supply of difficult to form, specialised components

Our 80 year heritage in aircraft component manufacture allows us to specialise in complex forming and welding of high temperature metals.

In civil aircraft, bleed air's primary use is to provide pressure for the aircraft cabin by supplying air to the environmental control system. Additionally, bleed air is used to keep critical parts of the aircraft (such as the wing leading edges) ice-free.

Bleed air is used on many aircraft systems because it is easily available, reliable, and a potent source of power. For example, air turbine starters used to start large jet engines are much smaller and lighter than an electric motor of equivalent power output. Bleed air for starting is provided by an on-board auxiliary power unit (APU) or an external huffer if the APU is inoperative. Once a single engine is started, its bleed air can be used to drive the starter on the remaining engines. Lavatory water storage tanks are pressurized by bleed air that is fed through a pressure regulator. Even the outside air probe on some aircraft utilise bleed air to drive a venturi pump to draw outside air into a temperature sensor chamber. Early jet aircraft even used bleed air to drive the gyroscopes in their cockpit artificial horizons.

When used for cabin pressurisation, the bleed air from the engine must first be cooled (as it exits the compressor stage at temperatures as high as 300 °C) by passing it through an air-to-air heat exchanger cooled by cold outside air. It is then fed to an air cycle machine unit which regulates the temperature and flow of air into the cabin, keeping the environment comfortable.

Bleed air is also used to heat the engine intakes. A small amount of bleed air is taken from the engine and piped to the engine pod shroud, where it heats the back side of the fan case. This prevents ice from accumulating, breaking loose, and being ingested by the engine, possibly damaging it.

As detailed in the above examples, the air is bled off the aero engine at very high temperatures which necessitates using piping/tubing, connectors, gimbals, heat exchangers, ozone converters, etc.from high temperature resistant metals such as Nickel alloys and Titanium. MSM aerospace fabricators has developed a niche, specialist expertise in forming (hydroforming), welding, laser cutting, laser welding and general fabrication of these often complex components and assemblies…..and all endorsed by NADCAP accreditation.

If you need more information or you would like us to get in touch to discuss a specific requirement please contact a member of the MSM team.