Aerospace fabrications and welding  

To achieve lean manufacturing, sheet metal fabrications have adopted microtagging, on-machine part marking using a dot marking system and in-process forming of countersinks.

Enhancements to working practices lead to significant improvements in work flow, reducing second operation processes and savings in production time.

Previously companies would punch out a batch of components, wait for them to be deburred and then second operation any countersinks or part marking.

This created a bottleneck... deburring just couldn't keep up.

Now with micro-tagging,  two people debur.

A good work flow results to part marking and countersinking.

Turn-around on urgent jobs improves.

However, when making parts for aerospace applications, you need CAA approval for any changes in the manufacturing process.

Aerospace welding

As far as qualifications go, by far the most sought-after aerospace welding certification by UK employers is the CAA qualification (CAA BCAR A8-10). A straightforward test, it is not as demanding as some tests such as RR or the old american MIL standards. There are seven material groups covered by the CAA test.

P.W.S.of Ferndown UK specialise in the welding of exotic materials, such as inconel, nimonic, titanium and magnesium alloys, as well as more common materials used throughout the industry.

Their capabilities are well endorsed within the M.O.D. and Aerospace sectors, and they have been an integral supplier of key services offering A.O.G. and quick turnaround support along with ongoing commitments.

Inert gas welding of titanium is undertaken to Civil Aviation Authority and M.O.D. specifications. P.W.S are one of a very few companies that have the manufacturing rights to produce high pressure oxygen tanks for the R.A.F using specialised automatic welding processes.

They also offer automatic inline T.I.G. seam welding up to 3.5 meters long that will take flat sheet and cylinders from 10 inch diameter up to a maximum of 32 inches diameter.

Also offered is resistance spot welding, along with gas brazing of aluminium and silver soldering and brazing.

A new addition to their facility... Seam welding of all sheet metal materials on a Skiaky M260T, 3 Phase Seam & Spot Welding machine, fully modernised machine with extended arms.

Seam welding to:

1+1 Aluminium to (AIR 3383 / MIL W 6858 class III)

4+4 Mild Steel

2.5+2.5 ST/ST / Heat Resistant Alloys (AIR 3383 / MIL W 6858)

All welders carry C.A.A. approval and they are Nadcap accredited for fusion welding and torch brazing, as well as being approved by Airbus, BAe Systems, GKN Aerospace S.S., Westlands, Rolls Royce (Limited) etc, for a full range of materials in T.I.G. welding, soldering and brazing which includes all alloys.