AIN Staff

Singapore Technologies (ST) Engineering Aerospace is making significant moves in its quest to increase the company’s competitiveness, adding new capabilities and introducing new future technologies in its various maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) portfolio.

 


“There is a drive in the company to migrate upstream in the value chain and also to develop our own intellectual property to become an OEM of products,” said ST Engineering Aerospace deputy president, Jeffrey Lam. “We have been constantly looking out for the right opportunities, and we know what we are looking for.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

 


One major move was the acquisition of nacelle manufacturer&nbsp;Middle River Aerostructure&nbsp;Systems (MRAS) in the U.S, worth $56 million, on April 18. “As we want to bring value to the business, it has to extend our capabilities too. Since we currently do not have engine design DNA, expanding into the nacelle systems via MRAS is a very natural extension. It was neither too big nor too small for us as well.”

 


Lam said there would be opportunities to supply nacelle and "last-mile" work to OEMs outside the U.S., and the company is looking at ways to duplicate and synergize the capabilities to other ST Engineering facilities within a year or two.

 


The company’s U.S. MROs are among its better-performing facilities. In the first quarter, a U.S.-based operator signed a 10-year deal for heavy maintenance checks for its fleet of 160 Airbus A300s and Boeing 757s at ST Engineering’s San Antonio, Texas, and Pensacola, Florida facilities starting in 2020. This is on top of Bombardier Q400 component repairs for African and European airlines.

 


Smart MRO

 


ST Engineering launched the Smart MRO initiative in 2018 with four main elements: robotics, workspace digitalization, data analytics, and additive manufacturing.

 


One main thrust of the program is the employment of robotics in the work process. For example, ST Engineering has developed a robotic system to grind down the abradable layer on the aircraft engine intake.

 


Previously a manual process that took five days to complete, the automated system takes one day, with a more consistent result—a 500-percent increase in efficiency. Currently used on the CFM-56 series engines, the robotic grinder can handle 200 engines annually. ST Engineering said it can also recode the robot for other engine types.

 


Although robotics solutions are easily available in the market, Lam said the adoption rate in the process-driven aerospace industry is relatively slow and authorities are also unsure of how to certify new technologies.

 


He gave the example of how the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) currently does not have any certification capability for drones but has approved the trials of using drones for aircraft inspections at Singapore Changi Airport. The next step is to certify the drone inspection as a commercial entity and Lam said the company is prepared to work closely with regulators to give advice on "constructing new certification."

 


Meanwhile, in April, ST Engineering teamed up with Air New Zealand, Microsoft and Moog to study the feasibility of a blockchain-enabled supply chain, leveraging additive manufacturing (also known as 3D printing) capabilities. A trial was conducted where airline ordered a digital aircraft part file from ST Engineering and printed it in the U.S., with intentions for the part to be installed in an Air New Zealand Boeing 777-300ER.

 


“There is no doubt that blockchain will be the de facto medium in the future and we stay invested in this technology,” he said, although he admitted that with so many platforms and so many standards, it is hard to identify which the company will invest in.

 


“If you are the only one in the blockchain, there will be many incomplete records, such as component records,” Lam said. “ There should be a platform with many airlines on it so as to create the critical mass for&nbsp;it to go forward.”

 


ST Engineering currently has a&nbsp;fused deposition modeling&nbsp;(FDM)&nbsp;printing machine in Singapore that produces plastic parts for CAT 4 (aesthetic) and CAT 3 components (low load, non–structural components). The challenge in 3D printing is proving to regulators that the product is consistent, and the next step is to certify it, regardless of the machining route taken.

 


The company is now studying powder-bed 3D printing using metals, carried out offsite with partner EOS. It sees greater applications with metal parts especially in airframe maintenance and hopes to produce and test&nbsp;its first metal part by&nbsp;September.

 


Lam said there is no end date in the company’s Smart MRO quest since technology is always evolving, along with the need for continuous improvement. “A marker is how we are moving ahead of our competitor, and how we translate our customer's expectations with our processes,” Lam said. Many of ST Engineering's customers are pleased with the initiatives, he added, and many hope it can move faster in employing these technologies.

 


Engineering is not significantly affected by external factors such as the U.S.-China trade tensions and the Boeing 737 Max 8 groundings, claimed Lam, since the MRO sector is more stable versus aircraft manufacturers. However, he said, the company remains alert to the customer’s needs and in touch with the relevant authorities.&nbsp;

 


According to Lam, the Max groundings could bring opportunities for MRO companies since older aircraft are having&nbsp;to fly more and longer to fill in the gap, creating a greater need to maintain them.

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

ST Engineering Upping Its Game in Competitive Times

Singapore Technologies is expanding its MRO and technology portfolios.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Matt Thurber

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

Panel participants included Boeing, Gulfstream Aerospace, and West Star Aviation

Summit Highlights St. Louis Aero MRO and Manufacturing

Kerry Lynch

News and developments about everything that goes into the cabin of an aircraft, from floor coverings to headliners, with a special emphasis on in-flight entertainment, communications and other electronics for passengers. If it is in the cabin of an aircraft, it’s covered here.

What began 22 years ago as a Caravan project is now a busy multimillion-dollar business

Building Interiors at Yingling Aviation

MRO services for E1000 turboprops available at company’s Denver location

Stevens Aerospace Joins Epic Aircraft Service Network

Executives share their experience with system

Duncan Adds Gogo 5G to Company Citation Excel

Charles Alcock

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

In this article

ST Engineering

More In Maintenance and Modifications

Summit Highlights St. Louis Aero MRO and Manufacturing

Panel participants included Boeing, Gulfstream Aerospace, and West Star Aviation

Building Interiors at Yingling Aviation

What began 22 years ago as a Caravan project is now a busy multimillion-dollar business

Stevens Aerospace Joins Epic Aircraft Service Network

MRO services for E1000 turboprops available at company’s Denver location

Duncan Adds Gogo 5G to Company Citation Excel

Executives share their experience with system

Australian Regulator Approves Textron Service Centers

Textron operates service centers in Melbourne, Perth, and Gold Coast

C&L Aerospace Tapped for Challenger Flutter Damper Mx

The company was selected by OEM Héroux-Devtek

Avcon Delivers Aerial Weapon in Florida Mosquito Fight

The Kansas-based company specializes in modifying airframes

Duncan Aviation Authorized for Honeywell APU Repairs

MRO’s Lincoln facility expects to bring work online in early 2027

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN