Happy New Year! Now that we’ve turned the calendar on another year, we thought we’d share what we’re seeing as the most significant trends in precision machine automotive parts and components fabrication.

We believe that although these trends may seem like separate issues, they will both help automotive OEMs evaluate suppliers, negotiate reliability, and plan long-term manufacturing capacity.

As a leading precision-machine parts and components supplier to government agencies and defense contractors, Kenona Industries, a division of Arrow Automotive, prioritizes not just providing high-quality castings and extrusions but also ensuring compliance with International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) guidelines for data control, documentation, and accountability.

In this month’s blog, we discuss ITAR’s impact on casting and extrusion fabrication for defense applications.

As a leading supplier of precision-machined automotive parts and components to Tier 1, 2, and 3 customers, Kenona Industries, a division of Arrow Automotive, must hold specialized certifications in world-class quality programs. These certifications showcase our ongoing commitment to creating high-quality products of uncompromising durability, reliability, and performance.

With electric vehicles continuing to increase their automotive market share year over year since 2021, automotive component manufacturers have needed to upgrade their production lines with technology that supports the precision machining of EV components.

BEV battery enclosures are one such component that’s critical to the safe, reliable operation of EVs.

When automobile shoppers comment on a vehicle’s smooth, quiet ride, they often have noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) damping technology to thank.

NVH dampening is a crucial part of providing drivers with a comfortable, safe, and enjoyable ride. These precision-machined components absorb, redirect, or minimize vibrational energy before it can transmit into the cabin.

When NVH dampers are fabricated and installed correctly, the reward is a vehicle more attractive to buyers. However, even minor flaws in the component’s design can trigger persistent customer complaints, costly warranty claims, or regulatory compliance issues.

Few automobile systems are subject to more scrutiny and higher expectations than the steering system. Along with the brakes, steering systems form a critical link between driver intention and mechanical execution, making any misalignment, substandard metallurgy, or variation in tolerances unacceptable.

That philosophy of design and fabrication excellence extends to every single part of the steering system, including knuckles, rack housings, yokes, tie rods, and power steering brackets. Everything must work seamlessly together with zero margin of error to ensure optimal performance and mitigate the risk of failure.

Design accuracy, strong materials, and to-spec fabrication all play critical roles in precision machining. However, professional auto components suppliers and industrial parts manufacturers understand that the actual test of quality often lies in what cannot be seen: meeting the rigorous cleanliness requirements of every machined part and assembly. 

Many of the tasks in high-tech processes used in metalworking, such as CNC machining, can be automated to free up workers to perform other tasks that require a human touch. However, the machinery and tools in high-production environments can wear down over time, resulting in products that exceed acceptable tolerances or are otherwise inaccurate, which can delay production as the quality issues are addressed. Without a system in place to check parts as they are produced, you could wind up with hundreds or thousands of parts that are useless to the customer.

Although the precision machining process sounds easy in theory – design, fabricate, and assemble – there are more intricate tasks in the project lifecycle than many people realize. In most cases, these tasks improve product quality so that the product can withstand the wear and tear of its particular application.

One process that enhances the strength of metal parts and components, thereby improving their quality and performance, is heat treatment.

Creating high-quality precision machined parts and components for automotive applications requires attention to detail from the design phase to final delivery, including throughout the quality control processes.

Leak testing is critical to quality control on parts designed to hold a pressurized fluid or gas. These techniques test the part’s ability to withstand pressure under normal usage conditions because a leak, even if microscopic, can result in application failures, safety hazards, and operational inefficiencies.