Special finishes, material test certificates in accordance with EN 10204-3.1, and international delivery processes are part of everyday operations at Becker Avionics. When it comes to procuring parts based on drawings, this requires a significant amount of coordination, as manufacturing, surface treatment, documentation, and logistics must all work together seamlessly. To streamline these processes, Becker Avionics relies on FACTUREE as its central procurement interface for both series production and project-based needs.
Becker Avionics GmbH develops and manufactures communication, navigation, surveillance, and intercom systems, as well as search-and-rescue solutions for aviation and ground-based applications.
The components procured through FACTUREE are incorporated into various devices and assemblies for the aerospace industry. The focus is on both production run requirements and project-based manufacturing, with quantities typically ranging from 10 to 300 parts. The requirements for surface quality, documentation, and process reliability are particularly high.
Special surfaces make procurement complex
At Becker Avionics, the components used require significantly more than just manufacturing according to drawings. Particularly challenging are Sheet metal parts with specified surfaces. A used The coating is SurTec 650, a chromium(VI)-free passivation treatment for aluminum and aluminum alloys. In the aerospace industry, such surfaces are important because they must meet specific requirements for corrosion protection and material properties.
It is precisely these requirements that make procurement so challenging. This is because only a few specialized suppliers are capable of achieving the required surface finish. The purchasing department must therefore find a manufacturer who can not only produce the component but also reliably achieve the required surface quality and provide the necessary documentation.
A single interface for manufacturing, documentation, and customs
However, the challenge extends beyond manufacturing and surface treatment. For numerous components, material test certificates in accordance with EN 10204-3.1 are also required. In addition, there are international shipping and customs clearance processes that must be reliably organized. This results in a procurement process in which technical, regulatory, and logistical requirements must work together.
„Especially when it comes to specialized requirements, the workload can quickly increase when different suppliers and processes need to be coordinated. For us, therefore, it was crucial to be able to manage procurement centrally. FACTUREE maps out all steps in an end-to-end procurement process and handles the transaction as the central contracting party,“ says Tobias Ollech, Senior Buyer at Becker Avionics GmbH.
In addition to coated sheet metal parts, Becker Avionics regularly purchases the following through FACTUREE CNC Turning- and Milling. Other processes, such as bending, welding, EDM, or the machining of ground sheet metal, can also be handled through the company’s network. This enables Becker Avionics to manage a variety of manufacturing processes and surface finish requirements through a single procurement process.
To this end, FACTUREE draws on a network of more than 2,000 vetted manufacturing partners. This is particularly relevant for Becker Avionics, as the combination of aviation requirements, specialized surfaces, and recurring needs is not readily available on the market. Through FACTUREE, the appropriate manufacturing capacities are available, eliminating the need to establish and maintain separate supplier structures for each technical requirement, as was previously the case.
Precise Tuning for Demanding Specifications
At the same time, this collaboration demonstrates how important precise technical coordination is in specialized aviation parts is. Particularly with regard to surface requirements, specifications had to be precisely defined and jointly refined in the initial phase.
For example, in one case, the passivation process initially did not fully meet the required specifications, making it necessary to remanufacture the part. In another project, the grinding pattern had to be reworked. These experiences illustrate how sensitive specialized surfaces can be to deviations and how important clear technical communication is between purchasing, manufacturing, and suppliers.
For Becker Avionics, it was crucial that these issues be openly addressed and resolved at the operational level. Requirements were refined, processes were adjusted, and collaboration was further strengthened as a result. This is a particularly important factor when dealing with complex parts based on drawings: Not every requirement can be fully verified through the drawing alone. It is also crucial how inquiries, corrections, and technical details are handled during the ongoing process.
Centralized processing reduces the workload on the purchasing department
For Becker Avionics, the procurement process needed to become, above all, faster, simpler, and more reliable. FACTUREE supports this goal by combining manufacturing, documentation, logistics, and customs clearance into a single process.
Today, the purchasing department no longer needs to identify new specialized suppliers or establish and coordinate additional supply chains for surface treatments, material certifications, or supplementary services. This significantly reduces the effort involved in supplier management and greatly simplifies procurement—particularly for components that require additional certifications or involve international delivery processes.
Technical inquiries, commercial processing, and delivery coordination are handled through a single point of contact at FACTUREE. This reduces the need for internal coordination.
This approach proves particularly advantageous in project-based manufacturing. New requirements or short-notice orders can be fulfilled more quickly without having to go to the trouble of expanding existing supply chains. At the same time, mass-production orders also benefit from the established processes.
Expansion Planned for CNC and Sheet Metal Parts
The collaboration is set to continue growing. Becker Avionics plans to expand its procurement of CNC-machined turned and milled parts through FACTUREE. The supply of sheet metal parts will also continue, and the volume is set to increase.
„For us, FACTUREE has established itself as a one-stop shop for complex, drawing-based parts. We save valuable time and money,“ explains Tobias Ollech.
FACTUREE experience summarized
- Central procurement interface for complex requirements: Manufacturing, specialized finishes, documentation, and customs clearance are all handled by a single contractor.
- Specialized surfaces reliably produced: Chromium(VI)-free passivation according to SurTec 650 for aluminum components, including the required documentation.
- Comprehensive Documentation for the Aviation Industry: Material test certificates in accordance with EN 10204-3.1 are an integral part of the delivery processes.
- Significantly reduced coordination effort in purchasing: It is no longer necessary to set up your own supplier structures for specialized requirements and international processes.
- A wide range of manufacturing services from a single source: In addition to CNC-machined turned and milled parts, bending, welding, EDM, and the machining of ground sheet metal are also available through a network of more than 2,000 certified manufacturing partners.
