How Our Precision Cutting Passed the Ultimate Test: Saturn?!
- Brand
- Govt. Space Exploration
- Concept
An engineer from our aerospace customer approached us with a highly specialized request: precision cutting customer-supplied VDA Kapton at just .002” thick for an upcoming rotorcraft lander mission. The space craft will operate across multiple sites on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, to study habit- ability and prebiotic chemistry—the chemical processes that precede life. The component required extremely tight tolerances and was destined for insulating a critical spaceflight component, but it was a challenge we were ready to take on.
01_Challenge
Cut ultra-thin Kapton film to exacting tolerances and verify cuts for an exploration mission to Saturn’s moon.
02_Solution
Tolerances are inherently difficult to control, as they depend not only on tooling and cutting-bed age but also on material thickness, chemistry, and even lot-to-lot variations. Cutting an ultra-thin film adds another layer of complexity. At just 0.002″ thick, Kapton requires precise handling to prevent edge fray, burrs, or heat‑affected zones while maintaining tight tolerances over a 36″ length.
To achieve the best possible results, we opted for digital cutting rather than laser cutting. We first produced a prototype, measuring every exterior and interior cut under a visual magnification device to verify the tolerances we could achieve. From there, we implemented a program to measure every part after cutting. The one-sided VDA surface was handled under strict protective protocols throughout staging, cutting, and packaging to preserve its functional properties. Customer was “very impressed and happy.” The mission will arrive at Titan in 2034, and conduct multiple flights during a multi-year science phase.