Grauna Aerospace achieves faster machining, longer tool life and superior finishes in aluminum aircraft housings with OSG AE-TS-N DLC coated end mill
Yasmin Natacha Nunes da Silva | OSG Sulamericana
Grauna Aerospace, a Brazilian manufacturer of precision-engineered components and assemblies for the aviation, aerospace and defense industries, was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in São José dos Campos, São Paulo. Located within one of Brazil’s key aerospace clusters, the company supplies high-quality machined parts and subassemblies to OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers. Grauna Aerospace began supporting the aerospace sector in the mid-1990s as a supplier to Embraer and has since expanded internationally through export programs and partnerships, including work on turbine and structural components.
Located within one of Brazil’s key aerospace clusters, Grauna Aerospace supplies high-quality machined parts and subassemblies for the aviation, aerospace and defense industries. Photo courtesy of Grauna Aerospace.
The company employs approximately 100 people and operates advanced CNC machining and assembly facilities supported by certified quality systems, including AS9100 and ISO 9001. Its capabilities include precision machining, structural component manufacturing, subassembly integration, engineering support and industrial metrology. In addition to aerospace, Grauna Aerospace serves defense applications and is developing capabilities for the oil and gas sector.
Grauna Aerospace recently sought to improve tool performance when machining an aluminum electronic housing used in aircraft electrical panels. The component, produced in A6061-T6 and A6061-T651 aluminum, requires a tolerance of ±0.15 mm and a 3.2 Ra surface finish. Using a domestic milling cutter on a Haas VF-4 vertical machining center, the company faced short tool life, frequent breakage and long finishing times.
After being introduced to OSG through industry referrals, including Embraer, Grauna Aerospace worked with OSG Sulamericana sales engineer Allan Bradley Vieira to evaluate the application. Vieira recommended the OSG AE-TS-N 3-flute DLC-coated carbide end mill (2 × 6 mm, EDP# 8557237), designed for non-ferrous materials requiring high lubricity and resistance to built-up edge.
OSG’s AE-TS-N is a 3-flute DLC coated carbide end mill designed for high-performance machining of non-ferrous materials.
The tool’s sharp cutting edge reduced burr formation and improved surface finish, while its rigid core design minimized chatter. Its center-cutting geometry supported plunging operations, and the DLC-SUPER-HARD coating provided extended tool life.
Grauna Aerospace engineering manager Cássio Clayton Guimarães dos Santos holds a 2 mm AE-TS-N 3-flute DLC-coated carbide end mill from OSG.
In cutting trials, the previous 4-flute cutter ran at a cutting speed of 62.8 m/min (10,000 rpm) and 800 mm/min feed, with a 0.6 mm axial depth of cut. The OSG tool operated at a cutting speed of 75.4 m/min (12,000 rpm) and 1,350 mm/min feed (0.04 mm/t), with a 0.9 mm depth of cut. Machining time per part dropped from 2.18 hours to 0.84 hours—a reduction of more than 60%.
Left: OSG’s AE-TS-N 3-flute DLC-coated carbide end mill improved surface finish, virtually eliminated burrs, enabled more aggressive cutting conditions and delivered significantly longer tool life in Grauna Aerospace’s aluminum electronic housing application. | Right: A completed electronic housing after surface treatment.
“The OSG tool performed excellently,” said Cássio Clayton Guimarães dos Santos, engineering manager at Grauna Aerospace. “It improved surface finish, virtually eliminated burrs, enabled more aggressive cutting conditions and delivered significantly longer tool life.”
Previously, Grauna Aerospace faced high costs, process instability due to tool breakage and extended lead times. With OSG’s DLC coated end mills, the company improved reliability, reduced machining time and delivered higher-quality parts faster—driving measurable process improvement.
From left, OSG Sulamericana sales engineer Allan Bradley Vieira and Grauna Aerospace engineering manager Cássio Clayton Guimarães dos Santos pose for a photograph at the Grauna Aerospace production facility in São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil.
“Grauna Aerospace is very satisfied with the technical support from OSG and is already evaluating the DLC tool line for additional applications,” Santos said.
For more information on OSG’s AE-TS-N DLC coated carbide end mill for non-ferrous materials, OSG Sulamericana, and Grauna Aerospace