Sonaca Brazil is part of the Belgian Sonaca Group and has been operating in Brazil for 25 years. The company employs approximately 750 people there and is active in various business areas—ranging from assembly and component manufacturing to engineering and toolmaking services. Its most important customers include Embraer and Airbus, among others. A key focus is on the manufacture of aerospace components made from 2000 and 7000 series aluminum alloys.
Efficiently Performing the Task of Machining Complex Components
The demands placed on the production of aerospace components are high—and continue to rise. Complex components must be manufactured with high precision while remaining cost-effective. This is precisely where GROB’s 5-axis technology offers Sonaca Brazil decisive advantages.
“With GROB’s 5-axis machining centers, we can produce complex components to a high standard of quality and with shorter machining times,” says Matheus Belitato, Head of Manufacturing Engineering at Sonaca, describing the benefits of the technology. Especially for large components, simultaneous machining enables more efficient production and helps reliably achieve the required quality.
Although Sonaca Brazil already had 5-axis machines, GROB’s technology has, according to the company, enabled a further step in development . The continuous improvement of manufacturing processes and the pursuit of higher quality are central components of their collaboration.
Significantly Shorter Machining Times and Less Scrap
A specific project illustrates just how significant the impact on production can be. Compared to previous technologies, Sonaca Brazil was able to reduce the machining time for a component from about six hours to approximately two and a half hours.
At the same time, there was a significant reduction in the scrap rate. The actual scrap rate was only one-tenth of the value originally projected for the project. This not only significantly reduced production times but also improved process reliability and cost-effectiveness.
For Sonaca Brazil, this development is a key building block in meeting the growing demands of the aerospace industry while expanding production capacity for customers such as Embraer and international markets.
Technology Development Through Close Collaboration
A key factor in the project’s success was the close collaboration between Sonaca Brazil and GROB. GROB’s Technology and Application Center (TAC) in Brazil played a particularly important role in this regard. Since the implementation of the project presented new technological challenges for Sonaca Brazil, intensive support was required during the technology implementation phase. The very first component of the project was manufactured jointly at GROB’s TAC. This allowed the processes to be developed, tested, and optimized under real-world conditions before the technology was transferred to series production.
“The close and strong relationship with GROB, especially with GROB’s application engineers, helped us greatly in implementing the technology,” emphasizes Everton Santos, Production Manager at Sonaca.
From Machine Supplier to Technology Partner
The collaboration between Sonaca Brazil and GROB is not limited to individual projects. Since purchasing its first GROB machining center in 2018, the company has also been utilizing GROB’ technical support and services—ranging from spare parts and technical assistance to maintenance services. Today, GROB is therefore much more than just a machine supplier to Sonaca Brazil. When planning new projects, GROB machines regularly serve as a reference. “When we estimate a new project today, we consider GROB machines to be the benchmark,” says Santos.
This long-term partnership combines machines, technology, service, and process expertise. Especially in an industry like aerospace, where high demands are placed on quality, precision, and process reliability, this holistic approach is a key component of Sonaca Brazil’s manufacturing strategy.
High Productivity for International Markets
With 14 GROB machines now in operation, Sonaca Brazil has a powerful technological foundation for the task of machining complex aluminum components.
The machines achieve high productivity, which Sonaca Brazil evaluates, among other things, using Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). This enables the company to reliably meet the requirements of both Embraer and other international customers.
For Sonaca Brazil, this long-standing collaboration demonstrates the difference a partnership can make—one that goes beyond simply supplying machines: from the joint development and testing of manufacturing processes, through the implementation of the technology, to service and maintenance. “GROB doesn’t just sell machines. GROB offers complete solutions,” Belitato concludes.
For Sonaca Brazil, this combination of technology, application expertise, and long-term support forms the foundation for a partnership that is set to be further expanded in future projects.
