Swaging Tools: Search for Consistent Suppliers Begins

CLEVELAND, OH – J.R. Potter is ready to serve customers in need of swaging tools and other aircraft maintenance tools.

As economic recovery continues at a slow pace aerospace maintenance managers are focusing their search for reliable suppliers who can provide a quick turn-around on critically needed bearing installation and maintenance tools.

"Airlines don't make money unless their planes are in the air. The more downtime their aircraft spend for routine maintenance, the more likely they are to find another maintenance vendor," said James R. Potter, a 56-year veteran of the aerospace industry and president of Cleveland-based J.R. Potter & Associates.

Faced with such pressures, aerospace maintenance companies are seeking vendors who have the greatest variety of swaging tools in stock and ready for immediate delivery. Stocking Rexnord bearing installation tools is a must, Potter said, noting that Rexnord is specified by all major aerospace firms.

Portable bearing swaging tools – along with portable cutting tools for quick bearing removal-are another hot topic for aerospace maintenance firms, he said. "Anything that can get the plane back in the air, quickly and efficiently, is a big draw."

Along those lines, aerospace maintenance managers also are seeking vendors who have the experience and knowledge base to provide a quick turn-around when custom swaging tools are required, Potter said. One possible scenario is when a bearing is in a spot too tight for a regular swaging tool, he said.

As aviation maintenance firms hone their vendor searches, those installation and maintenance tool providers with proven track records and the most frequently specified swaging tools in stock and ready for shipment will succeed.

"It's a great time to be a well-seasoned, well-stocked tooling company," Potter said.

About J.R. Potter & Associates: The Cleveland-based company stocks and distributes a wide range of bearing installation and maintenance tools, ready for immediate delivery to more than 60 countries. For more information, visit http://www.toolsforaircraft.com/rexnordmain.html