A Look Into ATS’ Growing Components Operation

ATS’ 70,000 sq. ft. component repair facility includes office space, storage and 50,000 sq. ft. of shop floor. The location houses over 100 employees, including around 80 mechanics.

The facility is broken up into five shops: structure, electrical, fluid power, mechanical and machine. As the American OEM repair station for Jamco America, Jamco Tokyo and Koito, ATS handles warranty repairs on their behalves.

As one of the largest dedicated component operations in North America, ATS has recently grown, both organically and through acquisitions. Recent acquisitions include Texas Air Composites (since renamed ATS Components—Fort Worth) and TPS Aerospace (including its subsidiary Aviation Industry Repair). Saretsky says these acquisitions have added more capability and ATS is always evaluating options for more acquisitions.

The ATS components facility is strategically located across the street from Boeing, so it is easy for the facility to work with Boeing’s engineering team on the best way to repair components. Additionally, ATS has won the Boeing Performance Excellence Award for seven years in a row.

Saretsky says ATS works on quite a few winglet repairs. This winglet has been sanded and has undergone composite work.

Pictured here is the electrical shop, where components such as brake rod sensors and alternate flap drive motors are repaired.

Parts are fabricated in the machine shop, which includes CNC machines, mills, lathes, heat treat capabilities and more.

Using equipment in the machine shop, ATS’ engineering team fabricated a crew rest module for the Boeing 767, which can be installed and removed quickly from aircraft. The module, which goes right behind the cockpit, allows the crew to actually lie flat rather than sit in jump seats.

The hydraulic test room deals heavily with landing gear actuation and includes a Boeing 787-capable test bench (right).

These hydraulic fuses were tested and completed by ATS. Saretsky says ATS has developed a repair for hydraulic fuses guaranteeing they will not fail. If they do, ATS will offer the customer a serviceable replacement.

For customers who do not want to invest in brand new parts, ATS is focusing heavily on used serviceable material. ATS keeps a large amount of used serviceable materials in a storage area playfully dubbed the “ice box” in cold weather because it is located near large garage doors.

ATS implemented electronic work records approximately two years ago. The laptops stored in these charging cabinets are used to document and sign off on work electronically. This has made work more efficient and allows technicians to access background information about components up front.