Seat components
Frames, pans, armrests, tray table hardware, latches and the small fittings that decide whether a seat feels solid.
Capabilities
What we can make, and what we need to know first
Manufacturing is carried out at qualified partner facilities, not in a building we own. What we hold is the process knowledge, the programme management and the record discipline that turns a drawing into a shipment somebody can audit.
Process
The process families below span both business domains, cabin interiors and brake heat sinks. Anything outside them, we say so rather than sub-contract it quietly.
| Process | Typical parts | Materials | What the process holds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-axis and 5-axis machining | Brackets, fittings, hinge parts, bushings, spacers | Al 6061 / 7075 / 2024, 15-5PH, 316L | ±0.05 mm general, ±0.02 mm on stated critical features |
| Sheet metal forming | Closeout panels, clips, supports, shrouds | Al 2024 / 5052, stainless 301 / 321 | Bend angle ±0.5°, hole position ±0.1 mm |
| Tube bending and TIG welding | Seat frames, grab handles, duct sections | Al 6061-T6, 304 / 316L, 4130 | Weld per qualified procedure, penetrant or visual per spec |
| Composite lay-up | Sidewalls, ceiling panels, bin closeouts | Glass/epoxy, glass/phenolic for FST | Ply orientation per drawing, thickness ±0.2 mm |
| Injection moulding | Latches, bezels, small housings, covers | PC, PEI, PEEK, PA66-GF30 | Tool-dependent; mould flow agreed at NPI |
| Silicone and rubber moulding | Seals, grommets, bumpers, edge trim | VMQ, EPDM, NBR | Shore hardness per drawing, compression set declared |
| Surface treatment | Corrosion protection, wear surfaces, appearance | Anodise Type II / III, alodine, primer, powder coat | Coating thickness and adhesion per the called standard |
| Assembly and kitting | Sub-assemblies, hardware installation, kits | Mixed | Torque and traceability recorded per unit |
| Carbon disc processing | Carbon brake discs at the handover stage you name | To the customer material specification | Stage of delivery fixed in the programme; process parameters not published |
| Machining of carbon discs | Discs machined to drawing before treatment | Carbon/carbon composite per drawing | Dimensional record against the ballooned drawing |
| Anti-oxidation treatment and riveting | Treated discs, riveted stacks, riveting hardware | Per the customer drawing and specification | Treatment and assembly records; hardware lot traceability |
| Steel brake component machining | Rotor discs, friction pads, disc cores, accessories | Steel grades per the customer drawing | Dimensional and material records against that drawing |
Tolerances are the ones we will put in a quotation. If a drawing asks for tighter than these, the answer is a process change or a different supplier — not a promise.
On brake process parameters: the stage names and delivered forms are published so that a holder can name a handover point. Numerical density values, treatment chemistry and thermal profiles, rivet setting values, fixture settings and batch process cards are not published — they belong to the qualified facility and to the technical agreement signed with it.
Material
Seven material groups. Cabin flammability, smoke and toxicity evidence is generated at qualified laboratories and stays with the design approval holder.
| Group | Grades we run | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminium | 2024-T3, 5052-H32, 6061-T6, 7075-T6 | Panels, frames, fittings, brackets |
| Stainless steel | 301, 304, 316L, 15-5PH | Wear parts, lavatory hardware, springs, fasteners |
| Engineering thermoplastics | PC, PEI, PEEK, PA66-GF30, POM | Latches, bezels, bushings, wear pads |
| Composites | Glass/epoxy, glass/phenolic | Panels and liners requiring FST performance |
| Elastomers | VMQ silicone, EPDM, NBR | Seals, grommets, anti-vibration mounts |
| Decorative and wear surfaces | High-pressure laminate, powder coat, anodise | Visible interior surfaces, trim, kick strips |
| Carbon/carbon and friction materials | To the customer material specification — no proprietary grade published | Carbon brake discs, friction pads, linings and wear elements |
On cabin flammability: heat release, smoke density and toxicity requirements are set by the type design and the applicable airworthiness code. We build and document to the material callout you specify. We do not issue, and cannot issue, the compliance finding for that callout.
Part family
Five families across two business domains, each with its own process mix and its own acceptance questions.
Galley & lavatory
Inserts, latches, hinges, work surfaces, vanity units and the stainless that has to survive a wet, abused environment.
Panels & liners
Sidewalls, ceiling panels, bin closeouts and reveals, where weight, FST performance and fit all pull in different directions.
Carbon brake discs
Handed over at the process stage you specify, with the metallic hardware used in riveting. Intermediate stages are not finished, released parts.
Steel brake & wheel
Rotor discs, friction pads, disc cores and related accessories, produced and delivered to the requirements in your drawing.
What we need to answer properly
Six items. With them, the reply is a routing and a first article plan. Without them, it is a range.
- The part family and what the part does in service
- Drawing status: released, draft, or sample only
- Material and finish callouts, with any approved alternatives
- The approval the part will be released under
- Quantity: first order and annual, stated separately
- Any service history from a previous source, including failures
Have a drawing and no supplier who will talk about the release?
Send the drawing status and the State of Registry. The first reply tells you which process applies and whether the release path works.