The HELLER Group is one of the leading manufacturers of high-performance manufacturing solutions for machining. In particular, the five-axis machining centers of the F and HF series ensure highly productive production of components with the highest quality, suitable for use in the aerospace industry. Through collaboration with many competent partners and particularly through membership in the AMRC (Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre), HELLER also demonstrates its close ties to aerospace. This research facility at the University of Sheffield is one of the leading aerospace institutes and is in constant close exchange with leading manufacturers and suppliers in this industry. The HELLER slogan 'Excellence-4-Aerospace' is therefore more than a promise – it is a fact.
The order increases in the aerospace industry are enormous. While this is fundamentally positive, the associated challenges are significant. The aerospace industry must quickly and significantly increase its production rates. This also applies to component suppliers, who must continue to ensure zero defect tolerance, 100 percent traceability, and the highest delivery reliability while maintaining low component costs. For this, in addition to the extensive know-how of the manufacturing workforce, high-quality technical equipment is required, which can be relied upon one hundred percent.
The machine tools used play a particularly important role here. Because every chip can decide whether a good part is produced or not.
Complete machining of individual parts and flexible 24/7 large series production
Thanks to its extensive solution competence, HELLER is in demand worldwide as a manufacturer of powerful, innovative universal milling machines with forward-looking automation options in many mass-producing industries. This knowledge is increasingly being utilized by manufacturing companies in aerospace. Especially when it comes to producing highly complex components from various materials with dimensions of up to 2,000 mm without errors, HELLER is a perfect partner. Equipped with numerous modern features and a wide range of automation options, all machines are equally suitable for individual part production as well as for flexible 24/7 large series production. They additionally score points through high reliability and various features for error prevention.
As complete machining plays an increasingly important role in many aerospace manufacturing companies, HELLER follows this all-in-one concept and offers an optional mill-turn function for combined milling and turning tasks for the 5-axis F and HF series up to size 10000. The core piece for this is the torque-strong rotary table, which achieves speeds of up to 700 min-1 in the F series and up to 1050 min-1 in the HF series. This allows all common turning operations to be realized in a single setup, in addition to milling and drilling operations.
Manufacturing solutions for numerous aerospace components
Whether small parts for hydraulics and fittings or large workpieces such as turbine housings or structural components, whether made of lightweight materials like aluminum or difficult-to-machine, nickel-based super alloys, titanium, or stainless steel – for numerous components, the globally operating machine builder has suitable, individual manufacturing solutions, says Lars Rittel, Head of Engineering at HELLER, and clarifies: 'Listing the potentially manufacturable components individually would fill a book.' Nevertheless, the engineer mentions a few selected products for which the comprehensive machine and service offerings of the company are in demand.
For example, he refers to the particularly demanding manufacturing of so-called fan hubs made of titanium as well as turbine housings made of nickel-based super alloys: 'For such applications, simultaneous five-axis machining with additional milling-turning combination is advantageous. Because this allows the complete manufacturing process to be realized in one machine. This increases the accuracy of the component and simultaneously significantly reduces the lead time and costs for production.' Similar requirements are posed by various complex aero-structural components for landing gear and engine mounts made of titanium. Here too, five-axis capability is required. Rittel particularly considers the already mentioned new F series to be perfectly suited, which is available in different sizes and configurations depending on the need.
Suitable solutions for medium and small aero components
HELLER also has suitable solutions in its portfolio for the productive manufacturing of medium-sized and smaller aero components. For this, machining centers from the five-axis HF 3500 and HF 5500 as well as the four-axis H 5000 and H 6000 can be used. All of them are powerful machines with a particularly good cost-benefit ratio that achieve a large time-chip volume.
Equally important: In finishing mode, these machines also ensure outstanding volumetric accuracies and surface qualities, which are regularly demonstrated in practice. For example, customers reliably produce so-called 'pylon brackets' made of titanium with both the five-axis HF 5500 and the four-axis H 6000.
Flexible automation solutions
The application possibilities of HELLER's universal milling centers are even more extensive thanks to flexible automation solutions. As standard, the machining machines are equipped with an integrated pallet changer. However, they are also available with external workpiece change options – a short-built pallet round store or a long, narrow linear store. Even the connection of a robot is possible at any time. For users who are not yet sure at the time of purchase which workpieces and quantities will later be produced, HELLER offers maximum flexibility with the 'Automation-Ready' option. Because this allows all available automation systems to be quickly and easily retrofitted.
Clearly structured and easy to operate
Equally important: All HELLER machines are clearly structured and easy to operate. Good accessibility to all work areas and bright lighting of the workspace facilitate the setup of new workpieces. In addition, the large control panels with 24-inch touch screens help keep track. The standard integrated high-end control Sinumerik One from Siemens also ensures that operators feel comfortable at their workstation with features such as setup and production assist. This is further facilitated by the modern Heller Operation Interface and some individual cycles developed by HELLER engineers.
Membership in the AMRC underscores the importance of HELLER for the aerospace industry
However, it is not only the diverse technical solutions from HELLER that underscore the company's importance to the aerospace industry. Various quality certificates confirm this, as does the membership in the AMRC, which is affiliated with the University of Sheffield and is one of the leading aerospace institutes. As such, it is in constant close exchange with leading manufacturers and suppliers in this industry and operates numerous CNC machine tools at several locations. Since early May 2025, the research facility has also been pleased to have a five-axis horizontal machining center HELLER F 6000. The machine designed for combined milling and turning will play a key role in the new autonomous tool room demonstrator of the AMRC and will assist researchers in finding solutions to how manufacturing companies can address the challenges of the supply chain, the shortage of skilled workers, the automation of production, real-time process data analysis, and much more.
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