Credibility, partnering, and long-term strategic planning will be the keys to successful high-precision operations in 2026.
Tariffs have permanently changed how manufacturers think about capital investment. Early uncertainty caused many shops to delay purchases unless they were absolutely necessary. Today, tariffs are no longer a political discussion inside a shop, they are a math problem. From my perspective, tariffs influence buying behavior far more than machining behavior. Shops are still running hard. What has changed is how cautious, deliberate, and ROI-driven equipment decisions have become. The companies that manage tariffs best treat them like freight, financing, and installation costs. They plan early, negotiate intelligently, and align purchases with real programs. The most stable customers accept the cost, engineer around it, and focus on long-term productivity instead of short-term sticker shock.
Aerospace and defense demand remains strong but disciplined. Military and defense programs are solid and predictable, rewarding suppliers who invest correctly and execute consistently. Commercial aerospace demand is also healthy, but OEMs are prioritizing supply chain reliability, quality, and repeatability over aggressive rate increases. Expectations have shifted. OEMs increasingly expect suppliers to operate as extensions of their own factories. That means tighter tolerances, stronger documentation, better process control, and machines capable of running accurately for long periods of time without constant oversight. Shops should expect more scrutiny, greater accountability, and less tolerance for excuses.
Automation is no longer about headcount reduction or marketing optics. It’s about survival and scalability. High-precision machining without automation is becoming difficult to justify economically, especially in aerospace. The trend is toward flexible, modular automation rather than large custom systems. Palletization, probing, tool management, and thermal control working together as a system are delivering the real gains. Automation does not replace skill, it reallocates it. The best shops use automation to free their most capable people to focus on process development and continuous improvement.
Additive manufacturing (AM) continues to gain attention, but expectations are realistic. Additive is a complement to precision machining, not a replacement. As additive grows, the need for accurate finishing, alignment, and geometry control increases.
High-precision machining is foundational. Precision today means repeatability over time, thermal stability, structural integrity, and control over variation. You can’t automate or run lights-out without it. Discipline and long-term thinking will define the leaders in the years.
– Dan Cleary, President, Mitsui Seiki USA