AviTrader_Monthly_MRO_e-Magazine_2016-11

Industry Interview
24
In the hot seat.....
Richard Brown, Vice President and Product Design Manager, Blackbird Designs
AviTrader MRO: What are your current
capabilities in terms of aviation speciality
tooling?
Brown: Blackbird Designs capabilities are
masking kits for wheels and brakes and
Orbs. The masking kits are used for masking
wheels and brakes during the paint process
to increase masking and un masking production
times and help improve quality. The
masking kits have increased masking time as
much as 85% in most applications. Orbs are
discs that are engraved with the customer’s
logo and are used to help secure and protect
the bearing during shipping and storage.
Orbs are made in different sizes and colours.
AviTrader MRO: What exactly does wheel
and brake masking entail?
Brown: Our patented masking consits of
all part required to mask a wheel or brake
as called out for in the manufactures repair
manual. A masking kit is made out of a
smooth surface plastic. This type of plastic allows
for easy cleaning of the masking pieces
and gives the product a long life if cared for
properly. Each masking is machined to have
a snug fit to not allow seepage or overspray
in between the mask and the unit that that is
being painted. The masking kit is also de-
signed stands or risers to allow the painter
to turn the wheel or brake over and paint the
other side without having to wait for the opposite
side to dry.
AviTrader MRO: What function do ‘Orbs’
play?
Brown: Orbs are discs that are made of
colored plastic that are engraved with a customers
logo that protects key areas such as
bearings on a wheel during the shipping and
storage. Most customers have their web site
, logo and telephone number engraved so
that the operator can contact the repair facility
for future business.
AviTrader MRO: Do you work directly
with the airlines or MROs?
Brown: Blackbird Design works with all customers
incuding airlines, major manufacturers
and MRO’s both domestically and internationaly.
AviTrader MRO: What kind of masking
innovations can you talk about and how
does this add value to customer services?
Brown: Our patented masking systems
Blackbird Design works with all customers
incuding airlines and MROs says Brown
are manufactured and designed locally.
All masking pieces that are included in our
masking kits can be modified and redesigned
to meet our customer’s special requirements.
Any custom made masking will
have a unique part number created for that
design only to assure that when the part is
reordered that the proper designed part will
be supplied.
AviTrader MRO: How are you making
your processes and aviation products
more sustainable?
Brown: Blackbird Design is always researching
and implementing new materials, methods
and manufacturing processes as applicable
to provide an end product that will
provide a product that is safe and benefical
in all ways to our customers.
AviTrader MRO: What’s next in the pipeline
at Blackbird?
Blackbird Designs capabilities are masking kits for wheels and brakes and Orbs.
Photo: Blackbird
Brown: Blackbird Design is currently working
with various repair and manufacture facilities
to develop maskings for other applications
on the repair and manufacturing side
of the aircraft. We are willing to accept any
challenge to design a masking or protector
for any component or process of the aircraft,
repair or manufacturing.
AviTrader MRO - November 2016