Tezmaksan Explores EDM Automation to Boost Europe's Aerospace Production

Europe’s aerospace industry is thriving, yet factory floors are struggling to keep up. Order books are full, but bottlenecks in precision part manufacturing threaten to slow deliveries and increase costs. The problem is not demand—demand is strong—but underutilisation, labour shortages and inefficient workflows are dragging down output. Here, Hakan Aydoğdu, CEO at machining automation specialist Tezmaksan Robot Technologies, argues that automating Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) systems offers a realistic route to unlock latent capacity, reduce lead times and strengthen Europe's supply base.

EDM is central to many of the sector’s most demanding components, from turbine blades to fuel injectors. Unlike conventional machining, which cuts metal mechanically with rotating tools, EDM removes material using controlled electrical sparks between an electrode and the workpiece submerged in dielectric fluid. This makes it possible to cut extremely hard metals into complex shapes with micrometre accuracy, while avoiding the mechanical stresses of traditional cutting.

However, EDM is often slow, operator-intensive and difficult to scale. While not the only bottleneck, EDM remains one of several processes where automation could unlock capacity. If Europe wants to stay globally competitive, we must make EDM cells lights-out, traceable and repeatable.

Why now?
The current market pressure is real. According to the Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD), Europe’s aerospace and defence turnover reached €290.4 billion in 2023, supporting 1.03 million jobs and continuing more than ten per cent year-on-year growth. Demand is surging, but production is not keeping pace.

In Germany, aerospace sector revenue rose to €52 billion in 2024, a 13 per cent increase from the previous year, with civil aviation alone contributing €39 billion, up 18 per cent. The UK faces record backlogs in commercial aircraft and engine production, with Rolls-Royce’s Trent engine backlog spanning several thousand units, yet manufacturing remains constrained by labour shortages and slow, manual processes.

In Spain, turnover from aerospace manufacturing exceeded €12 billion, with Andalusia alone generating €2.9 billion in 2024, according to Andalucía Aerospace. The message is clear: demand exists, but workforce availability and machine capacity are the chokepoints and solving these will require smarter processes, not simply more people.

It’s clear that even a modest increase in EDM machine utilisation—moving from single shift to two or three shifts per day or enabling weekend/night runs—could unlock dramatically more production without new machines or factory space. However, adopting automation also requires investment capacity, robust infrastructure and compliance with aerospace certification standards—hurdles that can be significant for SMEs.

Why EDM is strategically irreplaceable
EDM remains strategic because it makes possible what no other process can. That said, it is only one element in a wider set of production challenges that include materials supply, certification delays and workforce skills gaps. Modern hot-section components like turbine blades and vanes are manufactured from nickel-based superalloys and require thousands of precision cooling holes and intricate internal geometries. These cannot be reliably produced by milling or drilling without risking thermal damage, tool wear or dimensional inaccuracies.

EDM, especially fast-hole EDM drilling, can produce holes as small as 0.3 millimetres with aspect ratios over 150:1 while preserving the material’s structural integrity. When paired with lasers for roughing, EDM delivers final accuracy within microns. This combination of accuracy, repeatability and metallurgical safety makes EDM invaluable to aerospace manufacturing.

The challenge is no longer about proving its capability, but about scaling it to meet demand. At the same time, aerospace firms are also investing heavily in additive manufacturing (AM) and advanced laser drilling, which may complement or, in some cases, compete with EDM.

One shared challenge
Spain’s aerospace sector illustrates the potential. The country ranks fifth in Europe by aerospace turnover, and the Basque Country and Andalusia are home to ITP Aero, a world leader in low-pressure turbines that is expanding its research and development (R&D) and production capacity.

Yet many Spanish suppliers still operate single-shift EDM processes with heavy manual intervention. Introducing automated EDM cells could allow these companies to run around the clock, multiplying output without expanding headcount.

Germany faces similar pressure from a different angle. Its aerospace industry is highly advanced and growing rapidly, but constrained by a shrinking pool of skilled machinists. MTU Aero Engines already operates what it describes as “almost fully automatic systems for turbine blades”, signalling a national push toward lights-out manufacturing.

In the UK, the situation is defined by scale and urgency. The Times has reported that Rolls-Royce, Airbus UK and their Tier-1 and Tier-2 suppliers are facing record engine backlogs.

What modern EDM automation looks like
Change will only happen if automation becomes practical and accessible, rather than a bespoke engineering project.



Working with Pallet Pool

One example of this approach is the EDMCell CUBE—a fully integrated automation cell that transforms a conventional EDM machine into a continuous, high-productivity system.

It brings together a Mitsubishi MV1200R Connect wire-cut EDM machine, a Mitsubishi MELFA RV20FRM six-axis industrial robot and a CubeBOX Pallet Pool, all coordinated by RoboCAM management software.

In this setup, raw parts are stored in drawers within the CubeBOX Pallet Pool and are automatically loaded into the EDM machine by the robot, then removed as finished components without human intervention.

RoboCAM manages the full workflow, assigning programs to each part, scheduling jobs and recording complete production traceability data. The system is compact, brand-agnostic and quick to commission, which makes it especially suitable for aerospace suppliers who need to boost output without reconfiguring their entire workshop.

By enabling lights-out operation, the EDMCell CUBE extends machine uptime into nights and weekends, effectively adding extra shifts without additional labour. It stabilises quality through consistent robotic handling and fixture positioning, and it compresses lead times by eliminating setup delays and idle changeover time.

The barrier is not technology, but adoption
Europe has the orders, the technology and the know-how. What it lacks is time on the machine. EDM will remain critical to aerospace manufacturing, especially for the hot-section engine parts that determine fuel efficiency and performance. But as long as EDM remains manual, slow and stop-start, it will remain a bottleneck.

If Europe wants to maintain its edge in aerospace, embracing EDM automation is not optional—it is essential. The backlog will not clear with overtime. It will be clear with the help of automation.

www.tezmaksan.com