Clips and Retainers
Thin-gauge attachment and retention parts with controlled spring geometry and edge condition.
Repeatable Thin-Gauge Aerospace Parts Aerospace Sheet Metal
Aerospace Sheet Metal
Stampings
Tooling and Lot Controlled
Build-to-print formed clips, shims, brackets, covers and retention parts for aerospace equipment programs. DRAmetal controls released material, tooling, first articles and production records; the design authority owns stress, fatigue, airworthiness and final part approval.
✓ Build-to-print scope
✓ Inspection by RFQ
✓ OEM approval boundary
RFQ Project-defined
RFQ
Example order size
Drawing
Critical dimensions
Plan
Inspection scope
OEM
Final approval
01 / What We Fabricate
Stamped Aerospace Hardware for Repeat Programs
Stamping is appropriate when the released geometry, material behavior and demand justify controlled tooling. Low-volume soft tools and production dies can follow different qualification routes.
Formed Brackets
Repeat brackets with ribs, offsets, joggles and drawing-defined hole-to-form relationships.
Shims and Plates
Flat and lightly formed parts with material, thickness and profile traceability.
Covers and Shields
Stamped covers, guards and lightweight shields for released equipment assemblies.
Our scope: released tooling and stamped hardware
DRAmetal manufactures to the approved drawing, tooling and quality plan. The aerospace design authority owns loads, fatigue, airworthiness, qualification and final part release.
02 / Aerospace Stamping Types
Clips, Brackets, Shims and Formed Covers
Tooling level is selected from annual volume, geometry stability, material and qualification requirements.
Retention Aerospace Clips and Retainers
Thin-gauge stamped hardware for released attachment and retention functions.
- Control Form and spring geometry
- Edges Drawing-defined condition
- Trace Material lot
Structural Stamped Aerospace Brackets
Repeat formed brackets with offsets, ribs and localized features.
- Features Offsets, ribs and joggles
- CTQ Hole-to-form position
- Approval FAI route
Precision Shims and Precision Plates
Profiled shims, spacers and thin plates with controlled thickness and burr direction.
- Material Drawing-defined alloy
- CTQ Thickness and profile
- Packout Protected by lot
Protection Stamped Covers and Shields
Lightweight formed metal covers for equipment and subsystem protection.
- Geometry Drawn or formed shell
- Surface Finish allowance
- Boundary Design authority validation
03 / Technical Capabilities
Typical Aerospace Stamping Scope
| Materials | Drawing-defined aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, nickel alloys and specialty strip with lot traceability |
|---|---|
| Tooling | Laser and brake prototypes, soft tooling, compound dies or progressive tooling according to released production plan |
| Processes | Blanking, forming, drawing, piercing, restrike, deburring, cleaning, finishing and secondary machining where specified |
| Critical controls | Material grain, thickness, form angle, springback, hole-to-form position, burr direction and surface condition |
| Documentation | Material records, tool revision, first-article report, inspection plan and nonconformance control as contractually required |
| Supply boundary | Build-to-print stamped hardware; the aerospace design authority owns stress, fatigue, material allowables, airworthiness and final approval |
04 / Manufacturing Process
From Flat Pattern to Controlled Production Tooling
01
Requirement Review
Confirm drawing, material, volume, qualification and record-retention requirements.
02
Forming Study
Review grain, radii, springback, draw depth, burr direction and finish allowance.
03
Prototype Route
Use laser and forming or soft tooling to validate geometry before production-tool release.
04
Tool Build and Tryout
Control die datums, stations, restrike features and tool revision.
05
First Article
Inspect released characteristics and document results through the agreed approval route.
06
Production Control
Maintain material lot, tool condition, in-process checks and protected packout.
05 / Why It Matters
Why Aerospace Stampings Need Tool and Material Discipline
A stable die cannot compensate for uncontrolled strip direction, material temper or tool revision.
Springback
Alloy, temper, grain and tool geometry interact at every formed feature.
Tool Wear
Burrs and feature drift require defined in-process checks and maintenance triggers.
Material Trace
Strip and sheet identity must remain connected to released part records.
Revision Lock
Drawing and tool changes require coordinated approval before production.
Customer Project
Aerospace Thin-Sheet Stampings: Wrinkle and Edge Control
Materials, fabrication decisions and results for an anonymous customer project.
Component reference image
The Customer Challenge
Wrinkling, springback and surface damage made thin-sheet dimensions inconsistent.
Project Measurements & Details
0.3–0.8 mmSheet thickness
±0.05 mmDimensional tolerance
100%Penetrant inspection
Results apply to the project configuration described on the linked page.
Read the Customer Project → 07 / Why Choose Us
Why Aerospace Programs Use DRAmetal for Stampings
01
Prototype-to-tool route
Early formed parts can inform a controlled production tooling release.
02
Material awareness
Grain, temper and lot identity are carried through fabrication and inspection.
03
First-article support
Released characteristics are mapped to the agreed inspection record.
04
Change discipline
Part, tool and process revisions remain linked through production.
08 / Related
Related Fabricated Products
09 / FAQ
Aerospace Sheet Metal Stampings FAQ
What aerospace sheet metal stampings do you manufacture?
We manufacture build-to-print clips, retainers, formed brackets, shims, plates, covers and shields.
Can you support low-volume aerospace stampings?
Yes. Laser blanks, press-brake forming and soft tools can support development or lower volumes before production dies are justified.
Do you provide first-article inspection records?
We can provide the contractually defined first-article and dimensional records against the released drawing and revision.
Do you design flight-critical parts?
No. The aerospace design authority owns design, stress, fatigue, qualification and airworthiness. We manufacture released parts.
What should an aerospace stamping RFQ include?
Send drawings, models, material specifications, grain direction, annual volume, tooling ownership, inspection and record requirements, finish and quantities.
Get Started Need Aerospace Stampings
Need Aerospace Stampings
With Tool and Lot Control?
Send drawings, material and grain requirements, volumes, tooling plan, first-article requirements, finish and quantities for review.