Metal Treatment Becomes
Surface Technologies

While our primary market focus—performance enhancement of metal components used in demanding environments—remains the same, Curtiss‑Wright has been increasing its emphasis in the past few years on the acquisition of higher value-added technologies for mission critical applications. Concurrently, we have been pruning and restructuring business lines that were not achieving significant competitive differentiation or financial returns. Furthermore, increased use of robotic technology in processing operations and improvement in operating efficiencies are helping to ensure higher quality and consistency in our product portfolio, while broadening our revenue opportunities. The recent name change of the Metal Treatment business segment to Curtiss‑Wright Surface Technologies is a reflection of these transformational shifts.

Since the 1960s, Curtiss‑Wright has been the unquestioned worldwide market leading provider of outsourced shot peening and shot peen forming services. The shot peening process directs metal or ceramic balls at the surface of a part at high velocity. The impact of the shot leaves behind a compressive stress layer, which increases the fatigue resistance of the component. Shot peening is a value-added manufacturing process that is routinely used for providing increased protection to critical components such as rotating turbine engine parts, transmission gears, and aircraft landing gear. It can also be used to form the aerodynamic curvatures of airplane wing skins.

While taking steps to ensure we maintain our market leadership position in shot peening, we are also expanding our technology base selectively in three areas: laser peening, engineered coatings, and analytical testing services.

Curtiss‑Wright is the global leader in the application of the technically advanced laser peening process. Laser peening is a premium technology that is utilized for the most extremely demanding and specialized applications, such as increasing the durability of rotating airfoils for flight, as well as industrial and steam turbines. It has also proved its ability to provide superior life extension benefits in certain aircraft structural applications.

Our recent acquisitions of specialty thermal spray coating facilities have significantly strengthened our product portfolio in providing customers with technologies for applying metallic and ceramic coatings that protect critical parts and systems operating in the harshest environments. These include gas turbines operating in aerospace and power generation applications, as well as an expanded customer base for servicing high- value equipment used in petrochemical processing, mining, and energy exploration. The ability to provide a high-performance coating that meets the required quality specification, while also operating within a customer’s tight time frame, is critical to the ongoing success of Surface Technologies as a technical service business.

Another initiative, which has enhanced our technical depth in this area, has been our entrée into analytical testing services. Besides providing our customers with testing of raw materials and finished product for conformity to specifications, these capabilities provide our facilities with access to a considerable base of knowledge and experience in mechanical and metallurgical testing.

The transformation of Metal Treatment to Surface Technologies also embodies a commitment to making on-going investments in automation, robotics, and lean manufacturing to increase productivity and lower the cost of servicing our global customer base. It is our intention to continue the expansion of the Surface Technologies business by bundling our value-added services throughout our current network and future greenfield facilities to support our OEM customers on a worldwide basis.