cost and manufacturability cannot easily be held at once.
Pursuing 360° full-circumference sealing requires a larger contact area, which raises weight; lightweighting in turn risks connection rigidity and fatigue fracture under 1,000 Hz vibration.
Monthly demand reaches 5,000 sets with dimensional tolerance held within ±0.05mm — a stability level traditional stamping processes cannot hold in volume.
Our Solution
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Composite material system
A composite structure of 17-4PH precipitation-hardening stainless steel and Inconel 718 alloy, with vacuum ageing treatment, keeps impact toughness above 80J at −60°C while cutting cost by 40%.
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Honeycomb-inspired lightweighting
Drawing on the mechanical principle of honeycomb hexagonal structures, lightweight hole arrays are set into the clamp body together with a gradient lug thickness design, achieving a 32% weight reduction while raising vibration resistance.
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Smart production line with in-line inspection
Germany's TRUMPF 5000 laser cutting system and a Zeiss coordinate measuring on-line inspection unit were introduced, with the MES system giving full-process data traceability from raw material to finished product.
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Purpose-built quick-installation tooling
A specially developed quick-installation auxiliary tool shortens assembly time for a single clamp from the traditional 45 seconds to 18 seconds, lifting production-line takt efficiency.
Delivery Results
- Impact toughness maintained **above 80J at −60°C**
- Material cost **reduced by 40%** via the composite structure
- Full-process data traceability through the **MES system**
- Production-line takt efficiency significantly improved
Site & Inspection
Client Testimonial
These customised single-ear endless clamps met the stability requirements across extreme temperature and vibration, and the delivery rhythm matched the customer's line schedule.— Purchasing & Engineering Team, AVIC Optoelectronics