Aerospace Tooling, Fixtures and Ground Handling Equipment

Tooling where documentation matters as much as accuracy

Aerospace tooling must be accurate, traceable and safe for parts that may be worth more than the tool itself. Every locator, bushing and support needs a clear reason, a tolerance tied to the part definition and documentation that will satisfy a quality audit. LTM designs aerospace tooling and handling equipment for manufacturers and suppliers who need that discipline without a large in-house tool design team.

Aerospace equipment we design

• Assembly fixtures and drilling jigs with drill bushings and indexing
• Inspection fixtures and checking gauges
• Component cradles, dollies and transport frames that protect finished surfaces
• Ground support equipment and maintenance stands
• Test rigs for mechanical components
• Re-engineering and redrawing of legacy tooling without current drawings

A typical tooling project

An aerospace tooling project usually starts with the part model, drawing and the manufacturing operation the tool must support, such as drilling a hole pattern, holding a part during assembly or protecting it during transport. We agree the datum reference frame, the critical features and the inspection method with your manufacturing engineering team before concept design.

The concept shows locator and clamp positions, material choice and tool weight, and is reviewed before detail design. Detail drawings then specify locator tolerances, bushing grades, surface treatments, identification marking and periodic inspection requirements. For handling equipment, load calculations and marked safe working loads are included so the tool can be released into service under your quality system.

Where legacy tools exist without drawings, we measure and model them first, compare them against the current part definition and identify any wear or drift before producing new drawings. This gives your quality team a verified baseline for future inspection and replacement, and removes the risk of copying an error from a worn tool.

Design approach

Datums from the part: tooling datums follow the part's datum reference frame so tooling and inspection agree. Surface protection: contact points use non-marring materials such as nylon, PTFE or polyurethane, with load spread to avoid local damage. Thermal and material choice: aluminium, steel and composite tooling materials are selected for stiffness, weight and thermal behaviour. Lifting and handling: lifting points and handling frames are calculated with stated safety factors and marked capacities. FOD awareness: loose parts are minimised and fasteners are captive where practical.

Documentation

Each tool is delivered with a 3D model, detail and assembly drawings with GD&T to ASME Y14.5, a bill of materials, load and safety calculations for handling equipment and notes for periodic inspection. Drawings can follow your tooling standard, title block and numbering system. LTM does not hold aerospace quality certification itself; designs are prepared to support your AS9100 or equivalent quality system.

Quick checks

For handling frames and cradles, our free beam deflection and bending stress calculators give a fast first check, and the bolt torque calculator helps specify tightening for tooling fasteners.