Challenge
A major aerospace company requested USD to manufacture a cargo aircraft ramp hinge beam which previously had a history of a high rejection rate and field failures. Problems with the length of the beam, and a single pin required to align with the multiple in-line bores and bushings, needed to be resolved.

Solution
USD initiated an analysis of the design problems and realized that the former producer did not have the appropriate tooling or methods needed for production. USD designed and developed the necessary fixtures and manufacturing approach that resulted in a 100 percent acceptance rate at the customer's site, which in turn yielded cost savings and eliminated production downtime.