Precision Polymer Engineering (PPE) has once again reached new heights with their quality standards.
Their team of innovative sealing engineers has received recognition for their dedication to delivering solutions of the highest quality and performance, for high-value and critical applications such as Aerospace & Defence. The NADCAP accredited company has also recently completed a successful transition from AS9100 Rev C to AS9100 Rev D.
NADCAP Accredited Sealing Solution
NADCAP is an industry-managed program concerned with specific requirements for manufacturers and suppliers of Aerospace equipment, products and services, establishing a unified standard that will help to ensure and improve quality across the industry.
How significant is NADCAP Compliance?
The nature of Aerospace and Defence applications are typically highly critical, leaving no capacity for downtime. When assessing the necessity of NADCAP compliance, it must be considered in respect of the application itself – what are the consequences of component failure in these industries?
Across Aerospace and Defence applications, the consequences of component failure pose hugely damaging threats to human life, as well as environmental damage and other more conventional ramifications in terms of cost, downtime and negative PR. There is a prevalent necessity for universal standards, allowing design engineers to objectively judge the quality of components manufactured at sites such as PPE.
At Precision Polymer Engineering, NADCAP compliance is paramount to their positioning as a provider of reliable sealing solutions into Aerospace and Defence applications. A team of specialist sealing engineers strives to achieve the best possible quality standards across all of the industries serviced, including Oil, Gas and Marine. This gives operators confidence that the stringent demands of any given application will be met.
Take a look at some examples of where Precision Polymer Engineering delivered high performance sealing support to the Aerospace industry:
Lufthansa, the largest German airline, required restoration of a reinforced diaphragm to be used in the braking system of their vintage aircraft – the L1469A “Super Star” – in order for it to be ‘fit to fly’.
Problem: The diaphragm was too thin to manufacture and the recommended silicone material was unable to meet the maximum temperature requirement of the original material. Design and material changes required approval by a Designated Engineering Representative (DER) from an aerospace governing body.
Solution: Using lab analysis (TGA), it was determined that the incumbent material was only rated to 250°C. This analysis showed PPE’s S60R red silicone grade sealing material as a suitable replacement. Using a diaphragm made from S60R, the L1469A “Super Star” was restored to airworthy condition.
Sikorsky
One of the very first companies to manufacture military helicopters, Sikorsky faced a costly redesign of precision-machined components for their iconic UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter.
Problem: Operating globally in the armed forces of 25 countries, a lengthy consultation period could have resulted in the avoidable downtime of many fleets, as well as substantial accrued costs.
Solution: To provide a more cost-effective and timely alternative, PPE designed, manufactured and tested a range of potential seals for the aircraft. PPE engineers were able to provide component redesign as part of a rapid in-house response service, whereby they manufactured a non-standard O-ring moulding tool and sample DTD specification FKM seals. With the first custom component samples received by Sikorsky within just four days, the three seals would deliver a huge saving of $30,000 for Sikorsky on component redesign.
Quality Standards at Precision Polymer Engineering
NADCAP accreditation, and custom sealing solutions for Lufthansa and Sikorsky, illustrates why Precision Polymer Engineering is trusted by Aerospace and Defence operators across the world.
With the latest quality certifications and approvals in place, Precision Polymer Engineering can demonstrate a commitment to upholding the highest possible service levels to the most critical high pressure industries.
For a custom-engineered sealing solution for any application in the Aerospace or Defence industries, or to find out more about Precision Polymer Engineering’s innovative product range, find your sealing specialist today.