Barron makes 2nd appearance at Farnborough International Airshow
Once again this week, the global aerospace industry gathered for the Farnborough International Airshow, only not in-person. Due to COVID-19, the UK’s internationally recognized biennial event was canceled and, to fill the void, organizers launched FIA Connect, a five-day on-line event. Participating for the second time, Barron Industries attended the popular Meet the Buyer program, only this time it was a virtual event, bringing together decision-making buyers and industry suppliers from around the world.
“The FIA Connect provided buyers and suppliers with the ultimate networking opportunity to meet face-to-face and to do real business at pre-arranged, private and secure virtual meetings,” said sales and marketing manager Dave Melampy. “Participants could also attend a series of digital presentations and discussions, connecting the global aerospace industry during a time when we can’t meet.”
In 2019, Barron’s orders for aerospace investment castings increased by 20 percent, and the Michigan-based manufacturer projects an additional 20 percent growth in the aerospace industry in 2020. In its 2019 report on “Aerospace Manufacturing Attractiveness,” PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) ranked Michigan as the best state in the Midwest and 4th in the nation for “Aerospace manufacturing attractiveness”. Barron Industries is one of more than 300 Michigan businesses registered to the AS9100 aerospace quality system and more than 800 state companies are direct suppliers to the aerospace industry.
In 2018, Barron exhibited at Farnborough as part of the USA Partnership Pavilion including more than 250 U.S. based aerospace companies. The Pure Michigan exhibit was comprised of six Michigan aerospace companies including Barron Industries, an Oakland County based manufacturer of precision machined castings. Barron is one of more than 300 Michigan businesses registered to the AS9100 aerospace quality system and more than 700 state companies are direct suppliers to the aerospace industry.
Barron Industries produces critical cast precision components used in aircraft and defense technologies for both domestic and foreign markets including the elevator steering mechanism for the Navy’s V-22 Osprey and fuel and HVAC systems on the Boeing 767 and Apache helicopter. Other aerospace investment castings manufactured by Barron Industries include:
Exhaust components – inlet and outlet tubes, diffusers
Hydraulic pump housings
Brackets
Door latches and hinges
Passenger seat components
Cargo securing and handling hardware
Fluid pump and control components
Instrumentation housings
Ensuring its precision cast parts meet the stringent quality standards of the aerospace industry, the Michigan-based manufacturer has achieved NADCAP Accreditation for digital radiography, penetrant testing and welding.
NADCAP is the acronym for The National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program – a global cooperative program of major companies designed to manage a cost-effective consensus approach to special processes and products and provide continual improvement within the aerospace and defense industries. World-leading aerospace companies such as Airbus, The Boeing Company, GE Aviation and Rolls-Royce work together with industry suppliers to agree to the standard that a supplier must attain in order to become and remain NADCAP accredited.
“With our newly acquired NADCAP and GE Aviation certifications, we’re prepared to meet the stringent standards of the aerospace industry,” said President and CEO Bruce Barron.
Also registered to the AS9100 aerospace quality system, the company has received GE Aviation Certification and was awarded a renewable 5-year LTA for cast and machined stainless steel components for the new GE9X high-bypass turbofan aircraft engine. The anticipated 20-year contract is valued at $30-40 million.
Barron Industries has also achieved conformance with cybersecurity controls required for defense company suppliers that handle Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). The manufacturer received certification for compliance with 110 cybersecurity best practices outlined in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-171. The certification granted by NSF Global Business Solutions applies to IT services to internal company employees and protection of company proprietary information.
Barron has acquired a new 10,000 square foot manufacturing plant to increase production capacity for its precision-machined castings and assemblies. The company has also grown its workforce by more than 30 percent and invested in new equipment at its existing 65,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Oxford, MI.
The investment casting company has expanded its engineering and inspection capabilities with the addition of a new FARO Quantum S 7-axis, high-definition laser probe scanner and 8th-axis rotary platform. Certified to the latest ISO standards, the innovative portable coordinate measuring machine (PCMM) allows Barron to easily verify casting quality by performing 3D inspections, dimensional analysis, CAD comparison, and reverse engineering, while saving time and reducing scrap and rework costs.
“With the addition of our new 3D scanner, we can quickly gather key data on complex patterns and castings,” said Greg Barron, VP Engineering and Quality. “This enables us to share critical information both internally with our process engineers, as well as with our customers, within hours.”