Advanced surface coating technology company Hardide Coatings has been awarded funding from a UK-wide aerospace initiative, to further the application of the company’s innovative coating technology to aircraft components. The National Aerospace Technology Exploitation Programme (NATEP) is a £14.4m programme to mature 40 aerospace technologies in the UK aerospace supply chain. Oxfordshire-based Hardide Coatings has been awarded NATEP funding for two projects commencing early September 2018 that will each take 18 months to complete.
The first project is to develop a grinding and super-finish technology for the Hardide-A coating that is a proven direct replacement for Hard Chrome Plating (HCP). Hardide Coatings is lead partner supported by Airbus, Perfect Bore Manufacturing Ltd and Engis (UK) Ltd.
The second project is to develop the processing of an ultra-low temperature coating that will increase the range of aerospace substrate materials suitable for the Hardide coating process. Airbus, Leonardo Helicopters are end-users and Perfect Bore Manufacturing and Westmoreland Laboratories are support partners in this project to Hardide Coatings.
The company’s production facility in Martinsville, Virginia recently received approval to the new AS 9100 Rev D and ISO 9001:2015 quality management standards. This follows the award of AS 9100 Rev D certification to the UK production site in Bicester, Oxfordshire in December 2017. Both accreditations were awarded by the global certifying body Lloyds Register.
Aerospace customers include Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo. Customers in other sectors include leading blue chip companies operating in oil and gas exploration and production, valve and pump manufacturing and precision engineering industries.
The company develops, manufactures and applies advanced tungsten carbide coatings to a wide range of engineering components. Its patented technology is unique in combining, in one material, a mix of toughness and resistance to abrasion, erosion and corrosion together with the ability to coat accurately interior surfaces and complex geometries. This enabling technology is proven to offer dramatic improvements in component life, particularly when applied to components that operate in very aggressive environments. This results in cost savings through reduced downtime and increased operational efficiency.
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Quality management service providers G&P have expanded its aerospace sector presence with the opening of an office at Derby’s iHub. Located on building located on Infinity Park, the iHub is home to a range of businesses from the aerospace industry and G&P will use its dedicated office as a foundation to build, and further establish, relationships with the surrounding aerospace businesses.
Director of Aerospace at G&P, commented: “The opening of our new office is a very exciting chapter as it demonstrates G&P’s commitment to the aerospace industry.”
“Most importantly it means that our staff are in close proximity to many existing and prospective aerospace clients to strengthen ties further and deliver exceptional service. “The aerospace sector faces many complicated challenges due to the multi-national and multi-stage distribution and supply chain structure within the industry, which we are helping our clients overcome.’
G&P, which has its global headquarters are at Fort Dunlop, Birmingham, is using its 24 years’ quality management experience to support clients across the aerospace supply chain with customer specific Solutions.
Key to G&P’s growth in both the aerospace and automotive sectors is its award-winning Quality Excellence Model, which has helped the company’s customers, in both the automotive and aerospace sectors, reduce their levels or waste by more than £1.4bn in 2017.
At the heart of G&P’s Quality Excellence Model is an in house sophisticated software system called QTrak, which allows real-time analysis and identification of quality issues.
The Model was recognised for its potential when it was awarded the UK’s highest business accolade, The Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation 2016. During the move to the iHub is a major step forward in helping more aerospace businesses tackle levels of waste and address any quality issues faced in production and the supply chain, due to the increasing demand for aircraft deliveries.