From April 20th to 22nd, the 2026 Low-Altitude Aircraft and Aerospace Equipment Manufacturing Technology Forum was successfully held in Shanghai. The forum was hosted by the Metalworking Magazine of the Machinery Industry Information Research Institute, co-hosted by the High-Efficiency CNC Machining Innovation Center, and supported by several leading companies in the industry, including Kennametal Asia (Shanghai) Enterprise Management Co., Ltd., Ningqing Aerospace Intelligent Equipment (Nanjing) Co., Ltd., Zhuzhou OKE CNC Precision Tool Co., Ltd., and Qianji Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. It brought together experts, scholars, skilled masters, and enterprise representatives from the aerospace manufacturing field, establishing a high-end platform for technical exchange, experience sharing, and win-win cooperation through a "case sharing + booth visit" model, injecting new momentum into the development of the aerospace equipment and low-altitude aircraft industry.
[Image: Forum Scene]
PART.01
Focusing on Aerospace: Building a Professional Exchange Platform
The forum officially opened on the morning of April 21st. Cao Xuelei, President of the Metalworking Magazine of the China Machinery Industry Information Research Institute, delivered a speech at the forum. He pointed out that aerospace, high-end equipment, and the low-altitude economy have been included in the key layout of the national "15th Five-Year Plan," bringing broad prospects for the development of aerospace equipment and low-altitude aircraft, while also placing higher demands on advanced manufacturing technologies. This forum brought together many industry and enterprise experts to share cutting-edge technologies and solutions. This year, the *Metalworking (Cold Working)* magazine won the 6th China Publishing Government Award, the highest award in my country's news and publishing field. We will take this opportunity to continue to deeply serve the development of advanced manufacturing and the low-altitude economy, promote exchanges and cooperation, and contribute to the construction of a strong aerospace nation and a strong manufacturing nation. The forum was chaired by Wang Jianhong, Marketing Director of the Metalworking Magazine of the China Machinery Industry Information Research Institute.
Image: Cao Xuelei, President of the Metalworking Magazine of the China Machinery Industry Information Research Institute
Image: Wang Jianhong, Marketing Director of the Metalworking Magazine of the China Machinery Industry Information Research Institute
PART.02
Covering Multiple Fields, Solving Challenges in the Aerospace and Low-Altitude Fields
After the speeches, the forum entered a day of intensive exchange sessions. Seven industry experts, master craftsmen, and enterprise representatives took to the stage one after another, discussing various fields including low-altitude aircraft, aerospace component processing, high-precision machining, and intelligent technology applications. Their presentations covered the entire industry chain, encompassing equipment innovation, process optimization, and intelligent applications, providing attendees with multi-dimensional and in-depth technical references and delivering a rich feast of practical knowledge.
Huang Kanghua, Deputy Chief Process Engineer of AVIC Changfei and a Senior Expert and Senior Engineer of AVIC Group, presented on "Deformation Control in the Machining of Large Aluminum Alloy Thin-Walled Parts." His presentation addressed the issues of stress release in the blank, residual stress during machining, and deformation caused by clamping and gravity, constructing a closed-loop control system of "prediction-monitoring-compensation." The team combined crack compliance and ultrasonic methods to accurately test residual stress in the blank; developed a deformation simulation prediction plugin to achieve pre-machining prediction; and built an in-situ detection system for CNC machine tools to complete high-precision measurements between processes. This achievement can be widely applied to the precision manufacturing of complex thin-walled components in aerospace, providing reliable technical support for intelligent manufacturing of high-end equipment.
Image: Huang Kanghua, Deputy Chief Process Engineer, Senior Expert, and Senior Engineer at Changhe Aircraft Industry (Group) Co., Ltd.
Xu Ci, Head of Overall Aerospace Component Solutions for Kennametal Asia Pacific, presented a full range of high-efficiency machining solutions addressing industry pain points in the processing of aero-engines, structural components, and composite materials. The solutions cover efficient cutting of difficult-to-machine materials such as high-temperature alloys and titanium alloys, using ceramic cutting tools, solid alloy cutting tools, and specialized drilling systems to achieve high-precision and high-efficiency machining of key components. The solutions focus on typical parts such as aero-engine casings, blades, and landing gear, effectively improving tool life and machining efficiency through customized process optimization. They also solve problems such as delamination in composite material hole drilling and burr removal in titanium alloy machining, helping aerospace manufacturing companies overcome machining bottlenecks and achieve cost reduction and efficiency improvement.
Image: Xu Ci, Head of Overall Aerospace Component Solutions for Kennametal Asia Pacific
Wu Qiong, Professor/Department Head/Doctoral Supervisor at the School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, provided an in-depth interpretation of "Research and Problems of Digital Twin Technology in High-Efficiency CNC Cutting Processes." The report systematically outlines the development trajectory and theoretical framework of digital twin technology, analyzes its application value in cutting data acquisition, modeling, and process optimization, and proposes a systematic research direction focused on lightweighting and closed-loop optimization to address current core bottlenecks such as multi-source heterogeneous data fusion and geometric and physical simulation collaboration. It also introduces its phased achievements in geometric-physical modeling of the cutting process, data acquisition and monitoring, and process parameter optimization, providing new ideas for promoting the engineering application of digital twin technology in cutting machining scenarios.
Image: Wu Qiong, Professor, School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Sun Haifeng, Deputy General Manager of Suzhou Qianji Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., delivered a presentation entitled "Innovative Applications of Domestic CAM Software in Low-Altitude Manufacturing under the Background of Digital Interconnected Intelligent Manufacturing." He discussed how to create an intelligent platform integrating process design, simulation error prevention, and closed-loop control to address pain points in parts processing in the low-altitude manufacturing field. This solution integrates AI programming technology to achieve machining feature recognition, process knowledge reuse, and automated programming, significantly improving machining efficiency. Simultaneously, through machine tool simulation, in-machine measurement, and adaptive machining technologies, it solves the high-precision machining challenges of complex curved surfaces and thin-walled parts. It has already been applied in aerospace, 3C manufacturing, and other scenarios, providing a feasible path for domestic CNC software replacement.
Image: Sun Haifeng, Deputy General Manager of Suzhou Qianji Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd.
Gao Yunlong, Director of the Manufacturing Process Research Institute of AVIC Qing'an Group Co., Ltd., shared achievements in the field of low-altitude aircraft manufacturing technology, revealing the key role of high-end equipment and precision cutting tools in industrial transformation. Low-altitude aircraft are currently developing towards lightweight, high reliability, and long lifespan, posing challenges to manufacturing in terms of high precision, high efficiency, and low cost. In terms of cutting tool application, for key components such as shells, cylinders, pistons, and valves, technologies such as high-speed milling, composite machining, micro-hole drilling, and micro-processing are used to solve the machining challenges of difficult-to-machine materials and deep holes, micro-holes, and thin-walled parts. In the future, enterprises will accelerate the application of domestically produced high-end multi-axis machine tools, promote the integration of large-scale process models, multi-source sensing, and predictive maintenance, and jointly develop high-performance cutting tools to contribute to the high-quality development of the low-altitude economy.
Image: Gao Yunlong, Director of the Manufacturing Process Research Institute, AVIC Qing'an Group Co., Ltd.
Ningqing Aerospace Intelligent Equipment (Nanjing) Co., Ltd. has been deeply involved in the field of high-end CNC equipment for many years. Regional Director Wei Chao introduced the company's core advantages, integrating process R&D, forward design, and manufacturing. With a smart process brain as the core, it integrates smart digital systems and process software packages to achieve intelligent programming, simulation, and monitoring. Independent core functional components and automation solutions comprehensively serve the manufacturing of aerospace special equipment. Products cover scenarios such as aircraft structural parts, contributing to the rapid development of national aerospace engineering.
Image: Wei Chao, Regional Director, Ningqing Aerospace Intelligent Equipment (Nanjing) Co., Ltd.
Hu Daming, a senior aerospace technician and national-level skill master from China Sanjiang Aerospace Group Xianfeng Company, shared insights on the application of cutting tools and typical parts for processing commonly used aerospace materials. This presentation systematically introduces four major categories of materials: aerospace metals, composite materials, and ceramic matrix materials, with a focus on analyzing the characteristics and application scenarios of advanced composite materials. For difficult-to-machine materials such as high-temperature alloys, ultra-high-strength steel, and aluminum alloys, it details the material compatibility, machining advantages, and application scenarios of six types of cutting tools (P, M, K, N, S, and H) based on the ISO tool classification standard. Combining the machining pain points of typical parts, it provides practical solutions for tool selection, process optimization, and cost reduction and efficiency improvement, offering practical technical references for aerospace precision manufacturing.
Image: Hu Daming, Senior Technician and National Skill Master of China Sanjiang Aerospace Group Xianfeng Company
PART.03
Addressing Technical Pain Points and Building Industry Consensus
Following the engaging keynote reports, the forum moved into a Q&A session. Participants raised questions and engaged in discussions regarding the technical challenges highlighted in the morning and afternoon presentations, drawing on their own company's production experience. These included rough machining of large high-temperature forgings, turning of edged tubes, valve core inspection, and tool selection for high-hardness materials. The speakers answered each question, creating a lively and interactive atmosphere. The guests' answers combined theoretical depth with practical applicability, not only solving some of the companies' real-world problems but also promoting the sharing of technical experience within the industry and building consensus on many technologies.
[Image] [Image] [Image] [Image] [Image] [Image] [Image] [Image] [Image] Forum Q&A & Interactive Exchange
PART.04
Combining Theory and Practice: Experiencing Advanced Manufacturing Strength
On April 22nd, the delegates visited the booths of Kennametal Asia (Shanghai) Enterprise Management Co., Ltd., Zhuzhou OKE CNC Precision Tools Co., Ltd., and Ningqing Aerospace Intelligent Equipment (Nanjing) Co., Ltd., conducting on-site learning and experiencing firsthand the practical application scenarios of advanced manufacturing technologies, achieving a deep integration of "theoretical learning + practical observation." The delegates expressed that the on-site visits provided a more intuitive understanding and opened up new ideas for the application of these technologies in future production.
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PART.05
Building Consensus and Promoting Industry Development
On the afternoon of April 22nd, the 2026 Low-Altitude Aircraft and Aerospace Equipment Manufacturing Technology Forum successfully concluded with the end of the exhibition visit. This forum brought together authoritative experts in the aerospace field, universities, enterprises, and high-end equipment manufacturers to focus on core topics such as precision machining of key components for aerospace equipment, lightweight manufacturing of low-altitude aircraft, efficient cutting of difficult-to-machine materials, and the application of intelligent equipment and advanced cutting tools. It provided in-depth analysis of industry trends, shared cutting-edge technologies, and connected supply and demand resources, building an efficient and pragmatic exchange platform for the high-quality development of my country's aerospace equipment and low-altitude economy. The two-day conference and visit combined theoretical depth with practical application, achieving multiple values of technical exchange, industry connection, and win-win cooperation.
Dreaming of aerospace, with manufacturing as the foundation; taking off in low-altitude, creating a smart future. Metalworking Magazine will continue to leverage its industry platform advantages, continuously cultivate the aerospace and advanced manufacturing fields, assist in breakthroughs in key core technologies, and promote collaborative innovation across the industrial chain. We look forward to continuing to work hand in hand with our colleagues to build a strong aerospace nation and embark on a new journey for the low-altitude economy, with higher-level manufacturing capabilities and a more robust industrial chain system!
