In this article
Engineered for Extremes: Rebuilding the beating heart of an aviation cable plant
When a leading global connectivity manufacturer spotted cracks spreading across the aluminium capstan drums at the heart of its aviation cable production line, it was more than an ageing-equipment issue. These drums had spent over twenty years working inside a sealed radiation-curing chamber, an environment so aggressive that most suppliers declined even to quote for replacements.
Yet without them, production would eventually stop. The challenge demanded engineering capability that could stretch across materials science, precision fabrication, and systems integration. ERIKS stepped into that space.
Extreme Manufacturing, Zero Margin for Error
The Swindon plant produces high-specification data cables for the aerospace sector – components designed to perform flawlessly for the entire lifespan of an aircraft. As part of the curing process, cable is threaded through a sequence of large aluminium drums while exposed to radiation, allowing the protective coating to harden instantly.
Two decades in this sealed, corrosive, high-energy environment had taken their toll. Stress fractures began to form, threatening both the stability of production and the quality of the end product. Replacing the drums demanded far more than machining identical parts. Every surface, weld, and interface had to withstand continuous radiation exposure while holding the tight tolerances aerospace manufacturing relies upon.
A Brief Turns into a Bespoke Engineering Mission
ERIKS’ involvement began modestly, with a request to assess gearbox overhaul requirements. But when the customer struggled to find a partner willing to take responsibility for the larger capstan replacement, the scope shifted dramatically.
Taking on the project required stepping beyond catalogue components and into a full engineering partnership. The first challenge was sourcing specialist aluminium fabricators capable of welding large assemblies without distortion – a notoriously difficult task given aluminium’s reactivity to heat.
At the same time, ERIKS analysed how materials would behave under sustained radiation, reviewed ageing OEM drawings, and incorporated improvements based on failure patterns observed over the equipment’s twenty-year service life.
Once fabricated, each drum then had to undergo dynamic balancing to extremely fine tolerances. Even minor imbalance at operating speed could induce vibration, accelerate wear, or alter cable geometry.
Precision was non-negotiable.
Rebuilding More Than the Drums
As confidence developed, the project evolved into a broader restoration of the entire drive system. Incremental repairs carried out over the years had kept production running, but drifted the equipment away from its original design intent. ERIKS’ role became not just to replace failing components but to re-establish a coherent, fully optimised system.
The upgraded installation now includes three-way bevel gearboxes acting as speed increasers, high-performance chain couplings, torque limiters, stainless-steel shafts and locking elements – each selected for long-term durability inside a corrosive, sealed environment.
Where possible, improvements were embedded to increase service life and reduce future failure risk.
By returning the system to its true design envelope, while strengthening it with modern engineering insight, ERIKS ensured the production line would operate with renewed stability and extended capability.
Partnership Through Problem-Solving
What began as a single-component enquiry ultimately became a showcase of multidisciplinary engineering. ERIKS coordinated materials testing, supplier engagement, application engineering, and project oversight to deliver a complete solution for an unusually demanding environment.
The outcome is more than a set of newly fabricated drums. It is a fully restored and future-proofed production system, rebuilt with the precision required for aerospace-grade output. It is also a stronger technical partnership, built on the delivery of solutions where standard suppliers could not engage.
With installation due for completion later this year, the plant will return to full operational performance – engineered for extremes once again, and ready to support the next generation of aircraft.
For more information on Power Transmission or if you’d like to find out how you could benefit from the same standardisation, contact your local ERIKS Service Centre, who will be happy to discuss your options.
#ERIKS #LetsMakeIndustryWorkBetter #Engineering #TechnicalPartnership
Author
