Custom Part Manufacturing: How Creative Engineering Solves Custom Converting Challenges in Space Applications

Space doesn't forgive imperfection. When converted components fail to meet specifications in satellite applications, the consequences extend far beyond cost overruns — they can jeopardize entire missions worth millions of dollars and years of development.

We're seeing an increasing trend among space industry customers: extremely tight tolerances on converted parts that push well beyond what standard converting equipment can achieve. These specifications often stem from conservative engineering approaches in unknown environments, where the stakes of failure demand absolute precision.

The challenge isn't just technical — it's about finding manufacturing partners who can innovate beyond conventional limits when mission success depends on it.

Read the full Design for Manufacturability guide.

The Space Industry's Tolerance Challenge

Space applications present unique demands that separate them from terrestrial counterparts. Components must perform flawlessly in vacuum environments, extreme temperature fluctuations, and radiation exposure while maintaining dimensional stability over extended mission durations.

Engineers designing for space applications often specify conservative tolerances as insurance against the unknown. When you're launching a satellite that costs tens of millions of dollars, the extra precision in component manufacturing seems like a reasonable investment compared to mission failure.

However, standard converting processes have inherent limitations that create a critical gap between space requirements and manufacturing reality.

Standard Converting Limitations in Space Applications

Traditional converting processes struggle with space-critical specifications for several key reasons:

• Equipment constraints: Waterjet cutting, die cutting, and CNC knife systems operate within established tolerance ranges
• Material behavior: Specialized space materials often deform or behave unpredictably during standard cutting processes
• Process variability: Standard parameters may not account for the extreme precision space applications require

These limitations force engineers into an impossible choice: compromise design requirements or find manufacturing partners capable of exceeding standard converting capabilities.

When Standard Processes Fall Short

Most converting operations rely on established equipment and processes designed for general industrial applications. These systems work well for typical tolerance requirements but struggle when space applications demand precision that approaches the theoretical limits of the technology.

The problem compounds when dealing with specialized materials. Space applications often require exotic elastomers, films, and composites that behave differently during cutting processes. Materials that must withstand outgassing procedures, extreme temperature cycling, and radiation exposure bring their own manufacturing challenges.

For mission-critical applications, compromise isn't an option — innovation becomes necessity.

Read our complete guide on Custom Gasket Production

Engineering Solutions Beyond Standard Capabilities

In many space applications, we’ve found that standard converting approaches simply prove inadequate. Extremely tight tolerances (think .2 millimeter profile tolerances) on converted parts is a norm in space applications. In these cases, we often find the rubber-like material needed for the custom gasket would deform during cutting, making it nearly impossible to maintain the required precision using conventional converting equipment like a waterjet.

Our engineering team has consistently developed comprehensive solutions that address each challenge systematically as they come up.

Hybrid Cutting Process Innovation

Standard waterjet cutting relies on established parameters that work well for typical applications but fail when space-grade precision becomes non-negotiable. For one converted part we worked on, the fundamental problem wasn't just the tight tolerance requirement — it was that rubber-like space materials behave unpredictably under conventional cutting conditions. The material would deform as the water stream approached, shift during cutting, and spring back inconsistently after the cut completed.

Traditional waterjet operations use either pure water cutting for softer materials or abrasive cutting for harder ones. Neither approach delivered the stability and precision required for required tolerances on flexible space materials. The abrasive approach provided cutting power but created turbulence that destabilized the process. Pure water cutting was gentler but lacked the consistency needed for extreme precision.

Our breakthrough came from developing a hybrid approach that captured the benefits of both methods while eliminating their limitations:

• Modified nozzle configuration: Used abrasive nozzle while reducing air suction that destabilized water stream
• Feed port optimization: Plugged abrasive feed port to achieve stable, consistent water stream
• Edge quality improvement: Dramatically enhanced dimensional accuracy with existing equipment
• Process stability: Eliminated the variability that prevented standard methods from meeting specifications

This hybrid approach transformed an impossible specification into a repeatable manufacturing process.

Custom Fixturing Solutions

Even the most precise cutting process fails when the material moves during cutting. Rubber-like space materials present a particular challenge — their inherent flexibility means they want to move, deform, and shift precisely when dimensional stability matters most. 

For one converted part we worked on, we found standard clamping approaches made the problem worse, damaging delicate materials and creating stress concentrations that affect final tolerances.

In this case, the breakthrough came from abandoning conventional thinking about how to hold parts during cutting. Instead of fighting the material's natural properties, we developed a fixturing approach that worked with them while maintaining the dimensional control essential for space applications.

These fixturing innovations prevented the material movement that typically destroys precision in converted parts.

Lead-In/Lead-Out Optimization

Another converted part presented a challenge that proved to be one of the most subtle yet critical aspects of achieving space-grade precision. Even with perfect cutting parameters and revolutionary fixturing, the moment when the waterjet completed each cut threatened to destroy everything we had accomplished. 

As parts became fully separated from the source material, the high-pressure water stream would grab the newly freed components and pull them along, creating indentations and dimensional variations precisely where tolerances mattered most.

This phenomenon is invisible during cutting but devastating to final quality. The water stream's momentum doesn't simply stop when the cut completes — it continues with enough force to deform delicate materials or shift components just enough to throw critical dimensions out of specification. For space applications requiring extremely tight tolerances, even microscopic movement during cut completion becomes unacceptable.

The solution required reimagining how cutting operations begin and end:

• Water stream management: Prevented parts from being pulled along with cutting stream
• Perpendicular lead-in technique: Minimized material distortion at critical tolerance zones
• Adhesive bonding refinement: Eliminated pull-through effects during cut completion
• Quality zone protection: Maintained dimensional accuracy where tolerances mattered most

These process refinements enabled consistent achievement of the demanding tolerance requirements on this particular part.

Read our complete guide on working with Custom Manufacturing Partners.

Material Challenges in Space Applications

Space-qualified materials present unique manufacturing obstacles that standard converting operations rarely encounter. Understanding these challenges is critical for developing effective solutions.

Specialized Material Properties

Space materials bring distinct characteristics that affect manufacturing:

• Outgassing requirements: Materials must undergo atmospheric oven processing to remove volatile compounds prior to them going into space
• Dimensional stability: Components must maintain precision through thermal cycling and vacuum exposure

Each property demands specialized handling and processing approaches that extend far beyond standard converting capabilities.

Environmental Processing Requirements

Space applications often require additional processing that affects manufacturing approach:

These requirements demand coordination with specialized facilities while maintaining dimensional integrity throughout processing.

The Engineering Advantage in Critical Applications

Space applications demand more than manufacturing capability — they require engineering expertise that can solve problems conventional converting operations never encounter. This engineering-first approach distinguishes truly capable partners from standard converting services.

Problem-Solving Methodology

Our engineering team approaches each challenging application systematically:

• Physics-based analysis: Evaluate cutting process mechanics and material behavior from first principles
• Custom solution development: Create innovative manufacturing approaches tailored to specific requirements
• Process optimization: Refine techniques through iterative testing and validation
• Quality verification: Develop inspection methods that ensure precision throughout production

This methodology means we commit to developing solutions rather than declining challenging projects.

Beyond Standard Equipment Capabilities

Engineering expertise enables achievement of specifications that seem impossible with conventional approaches:

• Process hybridization: Combine elements from different cutting methods for optimal results
• Custom tooling: Develop specialized fixtures and handling systems for unique applications
• Parameter optimization: Fine-tune cutting variables beyond standard equipment recommendations
• Quality innovation: Create measurement and verification methods for extreme precision requirements

The result is manufacturing capability that extends far beyond what standard converting equipment can achieve.

Beyond Conversion: Comprehensive Space Component Solutions

Space applications rarely require just converting services. Components often need specialized processing, quality verification, and handling procedures that standard converting operations cannot provide.

Vertically Integrated Approach

Our comprehensive capabilities address complete space component requirements:

• Specialized processing coordination: Direct management of outgassing, thermal cycling, and environmental testing
• Quality system integration: AS9100 certification with space-specific documentation and traceability
• Material expertise: Experience with exotic elastomers, films, and composites required for space applications
• Handling protocols: Procedures for delicate materials that require specialized environmental controls

This integrated approach ensures components meet all space qualification requirements under unified management.

Partnership for Mission-Critical Success

Space applications cannot afford manufacturing failures. When component specifications push beyond standard converting capabilities, partnership with an engineering-focused manufacturer becomes essential for mission success.

Collaborative Design Support

Our partnership approach extends throughout the development process:

• Early design consultation: Engineering input during component specification to optimize manufacturability
• Material selection guidance: Expertise in space-qualified materials and their manufacturing characteristics
• Process optimization recommendations: Suggestions for design modifications that improve precision and reliability
• Risk mitigation: Identification and elimination of potential manufacturing obstacles before production

This collaborative relationship enables faster development cycles and reduces risk throughout the program.

Long-Term Partnership Benefits

Engineering-focused partnerships provide ongoing value beyond initial component development:

• Process refinement: Continuous improvement of manufacturing approaches as applications evolve
• Technology advancement: Development of new capabilities to support future space requirements
• Supply chain reliability: Dedicated capacity and expertise for mission-critical components
• Technical support: Engineering consultation for design modifications and optimization opportunities

These partnerships ensure space programs have reliable access to precision converting capabilities that conventional operations cannot provide.

When your mission depends on precision that exceeds standard converting capabilities, partner with engineers who innovate solutions rather than accept limitations. Contact Modus Advanced to discuss how we can support your space-critical component requirements.