FAA Repair/MRO

Southwest United Industries is well versed in FAA Repair/MRO applications including, but not limited to the following:

• Thermal spray strip and reapplication
• Cadmium plate strip and reapplication
• Bushing disassembly and reinstallation
• Grinding (including centerless spherical I.D. grinding)
• NDT
• Anodize
• Paint
• Many of the applications mentioned in the subsequent sections

We understand that the needs of our FAA/MRO Repair customers may be considerably different from our standard production customers, especially with respect to lead time. In response, we use surge capacity and a highly flexible staff to meet the urgent demands of this industry segment.

Southwest United Industries is accustomed to shipping products globally via the fastest option possible, up to and including counter-to-counter. We are experienced in interpreting Components Maintenance Manuals (CMMs) and have direct access to many of the manufacturers’ portals. Our access allows us to retrieve the latest specifications and other required documents to complete the processing.

Finishing Services

Anodizing

Anodizing provides aluminum parts with a hard abrasion and corrosion resistant oxide film formed from the aluminum substrate. It forms an excellent paint base and helps ensure adhesion of organic coatings such as zinc chromate primer, paints, and lubricants. Anodizing also provides electrical insulation and tends to minimize galvanic corrosion where aluminum is in contact with other metals. We offer the following anodizing options:

• Sulfuric Acid 
• Chromic Acid 
• Boric Sulfuric Acid 
• Alodine (Chemical Conversion)

Non-Destructive Testing Processes

Non-destructive testing (NDT) is used to detect cracks, porosity, voids, burns, inclusions and other defects in components. NDT is specified by our customers to ensure product performance, integrity, reliability, and quality. We offer the following NDT services:

• Flourescent Penetrant Inspection (FPI)
• Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI)
• Hardness
• Nital Etch

Fluorescent penetrant inspection and magnetic particle inspection are Southwest United Industries’ primary focus.

FPI starts with a semi-automatic preparation process. The parts are washed and dried in an oven, then immersed in a bath of dye. On removal, the parts are examined by one of several level II or level III certified NDT technicians under ultraviolet light. Our technicians have many years of experience inspecting aviation parts and perform the examination in a thorough and efficient manner.

Magnetic particle inspection is used to inspect parts made from ferromagnetic materials including steel, nickel, and cobalt alloys. The first step in a magnetic particle inspection is to magnetize the component. Southwest United Industries’ modern Magnaflux MPI equipment performs multi-directional magnetization. After the component has been magnetized, iron particles are applied to the surface of the magnetized part. The particles are attracted and cluster at the flux leakage fields created by surface or near surface defects, thus forming a visible indication that our experienced level II and Level III certified technicians can detect.

Painting 

Painting or organic finishing is often used to provide improved corrosion resistance. Southwest United Industries offers complete painting and other metal finishing services to offer our customers full finishing capability.

Painted finishes can be specified for many purposes. The decision to plate or paint for a specific application will often depend on the following considerations:

• Cost – Generally, on a per-unit, surface-area basis, organic coatings will tend to cost less than plated deposits.
• Appearance – The broad range of colors and textures of painted surfaces often make it the finish of choice over plating.
• Corrosion resistance – In many cases, a properly selected paint coating applied over the pretreatment will perform better in outdoor exposures than a plated one.

Plating, thermal spray, and painting complement each other in providing the best choices of finishes.

Southwest United Industries is familiar with the best coating systems for improving corrosion resistance on steel, reducing oxidation on aluminum, and other benefits from painting. Contact Southwest United Industries to learn how painting can be part of your metal finishing solution.

Plating 

Our state-of-the-art plating processes are maintained to exacting standards to satisfy the demanding requirements of our many aerospace, military and commercial customers. We maintain a complete staff of plating engineers, plating chemists, and customer service representatives to provide the world class quality and service our customers have come to expect.

Our plating processes include:

Chrome Plate

• Hard (Engineering)
• Thin Dense

Nickel Plate

• Sulfamate
• Electroless
• Wood Strike

Copper Plate

• Cyanide Strike

Cadmium Plate

• Low Embrittlement
• L.E. Titanium
• Bright

Shot Peening

Shot Peening is a cold-working process in which the surface of a part is bombarded with small spherical media called shot. It is equivalent to a myriad of small hammer blows impinged over the entire surface indenting the surface and causing work hardening of the surface metal. The greatest benefit of shot peening results from inducing compressive stresses on the surface metal, which increases resistance to fatigue failures. Other benefits to shot peening include increased resistance to corrosion fatigue, stress corrosion cracking, hydrogen assisted cracking, fretting, galling and erosion caused by cavitation.

Southwest United Industries employs state-of-the-art, shot-peening technologies and is capable of shot peening components of diverse shapes and sizes in rigidly controlled environments. Southwest engineers are available to assist by sharing their many years of shot peening training and experience.

Thermal Spraying 

Thermal spraying allows coating applications of high-performance materials such as metals, alloys, ceramics, and carbides to be applied to relatively easy-to-work and more economical base materials to significantly enhance component performance.

Thermal spraying processes offer tremendous improvements in component performance such as wear, heat, oxidization, and corrosion resistance. They are commonly used in the overhaul and repair of damaged or worn components, offering a cost-effective and timely alternative to purchasing replacement parts.

Over the past two decades, thermal spray coatings and technology have advanced rapidly. Designers now utilize thermal spray coatings to enhance their product and give improved performance—rather than just as a last resort repair process.

Southwest United Industries continues to invest in new technologies that increase production capacity and enhanced techniques to meet the demanding standards of our customers. Our coating engineers work closely with our customers and industry researchers to make sure Southwest United Industries remains at the forefront of thermal spray technologies. We also work with customers and product suppliers to develop new materials and advanced technologies. We offer the following coating processes:

Grinding 

Southwest United Industries offers extensive grinding capabilities and related services including the following:

• Precision I.D./O.D. grinding
• Spherical I.D./O.D. grinding
• Hard Chrome Grinding
• Thermal Spray Grinding
• Honing
• Polishing
• Centerless Grinding
• Superfinishing
• CNC and Conventional Grinding

We can provide a full range of grinding services in either high volume production quantities or single parts to exact standards and specifications. Our experience and continuous investment in the latest grinding technologies and CNC equipment have made us a leader in the grinding of exotic materials such as:

• Inconel and other Superalloys
• Ceramics
• Thermally applied coatings such as tungsten, chrome carbide, and cobalt alloys

Miscellaneous Processes

Southwest United Industries offers more than 40 metal finishes including:

• Anti-Fretting for Titanium
• Black Oxide - Conversion Coating
• Brush Plating/Electrodeposited
• Chemical Blackening
• Cleaning - Descaling of Titanium
• Corrosion Protection - Magnesium
• Impregnation
• Magnesium - Conversion Coating
• Manganese - Zinc Phosphate Coatings
• Passivation of Stainless Steel
• Dow 7 on Magnesium
• Phosphate - Conversion Coating
• Phosphate - Fluoride Coating
• Weld-tungsten Inert Gas in Inert Atmosphere

Supplier Quality Documents