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Snowline’s State-of-the-Art Fabrication Facility Is Now 100% Green Energy

Snowline’s State-of-the-Art Fabrication Facility Is Now 100% Green Energy

Green Energy

Founded in 1966, Snowline Engineering is backed by a long history of investing in the industry’s latest manufacturing equipment and production facility technology. We are proud to announce that this investment now includes 100% green and clean energy for our state-of-the-art fabrication facility in Sacramento, California.

Committed to Environmentally friendly american manufacturing solutions

Snowline is a flexible American contract manufacturer dedicated to continually improving our processes and production efficiency.

On one hand, we constantly strive to improve our manufacturing capabilities and capacity to better serve our customers’ supply chains. Simultaneously, we aim to minimize our carbon footprint in the process to deliver the most sustainable fabrication services possible.

Snowline’s Investment in Green Manufacturing Technology Includes:

  •  Lighting was converted to LED to reduce power requirements
  •  Installed 576 solar modules generating 225 Kw of power.
  •  Installed e gauge monitoring system which tracks our power generation against consumption to raise awareness of our energy requirements.

Streamlined and Sustainable Contract Manufacturing Services

Snowline has developed innovative engineering and manufacturing solutions for a range of commercial and industrial applications since 1966. Our 75,000 sq.-ft facility is integrated with the industry’s most state-of-the-art fabrication technologies along with highly efficient green energy systems in order to deliver the most sustainable contract manufacturing services possible.

Rocket Fuel Tank Rotator
green-energy-02-2023

The Impact of Robotics and Factory Automation in the Aerospace Manufacturing Sector

The Impact of Robotics and Factory Automation in the Aerospace Manufacturing Sector

Machining Capabilities

Industrial robotics and factory automation have shaped the modern landscape of aerospace manufacturing and fabrication services.

Today’s highly advanced flight industries demand the utmost in precision and consistency from their products. At the same time, these projects often require high-volume capacity and/or rapid turnaround times for production. Achieving all of those goals while remaining price-competitive requires innovative contract manufacturing solutions integrated with factory automation and robotics.

The Advantages of Automated Robotics for Aerospace Manufacturing Services

  • Faster production speed and quicker project turnaround.
  • Higher volume capacity and “lights out” around-the-clock manufacturing.
  • Higher levels of precision and consistency for complex, close-tolerance aerospace components.
  • A more robust supply chain based on a domestic manufacturing source for your products.

Three Ways Robotics Are Utilized in Modern Aerospace Manufacturing

Robotic Welding Services

Robotic welding is critical to streamlining aerospace fabrication projects while maintaining precision weld quality. Aerospace welding is a highly repetitive process that requires absolute accuracy and consistency.

Robotic welding systems achieve much higher levels of productivity than human welders while achieving the same or better quality. Since aerospace welding can be a hazardous and intensive process, automated welding solutions also help improve the safety of our employees when compared to manual welding.

Automated Aerospace Assembly

Automating the assembly process will significantly streamline your aerospace project. Drilling, tapping, and fastening operations require a large amount of tedious work for manual operators – especially in the case of large airplane components like fuselages, body panels, chassis sections, and other structural assemblies. Robotic assembly systems automate the entire process – from tapping and drilling to reaming and threading – reducing labor costs while maintaining absolute quality.

 Put simply, many aerospace components require a vast number of custom-drilled holes and fasteners in order to securely install within the aircraft. Automating the drilling, fastening, and various assembly processes will drastically cut down your production time.

Automated Inspection and Quality Control Solutions

Today’s aviation and spaceflight sectors almost invariably demand close tolerances and extremely strict quality requirements. In other words, consistent quality assurance is absolutely critical. At the same time, detailed inspection procedures can add a lot of additional time to your production schedule.

Robot inspection systems are utilized to perform various non-destructive testing procedures such as ultrasonic testing, imaging, and metrology inspections. These automated quality control systems ensure precision with every product while minimally delaying the manufacturing process.

Over 65 Years of Precision Aerospace Manufacturing Services

Founded in 1966, Snowline has continually adopted the industry’s most capable production equipment to remain as one of America’s leading aerospace manufacturers. Located in Sacramento, California, our state-of-the-art facility is integrated with some of today’s most advanced robotic manufacturing equipment and factory automation systems.

Choosing an Aerospace Manufacturing Partner

5 Things to Consider When Choosing an Aerospace Manufacturing Partner

Yoke

In the modern world of precision aerospace manufacturing, not all providers are created equal. While plenty of machine shops and fabricators claim to offer the close-tolerance capabilities needed for aerospace production, most of these companies lack the industry experience and engineering innovation required to remain at the forefront of today’s aviation and spaceflight sectors.

Choosing an experienced aerospace manufacturing partner such as Snowline ensures the quality of your products and the long-term success of your project – along with a simpler, more reliable supply chain.

The Five Questions You Should Ask of Your Aerospace Manufacturing Company

How much industry experience does your aerospace manufacturer provide?

While many providers offer “aerospace manufacturing services” backed by precision machining and fabrication capabilities, the majority of providers out there don’t actually offer any meaningful experience in the aviation or spaceflight industries.

These providers may very well be able to produce your custom aerospace parts within acceptable specifications. However, they don’t provide the engineering expertise or industry connections that a dedicated aerospace manufacturer like Snowline does. We offer more than 65 years of innovation and experience serving state-of-the-art flight projects worldwide.

Does your aerospace provider offer complete in-house machining and fabrication services?

Complex aerospace manufacturing projects often necessitate numerous metalworking processes: fabrication, CNC machining, welding, turnkey assembly, etc. Partnering with a single-source aerospace manufacturer will help simplify your supply chain while ensuring consistent quality with every product.

What are your aerospace manufacturer’s quality certifications?

Custom aerospace manufacturing projects generally require the highest quality and consistency possible. That’s why it’s important to partner with a provider that is certified to deliver the precision that your custom aerospace parts demand.

Snowline is an AS9100D certified aerospace manufacturer – the industry standard for the modern aviation and spaceflight sectors. Our company is also certified to ISO 9001:2015 standards. Our facility includes an integrated welding department certified to AWS standards. These certifications combined with our robust quality control system ensure that Snowline delivers uncompromising precision with every component we produce in-house.

Should you choose an American manufacturer or offshore provider?

When compared to overseas providers, an American aerospace manufacturer can help your company avoid many of the supply chain issues that have saddled domestic providers for the last several years.

Our expertise includes optimizing your overall production planning to ensure the efficiency and sustainability of your project. Compared to offshoring, domestic aerospace providers like Snowline can offer a more reliable source of product deliveries with far fewer disruptions.

Over 65 Years of Precision Aerospace Manufacturing Services

Established in 1966, Snowline has evolved into one of the nation’s leading aerospace manufacturers and engineering providers. Based out of Sacramento, California, our company is proud to remain as one of the West Coast’s leading contract manufacturers for a diverse range of aviation and spaceflight projects.

Understanding the True Value of Benefits

Understanding the True Value of Benefits

Welder Smiling

Many jobseekers in the manufacturing industry make the mistake of focusing solely on the listed salaries or hourly pay rates when comparing potential workplaces. However, doing so ignores the true long-term value of additional benefits that you receive when you choose a career with a highly dedicated, quality-focused manufacturer such as Snowline Engineering.

SNOWLINE Engineering employee benefits

  • Company Paid Medical
  • Dental and Vision Insurance
  • Company Paid Long Term Disability and Life Insurance Plans
  • 401K plan with Company Contribution
  • Paid Vacation and Sick Time
  • Paid Holidays

saving for the future and retirement

A healthy 401K plan is the key to financial stability as you grow older and transition towards retirement. Even small contributions made regularly can grow into a healthy nest egg throughout the course of your career.

That’s why it’s imperative that you calculate the value of retirement benefits into your long-term finances, along with your regular paychecks or salary. Over time, the money put into your 401K can decide your financial stability once you decide to no longer work full time.

At Snowline, we offer our employees a generous 401K benefits package with paid company contributions.

THe difference between a job and a career in manufacturing

Are you looking for a short-term job to simply make a paycheck, or a long-term career that you can grow within – one that will potentially support you until retirement? If it’s the latter, then you have to consider the true value of benefits when you’re comparing open positions in the manufacturing realm. Otherwise, you’ll likely end up following a less stable career path while missing out on a lot of money, opportunities, and additional support along the way.

Learn More About Manufacturing Jobs vs. Careers

 

snowline: a great place to build a career

At Snowline Engineering, we have adopted a highly functional organization structure designed to facilitate employee productivity and administrative flexibility. That means we do everything we can to make your job easier and more efficient while being responsive to every employee’s unique strengths and needs.

The Benefits of a Single-Source Aerospace Manufacturing Supplier

The Benefits of a Single-Source Aerospace Manufacturing Supplier

Precision Engineering Solutions

Partnering with a single-source engineering and manufacturing service provider offers a number of key advantages to your aerospace project.

Single-source contract manufacturers such as Snowline Engineering are able to offer higher flexibility, responsiveness, and dedication to your project. Furthermore, our company is able to leverage over half a century of aviation manufacturing experience with our current leading industry connections to help ensure the efficiency, sustainability, and – ultimately – the success of your project.

What Is a Single-Source Aerospace Manufacturer?

Single-source manufacturing and engineering companies provide complete project management solutions for the production of your custom aerospace products. From the development of custom prototypes to the machining and fabrication of precision production parts, we can tackle your aviation project from beginning to end.

Snowline functions as your single point-of-contact for the entirety of the project. This streamlines communications, ensuring efficiency and responsiveness in every step of our customer services. Whereas multi-sourcing your project will have you coordinating with numerous providers – attempting to sync up production stages and quality controls – single-sourcing lets you focus on the other needs of your business while Snowline handles every aspect of product manufacturing.

The Primary Advantages of Single-Source Manufacturing and Engineering Services

A single-source aerospace provider is able to deliver the consistent quality and precision that is required for today’s aviation and flight components. This is especially beneficial to complex aerospace components and assemblies which require extensive engineering solutions. With Snowline, all aspects of engineering and manufacturing are integrated to ensure superior results that you and your customers can rely upon.

  • Higher quality and consistency for complex aerospace components and assemblies.
  • All aspects of your project are streamlined: from material procurement to manufacturing to delivery.
  • Far less administrative and logistical work required compared to multi-sourcing from numerous providers.
  • Faster lead times and potential cost savings due to our extensive network of industry connections and trusted vendors.

Your Single-Source American Manufacturer for the Aerospace Industry and Beyond

Snowline Engineering is an AS9100D certified American manufacturer with over half a century of industry-leading experience. Our company specializes in the custom manufacturing of precision products for the aerospace sector and beyond.

The Difference Between a Job and a Career in the Manufacturing Industry

The Difference Between a Job and a Career in the Manufacturing Industry

employees

Snowline is currently offering numerous highly-rewarding career options for experienced machinists and metal fabrication professionals in California, Oregon, and Washington.

If you are a jobseeker looking for open work positions with CNC machining shops and metal fabrication companies, you may find it hard to differentiate between run-of-the-mill jobs and long-term career options.

Jobs and Short-Term Work in Manufacturing

Short-term jobs and contract positions can be commonly found throughout the American manufacturing industry. These types of work opportunities are great as temporary positions, for tradesmen who simply are seeking a means to make ends meet financially.

Common jobs in manufacturing can come in the form of one-off projects as well seasonal positions for when fabrication shops require increased production. In other cases, you may just want a temporary job in manufacturing as a stepping stone between one stage of your career and the next.

The Benefits of a Career in Manufacturing

In contrast, a true career comes with dedication – both from you and your employer. A manufacturing career will let you grow as a professional alongside the company you work for, continuously learning new skills as you progress.

Compared to a short-term manufacturing job, a career will provide your working life with long-term stability, rewarding your efforts with better pay and better benefits. Choosing your career as a machinist or metal fabricator will give you the opportunity to master your trade and become a true craftsman.

Snowline Is More Than a Great Place to Work – It’s an Opportunity to Build Your Career

If you’re a jobseeker interested in working for an innovative American manufacturing company that has the same high work ethic and commitment to excellence that you do, you may have found your next career with Snowline Engineering.

Our company strives to empower our employees through highly rewarding career paths which match their qualifications, experience, and personal goals. We offer the same dedication to our employees that they put into their work – along with competitive salaries and outstanding benefits.

Snowline Engineering is a fast-paced, safety conscious, equal opportunity employer. Our company is dedicated to providing an environment where employees are both challenged and encouraged to learn, grow, and reach their full potential. Feel free to browse our Careers Page to learn about our current open career positions.

Challenges of Quality Control in Aerospace

Challenges of Quality Control in the Aerospace Manufacturing Sector

Titanium Mount

In the modern world of aviation engineering and manufacturing, absolute quality control is paramount. Aerospace manufacturers such as Snowline are tasked with developing state-of-the-art components and assemblies which are then installed in critical flight applications. In other words, these products are literally responsible for the safety of air travelers across the globe – including our military pilots and astronauts – as humanity takes to the skies.

As such, it is imperative that every aerospace contract manufacturer delivers complete precision and consistency. How is that achieved? Below we discuss some of the most pressing quality control challenges in the modern aviation industry, and how Snowline responds to achieve superior results.

Certified Quality Control vs. Compliant Quality Control Systems

A lot of aerospace manufacturers will boast about their compliance to various well-known quality control programs. For example, many providers claim to be “ISO compliant” opposed to being ISO 9001:2015 certified like Snowline.

In some rarer cases, there will even be companies that claim to be AS9100 compliant. The implication is that they are able to achieve “aerospace grade” close tolerances and finishes. However, that implication is virtually meaningless if it is not actually backed up by an AS9100D certified company.

AS9100D Certification Ensures Precision Aerospace Quality

If your aerospace project requires complex parts and assemblies produced to the most exacting standards, partnering with an AS9100D certified aerospace manufacturer is the first step toward the success of your products. Snowline is an AS9100D certified provider specializing in the design, engineering, and manufacturing of precision flight components. Furthermore, our company is ISO 9001:2015 certified and includes a full-service AWS certified welding department.

Supply Chain Challenges in the Post-COVID Manufacturing World

Another challenge that today’s aerospace customers face when searching for a manufacturer is reliability within the supply chain. Disruptions have become commonplace within the global supply of parts and materials for virtually every industrial sector. The problem is often exacerbated when you work with an overseas provider: international shipping issues and inefficient communication between suppliers can quickly derail or delay your project.

Enter Snowline – a premium American aerospace manufacturer offering lean production solutions which will simplify your supply chain.

Unlike the majority of faceless overseas providers, we pride ourselves on our responsiveness and hands-on customer service. Moreover, having remained a leader in the domestic manufacturing industry for over 55 years, our services are backed by one of the most reliable supply chains in the industry, along with decades of combined management expertise.

Superior Production Services for Flight Applications Since 1966

Snowline Aerospace specializes in the development of precision aerospace engineering and production solutions. Based out of Sacramento, California, our company remains one of the greater West Coast region’s leading providers of complete contract manufacturing services for cutting-edge flight applications.

Key Considerations in the Manufacturing of Custom Aeronautical Prototypes

Key Considerations in the Manufacturing of Custom Aeronautical Prototypes

17-4 Stainless Steel Fitting

There are a multitude of special considerations to keep in mind which will help ensure the success of your aerospace prototyping project.

The complexity within the modern world of industrial manufacturing demands prototyping services backed by the utmost quality, consistency, and engineering capability. This is especially true when it comes to aeronautical prototype manufacturing – a sector which aims to produce precision products that are reliable enough to take flight across the world or into space.

Some of the capabilities that set Snowline Aerospace above our competitors include our rapid prototyping services, our expertise in design for manufacturing and assembly (DFM / DFA), as well as our superior quality assurance program certified to AS9100D and ISO 9001:2015 standards.

Requirements for Successful Prototyping in Aerospace Applications

Rapid Prototyping Capabilities

Rapid prototyping services streamline the development process of your aeronautical prototypes. It allows us to fabricate complex aerospace prototypes on an accelerated schedule directly from a CAD file. Your prototype is manufactured and tested, engineering and design modifications are performed seamlessly, then the next prototype iteration is created rapidly ready for retesting and refinement. 

Our rapid aeronautical prototyping services enable Snowline to cut down your project timeline while cutting out many of the production costs associated with conventional prototype manufacturing.

Certified Quality, Consistency, and Efficiency

It’s important to partner with an aerospace prototype manufacturer who provides certified quality and precision – not merely a provider who is “compliant” with the necessary quality standards and regulations. 

Snowline Aerospace is an AS9100D certified contract manufacturer specializing in precision aeronautical prototyping projects. Additionally, our company is ISO 9001:2015 certified, and offers superior AWS certified welding services.

Designed for Manufacturing (DFM)

Due to the high cost and complexity of aerospace prototyping, it’s important to ensure your products are engineered for efficient manufacturability. This requires expertise in design for manufacturing – integral to Snowline’s lean production practices.

Our engineering team provides extensive expertise in designing aerospace prototypes for more efficient manufacturability. Through our rapid prototyping processes, we assist you in determining how design features will affect cost once full-scale production is underway. We can then modify or draft new designs which facilitate a leaner and more cost-effective production process.

Designed for Assembly (DFA)

Likewise, it’s imperative that your aeronautical prototypes are designed around the parameters of efficient assembly operations. Given the precision and complexity of many aerospace products, the post-production assembly requirements are naturally going to be complex. With that in mind, our engineers strive to develop your products such that the assembly processes down the line are as simplified as possible.

Experience in Updating Legacy Products / Reverse Engineering

Adding to Snowline’s capabilities in design for manufacturing and assembly, we can redesign your legacy components to simplify the assembly process. This includes updating legacy designs for automated production. Our team can also reverse engineer your products and modify the designs to take advantage of more advanced modern manufacturing methods.

More than 65 Years of Precision Aerospace Prototyping Solutions

Snowline Aerospace has specialized in the development of innovative aeronautical projects since 1966. Located in Sacramento, California, our company is proud to be one of the West Coast region’s premier aerospace engineering providers with leading expertise in prototype manufacturing.

What AS9100D Means for Your Aerospace CNC Machining Provider

What AS9100D Means for Your Aerospace CNC Machining Provider

Aerospace

Snowline Is an AS9100D Certified American Manufacturer Specializing in Precision Aerospace Machining Projects

In the modern aerospace machining sector, AS9100D certification is the industry standard when it comes to ensuring quality and consistency in manufacturing, as well as responsive engineering support services. Below, we discuss the overall advantages of choosing an AS9100D certified CNC machine shop, as well as some of the specific requirements laid out within the AS9100D guidelines.

At Snowline, our complete range of aerospace manufacturing solutions are backed by more than half a century of quality and innovation, as well as the latest AS9100D quality control standards.

AS9100D Certified Production Solutions:

The Advantages of AS9100D Certified Quality Assurance Solutions

  • Improve and optimize the overall quality control process to meet each customer’s unique manufacturing requirements.
  • Improve manufacturing consistency through the promotion of data-driven product testing, analysis, and engineering support.
  • Robust monitoring of all production processes to maximize lean manufacturing efficiency.
  • Risk assessment of product designs and manufacturing methods to facilitate a more sustainable production plan.
  • Compliance to all relevant regulatory codes, quality protocols, and safety requirements.
  • Facilitating a working culture of continuous improvement and ingenuity which adds to the ongoing refinement of your products.

An Overview of the AS9100D Quality Control Standard Requirements

AS9100D Section I – Scope

The opening section lays out the scope of the AS9100D certification standard, specifying the quality control system requirements for aerospace manufacturers.

AS9100D Section II – Normative References

The second section defines supporting quality control standards, namely ISO 9001:2015 certification and the references contained therein.

AS9100D Section III – Terms and Definitions

An overview and definitions of the specialized terminology used throughout the AS9100D and ISO 9001 documentation are provided.

AS9100D Section IV – Context

This section refers to the context of the involved organizations themselves, defining a basis for the relationship between the aerospace customer and their chosen manufacturer.

AS9100D Section V – Leadership

The fifth section of AS9100D covers the requirements for company leadership, defining the roles and responsibilities of management and establishing the basic requirements for responsive communication.

AS9100D Section VI – Planning

Plans are laid out to address potential risks in production as well as opportunities for improvements within the manufacturing process and quality control system.

AS9100D Section VII – Support

The critical seventh section of AS9100D defines the roles of supporting personnel as well as production equipment. It lays the foundation for proper workplace training, equipment calibration, process documentation, etc.

AS9100D Section VIII – Operation

This section plans out the actual operation of the production process. It includes produce design and development process, supplier management and material controls, as well as various service provisions.

AS9100D Section IX – Performance Evaluation

The overall quality management system is scrutinized to ensure the utmost in consistency. All processes are monitored, analyzed, and reviewed according to their effectiveness and efficiency.

AS9100D Section X – Improvement

The final section of AS9100D lays the groundwork for improvement and refinement of the combined manufacturing and quality control processes in order to develop the most optimized solution possible.

Certified Quality and Ingenuity for Your Aerospace Manufacturing Project

Snowline has provided quality-focused engineering and fabrication solutions for the cutting-edge aerospace sector since 1966. From the engineering and design of your custom products to precision fabrication to turnkey assembly services, we offer complete in-house production solutions for your aerospace parts, components, and assemblies.

The Benefits of In-House American Engineering and Manufacturing Services

The Benefits of In-House American Engineering and Manufacturing Services

Machining Capabilities

Snowline Offers Lean, Streamlined, and Sustainable Engineering and Manufacturing Solutions

In the world of precision engineering and manufacturing, “made in the USA” has always been virtually synonymous with “quality”. Premium American contract manufacturers such as Snowline are often able to deliver higher quality and consistency backed by more timely turnaround times and responsive engineering support services.

Nevertheless, many domestic companies rely on overseas manufacturers due to the perceived cost savings. Materials and labor can be much cheaper due to offshoring – but is your business really making more money over the lifetime of your products when you factor in potential quality control or delivery issues down the road?

The Issues with Offshoring Your Manufacturing

As the COVID-19 pandemic has taught many American businesses – a single supply chain disruption can make or break the profitability of your project. Relying on overseas suppliers opens up your project to a multitude of potential logistics issues – from material acquisition to manufacturing to delivery – while also removing accountability and traceability from the process.

Furthermore, the exorbitant cost of international shipping will often eat away any cost savings realized in your offshored project. Factor in shipping disruptions, delayed deliveries, as well as the myriad of quality control issues that can arise along the way, and suddenly American manufacturing services start to seem more than worth the upfront price.

The Advantages of Choosing a Domestic Manufacturer

Onshoring to Ensure Quality, Consistency, and Efficiency

Choosing a single-source domestic manufacturing company helps ensure that your products are manufactured according to spec and delivered on time – every time.

Furthermore, engineering providers such as Snowline offer a range of value-added capabilities which can refine, improve, and optimize your products for the most efficient manufacturing processes possible. And of course, the entire process is transparent and traceable – unlike the nebulous networks of many overseas providers.

Tackling Your Supply Chain Issues

Partnering with a manufacturing firm based at home will help you avoid many of the supply chain issues which have plagued American providers throughout the last several years. We can assist with your production planning while offering a more reliable source of product deliveries so that you or your customers are never left in the dark.

Streamlined Shipping and Delivery to Reduce Costs

International shipping has always been a major cost, and the prices have only skyrocketed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. US-based contract manufacturers like Snowline can help to substantially reduce your shipping costs so that more of your budget goes into making better products.

Quality Certified Engineering and Manufacturing Solutions

The long-term quality of your products will ultimately determine the success of your business. That’s why it’s imperative to partner with a reliable manufacturing firm that is certified to deliver precision results.

Snowline is an AS9100D and ISO 9001:2015 certified contract manufacturer specializing in precision CNC machining and industrial fabrication projects. We also provide a complete range of AWS certified commercial welding services. Our robust quality control system and ample certifications guarantee that Snowline can deliver the superior production quality your products deserve.

A Single-Source Engineering and Manufacturing Provider

Snowline Engineering has developed innovative engineering and manufacturing solutions for a diverse range of commercial and industrial applications since 1966. From design to fabrication to turnkey assembly, our complete production services are optimized to deliver both efficient and sustainable manufacturability.

Our total engineering support capabilities are backed by decades of applied expertise in some of the world’s most quality-focused industries – from the automotive and transportation sectors to the precision aerospace sector.