Chemical Processing and Painting Facility

When Bombardier needed a Metal Surface Finishing Facility (MSFF) at its Learjet complex to meet the requirements of its new Continental Business Jet program, it called on The Austin Company. The MSFF replaced a metal finishing cell in 13,500 sq. ft. of an existing building.

The MSFF performs chemical processing and painting as part of the production process for a variety of aerospace components. In the chemical processing area, corrosion resistant coatings are applied in 16 immersion tanks. The tanks are 12 feet long, four feet wide and seven feet deep. The parts are immersed into selected tanks according to various “recipes.” The system can run up to 16 different recipes.

The painting area contains paint booths and ovens, where primers and topcoats are applied and cured. The downdraft booth and infrared oven use a powered overhead conveyor to transport parts on suspended paint racks. A side draft booth and two batch-drying ovens use a manual wheeled-cart distribution system. The facility also houses a nondestructive testing laboratory and a quality assurance laboratory.

As a result of the renovation, annual production at the MSFF exceeds one million parts, including components for all models of Learjet aircraft and the Continental aircraft.