Interested in electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft? Check out the recent report from Grand View Research. It says we can expect the global eVTOL market to enjoy a compound annual growth rate of more than 50% through 2030. Given its 2023 valuation of $2.07 billion, that will put this dynamic industry at nearly $29 billion annually.

That’s a lot of aircraft. The question then becomes, who’s going to make all those parts?

Image Source: airbus.com

The View from Up High 

The OEM list is long, although it does include the usual suspects like Boeing, Airbus and Embraer. Yet there are plenty of less well-known names, LIFT Aircraft Inc. of Texas and Vermont’s BETA Technologies among them. These and many others will soon be building aircraft galore. Fortunately for many job shops and other suppliers, these companies will soon be looking for qualified supply partners.

A typical eVTOL has a long bill of material (BOM). Manufacturers can expect to machine everything from mounting brackets and specialty fasteners to motor housings and rotor hubs. Engineers will most often specify lightweight yet strong metals like titanium and aluminum for these parts. But given the need for an eVTOL to boast extreme fuel economy and range, carbon fiber materials will also be common. 

It’s a long laundry list of parts. Furthermore, these components must be highly accurate, able to lift aircraft high into the sky without failure. This means the CNC machinery used to make these parts must be equally capable. The FAA is  currently defining certifications for eVTOLs, so you can be sure that making high-quality, repeatable parts will be a compliance necessity.

Meeting the eVTOL Challenge

The best way to accomplish is investment in modern machine tools. For instance, there’s Kent USA’s new KVP Series vertical machining center. It’s equipped with a 15,000 RPM, 20-HP spindle with a CAT-40 dual contact spindle. Boasting speed, power, and rigidity, these are the features shops need to compete in the eVTOL market.

On the turning side, there’s the KLM multitasking lathe. With five-axes and a subspindle, these capable mill-turn machines allow shops to complete even very complex workpieces in a single setup.

And as production quantities increase, look to the KMH horizontal machining center. With up to 120 tools and an integrated pallet changer, it minimizes downtime while providing the flexibility to meet changing eVTOL demands.

Whatever path your shop takes, don’t forget the importance of robust service and application support. Kent USA provides both, and has done so for decades. If you’d like to discuss your eVTOL or other machining needs, give them a call. Like you and your team, they’re focused on the future, wherever it takes us.