Case Study: CPI Aero (aerostructure manufacturer) cuts inspection-template costs by 96% and slashes lead time with Stratasys 3D printing

3D Printing Cuts Cost of Inspection Tem Plates By 96%

CPI Aerostructure, a manufacturer of structural assemblies for military and commercial aircraft, needed precise, frequent in‑process inspections for complex contoured parts but found CNC‑machined metal templates expensive and slow to deliver. To solve this, CPI purchased a Fortus 3D Production System from Stratasys and explored 3D printing as an alternative for inspection templates.

Using the Stratasys Fortus system, CPI printed polycarbonate height‑check templates with added inspection features, cutting production time for four sets of eight templates from 40 days to 3 days and cost from $29,541.20 to $1,108.36—saving 37 days (93%) and $28,432.84 (96%). CPI now produces 5–10 jigs/fixtures per month, each saving dozens of assembly hours and reducing final‑inspection time and rework.

CPI Aerostructure

Daniel Gray

Program Engineer