Collaboration Leads to Superior Fabrication
in Aerospace Application

Building strong partner relationships is key to developing products in an industry known for its exacting standards and rigorous testing procedures. When Envirovac came to Superior Joining Technologies with a metal fabrication project, it needed more than a welding supplier. It needed a partner with the expertise and experience to turn the project around quickly and get it done right the first time.

SJT responded by lending its know-how to proactively identify and solve potential problems before they could become production issues. The result was a win-win-win for both suppliers and its ultimate customer, Bombardier.

The Need for Speed

Monogram Systems (formerly Envirovac) is a leading supplier of cabin systems and equipment in the aerospace industry. The company not only develops equipment such as Smart vacuum toilets, in-flight trash compactors, galley chillers, galley waste disposal sinks, and crew/operator seats, but also designs and manages complete systems that support these products.

In late 2002, the company was selected by Bombardier to supply the vacuum waste system on its latest business jet, the Global 5000. The system would provide reliable waste transport and collection for up to two toilets on the aircraft, using a single vacuum waste collection tank at the rear of the aircraft.

The tank weldment would need to be fabricated to withstand the extreme temperatures, pressure and vibration of the in-flight environment. An additional challenge was the aggressive build schedule for the aircraft.

On this project we needed to move rapidly through the development stage, said Bill Windgassen, product development engineer at Monogram Systems.

With only 12 weeks to develop a sample, Windgassen needed a supplier that was reactive and nimble. He called on Thom Shelow, president of Superior Joining Technologies. Thom knows how to work with product development, said Windgassen. And he is known for innovative processes in lightweight fabrications.

Collaborative Efforts Pay Off

The project began with a kick-off and a list of objectives. From the very start, Superior Joining Technologies was encouraged to contribute ideas and offer its unique perspective to the development efforts. They weren't a supplier working for a company, but part of the team, said Windgassen.

That's a role that Shelow relishes. Its the consulting arm of what we do, he said. We don't charge for that, but it allows us to gain an inside track to production.

By identifying possible obstacles from the start, they could be proactive in finding solutions. We wanted to eliminate any problem areas that could occur with heat and shrinkage, said Shelow.

In doing so, Shelow recognized a potential flaw in the welding support and was able to introduce a new process that was an enhancement over the previous design. By incorporating a continuous resistance weld, they would significantly reduce tank shrinkage and warpage.

As a result, the tank sailed through quality testing with flying colors on its first attempt no small feat for Envirovac. The rigorous testing simulates 20 years of in-flight operation to determine how the product will hold up to vibration, pressure, vacuum and temperature changes.

According to Windgassen, the main reason for the projects success was the common goals shared by all departments of both companies. Our goal was to develop a sample in 12 weeks, said Windgassen. A lot of people in the company said it couldn't be done, but we did it. And we earned a lot of respect from the rest of the people on the team.