Deep Hole Drilling for Aerospace Hydraulic Systems

Aerospace hydraulic actuators are similar to industrial cylinders but with tighter tolerances and more exotic materials. I covered industrial hydraulic cylinders in an earlier post; this is about the aerospace version. The jump from industrial to aerospace is not just about hitting tighter numbers – it changes how I plan the entire drilling operation from setup to inspection. The main differences are material, tolerance, and documentation. The material is typically 15-5PH stainless steel instead of 42CrMo4. The tolerance is +0.005mm instead of +0.02mm. Every part gets tracked by serial number with full inspection records. These factors multiply the setup time and require a more disciplined approach to the drilling process. ...

June 12, 2026 · Engineer at the Deep Hole