Getting into the aerospace industry isn’t simple. Most fluid application companies working with aerospace manufacturers end up filtering through defense contractors and operating behind heavy NDAs with limited technical visibility. It’s difficult to solve a problem you can’t fully see, and that’s a big reason why few fluid application providers have found a foothold in the industry.

This project looks different. A satellite manufacturer reached out to Designetics, opening the door to collaboration and a fast-growing partnership. What started as a single manual application problem grew into a multi-process, multi-facility relationship within a year.

Designetics has spent years building a reputation for applying fluids precisely: adhesives, sealants, coatings and primers, delivered exactly where a process needs them. A recent project revealed something else the same underlying technology can do. It can take contamination off a surface just as reliably as it puts fluid on.

As Jeff Schnapp, Regional Sales Manager at Designetics, put it: "We've always been known for applying fluid to surfaces, not cleaning them. This project was different in that we weren't adding fluid, we were removing things."

In high-volume manufacturing, there’s no margin for error and no time to stop. When a major manufacturer began experiencing quality defects in newly assembled products, the source of the problem pointed to an easy-to-overlook step: surface cleanliness before the critical sealing operation.

The components were being machined, assembled and moved down the line. But the machining process left behind a combination of fine metal particles and residual oil on the seating surfaces. The oil acted as a binding agent, trapping contaminants on critical surfaces where downstream assembly operations required a clean interface. The result was a steady stream of defects, costly teardowns, and, in some cases, warranty issues at the dealership level.

The challenge was clear. What wasn’t clear was how to fix it without interrupting the line.

Material waste is one of the most persistent cost drivers in modern manufacturing. That could mean adhesive overspray on an automotive assembly line or inconsistent sealant coverage in an aerospace application. In each case, excess fluid ends up where it shouldn’t be. That waste compounds quickly, driving up raw material costs, disposal fees, rework hours and environmental impact.

Choosing the right fluid applicator can address the problem at the source. This article breaks down how traditional methods fall short, what precision applicators do differently and how the correct solution can deliver measurable cost savings for your operation.

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are the backbone of nearly every modern electronic device. Smartphones, medical equipment, industrial controls and automotive systems all depend on them to power their components. Getting a PCB to perform reliably over its lifespan depends on good design and circuit board protection.

Conformal coating is one of the most important steps in that protection process. Applied directly to the surface of a finished board, it shields sensitive components from moisture, dust, chemicals and temperature changes. Because PCBs are small and densely packed, the application must be exact. This guide covers the most common PCB coating defects, where they come from and what you can do to prevent them.