Mission Critical Process
Swagelok Helps Keep 'Mission Critical' Processes on Spec
”When we started looking at some of the innovative products we wanted to develop, and specifically around the Eurofighter, we started to get engaged at a number of levels within Swagelok, coming right from our strategic level all the way down to the engineers.”
Terry Nicholls, Managing Director, Lightfoot Defence Watch the video
Quality and reliability are important factors that contribute to the trouble-free operation of your critical fluid systems, and help build the foundation of how we design, manufacture and deliver Swagelok products, solutions and services.
No Margin For Error
At altitudes up to 55,000 feet, and in potential conflict scenarios, Eurofighter pilots are not afforded the time to troubleshoot defense systems; rather, they depend on them to defend themselves and the integrity of the aircraft, and secure their objectives.
In their research and development, Swagelok customer Lightfoot Defense identified a solution to address the costly replacement of refrigerant that keeps the Eurofighter’s Praetorian Defense Aids Sub-System (DASS) at exactly the optimized operational temperature. The Eurofighter’s DASS jams the radar of ground missile systems, and deploys decoy imaging of the aircraft to scramble potential threats.
Developed in collaboration with Swagelok, the DASS rig takes contaminated refrigerant and removes the contamination to produce a reusable, 99.9% purified substance, with a significant cost reduction for the UK MoD Eurofighter program, as compared to traditional, direct replacement.
Here’s Lightfoot’s managing director, Terry Nicholls, discussing Swagelok’s robust capabilities and value proposition:
Utilizing a host of Swagelok products, including flexible metal hose, Micro-Fit® miniature tube butt-weld fittings, stainless steel tubing, RL3 series relief valves, TF series filters, and Swagelok tube fittings enabled a shift from over 200 components pieced together, to just eight pre-built subassemblies. Swagelok’s ability to produce these repeatable subassemblies has helped Lightfoot simplify, standardize and speed up their manufacturing capacity.
At Swagelok, our goal is to drive innovation and develop tailored value propositions that focus on a competitive advantage and ultimately deliver the lowest cost of ownership to the customer throughout the service life. Learn more about how we can help you with your toughest business challenges: