Aerospace industry: technologies for high precision finishing

Italian and international companies specialised in the production of components for the aerospace industry have extremely stringent quality standards. Quality trumps quantity, and all manufactured components must meet or exceed the required specifications. To ensure that only top quality components are produced, companies active in this industry must adopt state-of-the-art technologies and processes.

 

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Aerospace industry: finishing challenges for components

The aerospace industry requires high quality coating finishes for its aircraft, helicopters and satellites. Aerospace coatings must be able to withstand corrosion and wear stress over time. Additionally, components for aircraft and spacecraft must withstand extreme temperatures, ultraviolet radiation and other environmental factors. 
To ensure compliance with these standards, it is essential to use only the best technologies. This is why suppliers must have gained specific experience in designing finishing lines for the aerospace industry.

Requirements

Requirements of finishing solutions for the aerospace industry

The requirements for aerospace coating solutions depend on the type of application: there are many different components that need to be machined, coated and finished. The coating requirements for mechanical components will be different from those of aircraft interiors or exteriors. However there are common characteristics:

  • Impeccable quality - the amount of coating product applied must be consistent to obtain a homogeneous, top quality finish.
  • Resistance to time and weathering: the surface finish must withstand extreme temperatures and environmental conditions, corrosion and wear.
  • Flexibility: one coating line used to finish a variety of components needs to be flexible throughout the process phases (finishing, drying and handling.)
  • Minimised Weight: weight is a critical issue for aerospace components. The thickness of the finishing coat must be adjusted to ensure proper substrate protection without applying unnecessarily thick coating layers.
pagina aerospace

Finishing technology applications for the aerospace industry

Aerospace finishing technologies can be used for different components, made of carbon fibre, aluminium or other high-tech materials.
A vast range of raw materials are used, as well as a number of technologies including:

Materials

Technologies

Application fields

Below are some aerospace industry specific application areas and finished products:

APPLICATIONS

01

Executive jet interior

Luxury finishes are required for the interior of a private executive jet, and can be obtained using a variety of coating technologies, each able to ensure a personalised, decorative finish when needed.
02

Scratch-resistant finishes

Using excimer matting technologies, scratch-resistant finishes with a soft-touch effect can be achieved on flat panels and panels with shallow grooves.
03

Aircraft structural parts

Extremely high standards and meticulous control over the coating thickness to respect weight tolerances are key aspects of the coating process for the aerospace industry.
04

Aircraft overhead compartments

Spray coating equipment is the usual choice for the exposed surfaces of an aircraft’s overhead compartments. Attention to the finished quality and chromatic aspects is of primary importance.

Focus On

softwaere e iot

Flexibility and precision

As we mentioned earlier, a crucial aspect for suppliers of airlines and the aerospace industry in general is production flexibility. Aircraft and spacecraft are made up of thousands of different parts, many of which require coating. So, in order to enhance business opportunities in this industry, the equipment used must adapt to many variables. 
Another critical aspect is precision: being able to control process parameters is important to ensure first-time application quality. This is why Software, IoT and Industry 4.0 solutions are essential in this sector.

case-avio

The importance of testing new solutions, as AVIO did

In the aerospace industry, establishing the correct process parameters is vitally important. One way to first-time application quality is performing coating tests. Aerospace companies that choose Cefla Finishing as their suppliers are given the opportunity to perform coating tests with our latest equipment on their own products in our laboratories located in Europe, Asia or the United States. AVIO was among the companies that made the most of this opportunity offered by our test laboratories before adopting a Cefla Finishing automated solution. Thanks to its new line, AVIO has recorded a 5-time increase in productivity, also achieving major savings on the expensive coating products used on the protective cover panels of launch vehicles.

Discover more

Find out which machines can help you create components for the aerospace industry

Machines

iBotic

Materials:

  • Plastic
  • Metal
  • Wood

Machine Type:

  • Spray coating

Omnidry

Materials:

  • Plastic
  • Metal
  • Wood
  • Fibre Cement

Machine Type:

  • Ovens

iGiotto

Materials:

  • Plastic
  • Metal
  • Wood

Machine Type:

  • Spray coating

iGiottoApp

Materials:

  • Plastic
  • Metal
  • Wood

Machine Type:

  • Spray coating

Case studies

Case study

We have helped hundreds of companies around the world achieve their quality, efficiency, and productivity goals. Here are their stories.
We have helped hundreds of companies around the world achieve their quality, efficiency, and productivity goals. Here are their stories.
01

A solution that goes into orbit

02

Taking the first step from manual to automatic spray coating

03

Helping HIB boost production volumes of automotive componentry

WHITEPAPER

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spray cleaning WP

Learn More

MAGAZINE

Explore the topic on our blog. You can find articles on technologies, innovative techniques, and tips to improve the efficiency of your finishing line.
Explore the topic on our blog. You can find articles on technologies, innovative techniques, and tips to improve the efficiency of your finishing line.
01
    Industry 4.0 and Digitization

UBIQUO service opportunities

02
    Industry 4.0 and Digitization

cTracker tracking and monitoring software

03
    Industry 4.0 and Digitization

How can I obtain remote assistance right now?

For sixty years we have been innovators in the field of surface finishes.

We have helped many aerospace companies by supplying integrated lines and turnkey solutions designed to coat wings, flaps, fuselages and even external spacecraft insulation parts.

With our innovative technologies, software and IoT solutions, we are the ideal partner for aerospace industry players.

Feel free to contact us to visit our 3,000 sqm laboratory and test your own components on our industrial equipment.

Contact us

Contacts

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

01 What are the advantages of roller coating?

High flexibility in terms of output rate and choice of cycles/processes according to the line make-up.

Zero solvent emissions thanks to 95% use of products with high dry residue (UV) content.

Possibility of using the roller technique for any application on all flat surfaces.

02 What are the advantages of spray coating?
Firstly, spray coating ensures all sides of the piece are covered. Secondly, the product shape is unimportant and, since it is not a contact-type coating, different tolerances between products are compensated for automatically.
03 Can I buy spare parts directly via the machine?
Yes, cMaster now features a Spare Parts section (available on enabled machines). This feature lets you put in a request directly via the virtual Web App cart, thus speeding up the spare parts management and retrieval process.
04 Is there a maintenance service available in my area?
Our network of distributors and branches stretches across the globe. Finding the service you need in your country should be easy. Alternatively, we can send spare parts and technicians directly from our headquarters in just a few days.