Swedish industrial ovens enhance aviation safety worldwide

ST Aerospace Solutions in Märsta is responsible for ensuring aircraft safety. New aircraft are manufactured using environmentally friendly composite materials and require treatment in large industrial ovens during repair. ElectroHeat was commissioned to custom-manufacture the industrial ovens to enhance safety in the air.

Few modes of transport undergo as many safety and inspection checks as aircraft. Nothing is left to chance, and even the smallest screw is carefully specified, has undergone airworthiness testing, and is traceable. There are, in fact, many parts on an aircraft. Some of them are movable, and there are hydraulic, pneumatic, and electromechanical parts that require inspection and repair to ensure aviation safety. And this is done in Sweden.

Swedish quality all the way

Safety is rigorous, and ST Aerospace Solutions in Märsta is licensed for this responsible work.
– You can simply say that we take care of everything that is “removable”. We are 80 employees who service aircraft from all over the world, and we are the only ones in Scandinavia who do this, says Assad Chamoun, who is primarily responsible for the operation.

Investing heavily in industrial ovens for the future aircraft fleet

The international fleet of aircraft is undergoing a generational shift. In the future, more and more of the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner and 737 MAX will be seen in the air. Orders from airlines for these aircraft already amount to 4,300. The new aircraft have been manufactured using materials that are as environmentally friendly as possible, including composite materials. When these are treated during repair, the structure of the material changes, and they must be “re-baked” in industrial ovens to maintain hardening.

– To be able to service and repair even tomorrow’s aircraft fleet, we have therefore invested in large industrial ovens that can accommodate these parts, says Assad.

ST Aerospace chose Gothenburg-based ElectroHeat AB

ST Aerospace has invested in three new industrial ovens and chose ElectroHeat in Gothenburg for their expertise and reliability.

–These are three different industrial ovens for two different applications/processes that we have specially ordered from ElectroHeat. Two of the ovens will be used for hardening composite materials, and the third will be used for hardening steel parts, says Assad.

Temperature accuracy in the oven is most important

There are areas in different parts of the aircraft where oil residue and moisture need to be dried up in the pores, where the part is treated in ovens with different functions.

–It is very important that the temperatures are kept exact for the correct effect to be achieved. We also have autoclaves for hardening bonds in carbon and fiberglass. There, we treat the aircraft parts under both heat and pressure so that the adhesive achieves maximum strength, says Assad.

All industrial ovens have different requirement specifications

At ElectroHeat in Gothenburg, they are pleased to be able to contribute their efforts to be ready to increase safety in the airspace.

– We have over 40 years of experience in the manufacture of various industrial ovens and deliver globally. We manufacture everything from complete automation systems to smaller chamber furnaces, in various designs according to the customer’s requirements and wishes.

Company facts

ST Aerospace Solutions is a subsidiary that is part of Singapore-based ST Engineering with a total of 23,000 employees. The company services and repairs aircraft parts.