About Us

The SAO CE Machine Shop fabricates parts for SAO Central Engineering, Harvard College Observatory, many other Harvard University departments and other organizations not listed. Offering machining services as requested. Our function is to provide fabricated parts from raw materials as well as modifications to existing parts or assemblies. We offer Heat Treating, Plating, Painting and Assembly work as requested for your needs. The fabricated parts, here at the shop, include hardware components for ground based units around the world, and flight rated parts with material tracability for projects sent to outer space or balloon flight projects. Our capacity for machining operations is listed below. We work to tight tolerances of +/- .0001" in many cases.

Using reduced instruction drawings with CAD files, the fabrication ability has taken the shop to a new level. We are able to import your Solids, Surfaces and Wireframes. In many cases, we can have parts running within an hour. This technique allows programming tool paths right from your solid model files.

Using solid model tool paths and CNC Machinery continues to improve accuracy on your parts, as these tolerances tighten. These machines are enabling the shop to fabricate parts in much shorter time frames. This allows much more flexibility in fabricating assemblies to tight tolerances. Eliminating drilling and reaming operations for alignment after assembly.

Operations

Wire EDM, Laser Welding, 3 Axis CNC Milling, 2 Axis NC Milling, Conventional Milling, CNC Turning, Manual Turning, Drilling, Tapping, CounterBore, CounterSink, Misc. Grinding, Internal & External Threading, Welding, Soldering, Plating, Painting.

Materials

Acrylics, Aluminum, Brass, Copper, Delrin, Invar, Lead, Lexan, Moly, Niobium, Stainless Steel, Steel, Tantalum, Titanium, Vanadium Permundor, Vespel. Many others not mentioned.

Shop Points of Contact