Hardness tester flies off the production line to meet customer time frame

When Thompson Aero Seating, a leading supplier of premium aircraft seating, identified an urgent need to improve their internal quality control procedure, they called on ZwickRoell Indentec for advice, support and a swift solution.

Thompson Aero Seating based in Northern Ireland is recognised for the cutting edge design, engineering and manufacture of premium class, full-flat bed airline seating. Potential new designs undergo rigorous testing to ensure durability and reliability in service. Their dedicated and highly experienced Certification Department ensures any new design or development meets the necessary regulatory requirements. Before any seats leave their manufacturing facility, their Quality Control team ensures that every finished product meets the strictest criteria demanded by both Thompson Aero Seating and their valued customers.

Supplying safety critical products places a significant responsibility on the manufacturer to control individual component quality. Thompson Aero Seating needed to source a hardness testing machine to evaluate material properties and verify heat treatment processes. It was essential that the business was able to carry out robust internal hardness testing to ensure the continued smooth running of the assembly process and to guarantee timely product output. Time was of the essence when it came to the acquisition and installation of a new hardness testing system.

Following an initial consultation between ZwickRoell Indentec and Chris Hatton, the Test Lead at Thompson Aero Seating, a Rockwell ZHR8150LK machine incorporating testXpert software was recommended and the system was manufactured and installed in record time. By carefully adjusting their production schedule and utilising the adaptability and flexibility of their production team, ZwickRoell Indentec were able to manufacture, test, calibrate and despatch a machine within the space of a few days.

Chris Hatton praised ZwickRoell Indentec for fulfilling the contract in such a timely mannner and commented; “Our new machine is easy to use and provides us with reliable test results. Once ZwickRoell Indentec had received our purchase order, delivery and installation of the equipment was completed very quickly.”

Keatan Pangli, Sales Manager at ZwickRoell Indentec said; “We have a real passion for exceeding our customers’ expectations and fulfilling our internal motto: ‘We act fast, we put the customer first, we do what we say,’. We were delighted to be able satisfy this customer’s requirements in terms of the optimum testing solution and rapid product delivery.