The cleaner decides the alloy
Lavatory and galley surfaces meet aggressive cleaning agents several times a day. A 304 part that performs perfectly in a dry cabin can pit on the wet side, so alloy selection follows the cleaning regime you declare.
Part family 02
Galley and lavatory hardware that survives the wet side
This is the part of the cabin where the environment is worst and the cleaning is harshest. Almost every field failure in this family is a corrosion or a joint story, not a machining one.
What we make
Eight groups. The common thread is a wet, cleaned, abused environment and a part that has to keep working in it.
| Part group | Typical material | Process | What decides acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galley inserts and unit interfaces | Al 6061, 304 stainless | Sheet metal, machining, assembly | Interface dimensions to the standard unit, not to a nominal |
| Latches, catches and hinges | 316L, 15-5PH, POM, PEI | Machining, moulding, spring assembly | Cycle life and positive engagement under load |
| Work decks and splash guards | 304 / 316L, compact laminate | Forming, bonding, edge sealing | Cleanability at the edge, where water actually sits |
| Closeouts, trim and end panels | Al, laminate, PC | Forming, bonding, finishing | Fit to the monument, with tolerance taken up in the trim |
| Vanity units and counter tops | Compact laminate, 304 stainless | Bonding, machining, assembly | Joint integrity after repeated wet-dry cycling |
| Sink bowls and drain hardware | 316L | Deep draw, weld, passivate | Weld quality and passivation are the corrosion story |
| Faucet bodies and fittings | 316L, brass with declared finish | Machining, assembly | Tolerance on the sealing faces, not on the body |
| Waste flap and seal assemblies | 316L, silicone | Forming, moulding, assembly | Seal compression over the service interval |
Three things that decide service life
All three are settled before production, and none of them can be inspected into a finished unit.
Passivation is a process, not a dip
Welded stainless has to be cleaned and passivated to restore the oxide layer. Done badly, the weld looks fine and corrodes first. It is recorded as an operation with its own sign-off.
Cleanability lives at the joint
Two parts bonded with a gap become a trap. Edge sealing and joint design are settled at NPI because they cannot be inspected into a finished unit afterwards.
What you send, what comes back
The declared cleaning regime belongs in the left column. It changes the material answer more often than people expect.
From you
- Drawing and revision, plus the monument or unit interface it fits
- Cleaning agents and regime the operator uses
- Material, finish and passivation callouts
- Any leak, pressure or cleanability test the drawing requires
From us
- Parts to the revision actually issued
- First article inspection report in AS9102 format
- Material certificates and passivation record
- Process traveller, test records where applicable, and certificate of conformity
What moves the price
Wet-side parts are quoted on process steps more than on material volume.
| Driver | Effect |
|---|---|
| Alloy and thickness | The step from 304 to 316L is small per kilo and decisive in service life |
| Welding and passivation | Both are operations with their own consumables and sign-off |
| Surface finish on visible faces | Brush, polish or paint each change handling and rework risk |
| Bonding and curing | Fixture time and adhesive choice set the batch rhythm |
| Pressure or leak testing | Where the drawing calls for it, it is quoted as a separate operation |
| Packaging | Wet-side parts need protection that dry parts do not |
Have a wet-side part that keeps coming back?
Send the part and the failure mode. If the field problem is corrosion or a joint, a drawing change may be worth more than a new supplier.