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Strengthening supply chain reliability
DEPARTMENTS >>REFERENCE GUIDE
Selective control of suppliers can improve quality, reliability, and management control for manyaerospace companies.
Elizabeth Engler Modic
APRIL 2014
Supply chains for the aerospace industry have become increasingly complex,
challenging manufacturers of military and commercial aircraft to maintain
control, consistency, and predictability in the supply of primary assemblies. This
includes parts and subassemblies of such major systems such as landing gear,
cargo, hydraulics, and structural components as well as smaller components
parts sourced fromTier 2 providers.
For large aircraft, small aircraft, and helicopter manufacturers, the time and
money spent on subcontracting multiple components of an assembly can be
daunting and challenging to manage, especially the complex parts.
In some respects, the supply chain situation has become more problematic in
recent years as the aerospace industry has attempted to increase its
economies by adopting some of the automotive industrys more commoditized,
cost-driven approaches to purchasing. However, this approach can actually be
detrimental to production efficiencies, particularly when it comes to more
complex, higher tolerance systems and components.
When choosing a supplier, we always want to be sure they are going to provide a quality part, and deliver on time,
because we design complex, one-of-a-kind parts that must be delivered in time to meet our customers schedule, says
Russell Gibbon, director, landing gear and hydraulic systems engineering at Triumph Aerospace Systems in Redmond,
Wash.
If there is a quality problem, were in trouble. If theyre late, were in trouble. So, were always looking for suppliers with a
good track record for quality, for consistently meeting schedule commitments, and for having the capabilities for
producing the required part using the most efficient technologies, Gibbon says.

Sourcing necessary capabilities
When it comes to high-volume, routine build-to-print components, many
aerospace manufacturers source themoverseas as commodities, says Randy
Brodsky, president of Lakewood, Colo.-based Primus Metals Inc., a Tier 1 and 2
supplier of structural components, kits, and subassemblies to the global
aerospace industry. But when it comes to higher complexity, higher tolerance
components, or those that require exotic materials or are produced in lower
quantities, then aerospace companies need to seek out U.S. parts manufacturers
who have the necessary credentials, production machinery, quality systems, and
just-in-time (J IT) delivery capabilities.
Such was the case with a recent project of Triumph Aerospace Systems -
Seattle, a member of Triumph Group.
In producing a complicated landing gear systemfor a new military helicopter,
Triumph was seeking a supplier that could make some critical parts in a limited
quantity.
After canvasing the supply base, we settled on Primus Metals to manufacture a
number of the critical and complex parts of the helicopter landing gear system,
Gibbon explains. Most of the parts were very complex aluminummillings with
tight tolerances. All of the parts required delivery within a short time frame to
meet our customer commitments.
Gibbon adds that it was important that Primus could work directly from3D solid
CAD models. In the old days you had to provide drawings detailing every feature
of a part, he says. Now we send the supplier a solid model fromCAD, and they
use that to create the CAM files to machine and then to inspect many features of the part. In terms of getting the parts
faster, getting themmade to precise tolerances, and shortening lead times, manufacturing direct froma solid model is an
important capability.

Avoiding potential risks
Brodsky, whose company manufactures a broad range of turnkey, integrated sub-systems, and components used within
aircraft, says aerospace companies can improve on supply efficiencies by verifying that their suppliers have all the
necessary capabilities and credentials.
For example, AS9100 (Rev. C)-certified manufacturers are able to produce the most complex components in-house, and
then work exclusively with its National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program(Nadcap) supply chain
for part finishing to manage all the burdens that a purchasing agent is normally required to performthrough multiple
vendors. Final subassembly is commonly handled in-house as well. In many instances, machining experience, equipment
capability, capacity, and quality systems will affect a suppliers ability to deliver on a timely, consistent basis.
When youre machining titaniumor high-nickel alloys or hard materials, the production floor cant just run one part right
after another, Brodsky says. Youll have a lot of tool wear and deflection, even with the highest quality machinery, so
you have to be sure the machinist is able to accurately measure parts, make precise adjustments, or change tooling. Its
just not a load and go.
Brodsky adds that there are more complex design coming out each year because engineering is evolving exponentially.
The demand to find high quality manufacturers continues to become more difficult.
It can be extremely risky for aircraft manufacturers to assume that a low bid or
perhaps even relying on a traditional supplier will provide quality parts that
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require next-generation materials or other complexities, he says. In some cases,
there can be 1,000 dimensions on a single piece of hardware and tolerances within
millionths of an inch. Such requirements are usually outside the capabilities of the
commodity job shop and customers become complacent about monitoring
historical suppliers and continuing to seek the best of the best in the marketplace.
Other complexities recently introduced include parts with extensive finishes and
plating processes, and those that must be heat-treated or undergo destructive
testing.
In addition, more and more defense-related companies are requiring that members
of their supply chain be International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) compliant
and registered. This is often required for a company involved in the manufacture of
goods or services covered under the United States Munitions List (USML), or a
component supplier to goods covered under the USML. This, in turn, means that
the supplier must be registered with the State Departments Directorate of Defense
Training Controls (DDTC) and maintain rigorous internal processes dictated by
ITAR regulations.
This ITAR requirement, in conjunction with the AS9100 certification, removes the
aerospace customers opportunities to source defense-related parts fromoffshore
manufacturers, and also limits the number of eligible domestic suppliers.

Enhancing management control
The ability of the supplier to provide complete assemblies, subassemblies, kits, and
turnkey products can improve an aerospace customers management control over
its own manufacturing processes.
Such control enhances their abilities to consolidate orders instead of having to
facilitate and maintain many supplier relationships to accomplish the same goal.
This further reduces the lead times for product delivery as well as drives down
supply chain costs.
Yet many suppliers, both domestic and overseas, are unable to manage the supply
chain effectively, which is critical for producing turnkey parts and assemblies,
Brodsky notes.
This is important to many aerospace companies because there is a lot of risk involved when their component
contractors are using three, four, or five subcontractors to fulfill their commitments, in addition to the customer already
using multiple suppliers to fulfill the same programs demands. Coordinating and ensuring the delivery of all these
variables commonly fails.
Primus Metals deals with premier commercial and military aerospace manufacturers such as UTC, Lockheed Martin, Ball
Aerospace, Zodiac Aerospace, Eaton Aerospace, and Triumph Aerospace Systems. Therefore, it is significant that
Primus has a robust Nadcap supply chain, which enables the company to produce turnkey parts and assemblies.
This is very important when there are multiple subcontractors involved, Brodsky explains. But it requires additional
overhead and strong internal controls, so many of the smaller job shops dont want to deal with it.
At the same time, Brodsky estimates that more than 95% of his companys business has to deal with a significant level of
supply chain management. While this can have some effect on the companys pricing structure, he feels that for most
customers, the suppliers ability to provide reliable quality with on-time delivery is worth far more savings than a few
percent of hard costs on the front end.

Primus Metals Inc.
www.primusmetals.com
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