Precision at altitude at Omni Aerospace

The shopfloor at Omni Aerospace

Founded over 25 years ago by CEO John J. O’Neill, US based Omni Aerospace has built its reputation on producing complex structural metal components for some of the world’s leading aerospace OEMs, such as Boeing, Bombardier, Gulfstream, Lockheed Martin, Textron Aviation, and the US Department of Defense. But as the demands for tighter tolerances, lighter materials, and faster turnround times has become more intense, Omni made the decision in 2017 to invest in its first Starrag Ecospeed F 1540, a high-speed, high-precision machining centre, specifically engineered for large aluminium structural aerospace parts. It was not just a new machine, but represented a whole new chapter in the company’s history.

Pictured right: the Starrag Ecospeed in action

CEO John J. O’Neill, said: “We took our company to the next level by investing in technology that can do things other people cannot do with their equipment. The Ecospeed was a game-changer for us, being a unique piece of machinery that is unmatched for speed and accuracy.”

That machine did not just meet expectations, it exceeded them. It enabled Omni to cut more precisely, reduce setup times, and eliminate costly match drilling on final assembly components — and most importantly, it unlocked the ability to consistently deliver close-tolerance, true-position fastener holes, a non-negotiable requirement for determinant assembly parts in commercial, business, and military aviation.

Omni’s first Ecospeed installed at its Wichita facility marked a turning point. Not long after installation, revenue doubled, new customers arrived, and production expanded. A new plateau was reached.

Around-the-clock operation
Riding the momentum of this success, Omni soon invested in a second Ecospeed F 1540, integrating both machines into a palletised automated flexible manufacturing system (FMS). This innovative system enabled continuous, 24/7 operation, even with Omni’s high-mix, low-volume manufacturing model.

The Ecospeeds took on highly demanding parts such as wing ribs, machined from aluminium or aluminium-lithium billets weighing up to 2,700kg, with dimensions approaching 4 x 1.5m x 152mm. Some components required up to 95% material removal, a level of material transformation that demands not only brute speed but surgical precision.

One Omni technician noted: “While roughing, we can fill a 250-litre drum with chips in less than a minute while the tolerances remain perfectly tight — that is the Ecospeed difference.”

At the heart of this performance lies Starrag’s Sprint Z3 parallel kinematic machining head. Using three radially mounted linear drives, it enables five-axis/five-sided machining, ±45deg spindle articulation, and lightning-fast motion, allowing the spindle to move within a spherical cone at speeds of up to 80deg per second. Precision cuts, complex geometries, and faster part completion, even with small batch sizes is the result — and through it all, the Ecospeeds never slow down. In fact, they become more reliable with age.

One engineer said: “I am almost embarrassed to admit how many spindle hours we have on our first Ecospeed without a spindle replacement. We run them at 30,000rev/min. In 2025, Omni Aerospace is once again charting a bold new course and rearranging its existing production floor to accommodate a third Starrag Ecospeed F 1540, a clear signal of continued trust and a burgeoning partnership with Starrag.

More efficient workflows
This third machine will further boost capacity for aluminium parts while allowing the company to reconfigure its existing layout for more-efficient workflows. But Omni’s ambitions do not stop with aluminium. The team is also preparing to expand into hard metal machining, a move that will open the door to an even broader range of aerospace components and deeper vertical integration. “As a fast-growing company, we are always looking to take the next step. We required a new paradigm for high-speed, medium-to-large, six-axis machining. Starrag’s solution ticked every single box.”

The guiding philosophy ‘Engineering precisely what you value’ is more than just a slogan. It is a reality lived every day at Omni. By offering exactly what the customer needs and nothing superfluous Starrag has helped Omni unlock new levels of efficiency, growth, and competitive advantage.

Furthermore, the numbers tell the story. Omni Aerospace has doubled its revenue since installing its first Ecospeed — and if not for the pandemic freezing capital investment for a time, the company would be even further ahead today.

Mr O’Neill concluded: “No matter what the challenge. No matter the part. No matter the complexity, Starrag has helped us not just meet expectations, but exceed them for ourselves and for our customers.” The relationship between Omni Aerospace and Starrag is more than transactional — it is transformational. It is a case study in what happens when a manufacturer with a clear vision partner with a machine builder that understands both the technical demands and the strategic ambitions of its customer.

Together, they have not only built aircraft components, but they have also built a path to sustainable growth, unmatched capability, and enduring innovation.