# Sheet Metal Fabrication for Aerospace & Defense

https://kdisplay.com/industries/aerospace-and-defense

K-Display, a Chicago sheet metal fabricator, builds ground support equipment frames, test stands and instrument racks, covers, and brackets for aerospace and defense contractors from their drawings, finished with powder coat, marking, and assembly.

## Overview
Ground support equipment (GSE) is the equipment that services an aircraft or system on the ground: maintenance stands, test stands, instrument racks, and the covers and brackets that go with them. These parts are sheet metal fabrication for aerospace and defense contractors, cut, formed, and welded from carbon steel, stainless steel, or aluminum, then fitted with studs, nuts, hinges, and latches and powder coated. Where DFARS 252.211-7003 flows down to your contract, delivered items at $5,000 or more in unit acquisition cost, and the serially managed items and embedded subassemblies the contr…

## Process
- Cut, form, and weld: We laser cut the blanks with their cutouts and hole patterns in place, form them, and weld the frames, racks, and boxes.
- Hardware first, then powder coat: We install the hardware, mask the bonding surfaces and threads, and powder coat. The bonding surfaces come out bare and the threads stay clear.
- Marking, assembly, and kits: We apply the labels, decals, or silk-screened marks at the location on your drawing, assemble the parts, and kit and pack them by part number.

## Typical parts
- Ground support equipment frames: Welded frames for maintenance stands, with base plates, mounting plates, and gussets welded in.
- Test stands and instrument racks: Test stand frames and shelved racks that carry the instrument or unit under test, with mounts for sensors and cable rails.
- Covers and panel assemblies: Formed covers and access panels for ground equipment, with removable connector plates that seat on a repeated flange pattern.
- Ground power boxes: Boxes with conduit entries, an internal mounting panel, and a bonding stud, for the ground power connection at a stand or shelter.
- Brackets, trays, and mounting plates: Formed brackets and trays that locate equipment in shelters, vehicles, and racks, drilled to the fastener pattern of the mating structure.

## Requirements
- Drawing revision and quantities: The revision each part is built to, matched to the purchase order, and the quantity per assembly.
- Finish callouts: Powder coat color and texture, the cosmetic faces, and the masking boundaries drawn on each part, with a color sample or product reference when the match matters.
- Marking content and location: The method (label, decal, or silk-screen), the text or artwork, and the datum the mark is placed from, including any item unique identification mark.
- Connector and instrument part numbers: The part number of each connector and panel-mounted instrument, and the panel thickness it mounts in.
- Bonding points: The location and stud size of each bond on boxes and covers, and the surfaces that stay bare.
- Mating structure: The fastener pattern of the shelter, vehicle, or rack that each bracket mounts to.

## Related pages
- [MIG & TIG Welding](https://kdisplay.com/capabilities/welding/mig-tig-welding)
- [Powder Coating](https://kdisplay.com/capabilities/finishing/powder-coating)
- [Part Marking & Product Graphics](https://kdisplay.com/capabilities/finishing/part-marking-product-graphics)
- [Custom Welded Frames & Weldments](https://kdisplay.com/products/frames-weldments/equipment-frames-weldments)
- [Custom Test Stand & Fixture Frames](https://kdisplay.com/products/frames-weldments/test-stand-fixture-frames)
- [Custom Machine Housings & Covers](https://kdisplay.com/products/panels-covers/machine-housings-covers)
- [Custom Junction Boxes & Terminal Enclosures](https://kdisplay.com/products/electrical-enclosures/junction-terminal-enclosures)
- [Custom Sheet Metal Mounting Brackets](https://kdisplay.com/products/brackets-plates/mounting-brackets)