FAQ

Shot peening is a controlled surface treatment that induces residual compressive stresses through calibrated media impacts. Apply it whenever the part sees cyclic fatigue loading — landing gear, engine shafts, blades, springs — per AMS 2430 and AMS 2432.

Conventional shot peening uses calibrated media in a cabinet or through a nozzle on removed parts. Flapper peening is performed in-situ with a handheld rotary tool — ideal for localized work on a fitted aircraft without disassembly, per AMS 2590.

HFMI (High Frequency Mechanical Impact) specifically targets weld toes and is qualified by IIW 2016. For equivalent strength, it improves weld fatigue life much more than shot peening — use HFMI on welded joints, shot peening on machined surfaces.

Cold working mechanically expands a hole (rivet, bolt) with a mandrel to create a compressive ring around the bore. Following BACC 5060 / FTI ForceMate / Split-Sleeve Cold Expansion, it multiplies fatigue life of a structural hole by 3 to 10.

Laser peening (LSP) delivers deeper compressive stresses (1 to 2 mm vs 0.2 to 0.4 mm for shot peening) but with significantly higher cost and cycle time. LSP is justified on high-value engine blades or thick critical parts; for volume production and structures, AMS 2430 shot peening remains the cost-effective reference.

Needle peening uses a bundle of high-frequency needles to induce compressive stresses on complex geometries or hard-to-reach areas. It fits naval repair, tank welds and heavy structures where media blasting is less practical.

Not directly. CFRP / GFRP composites are not peened; however we intervene on the surrounding metallic fittings, inserts, lugs and metal-composite interfaces where fatigue concentrates.

Depending on size and zones covered by the OEM spec: 6 to 12 hours of effective processing for a single-aisle landing gear (A320, B737), 24 to 48 hours for a widebody. Add preparation, masking and Almen strip control.

We master ultrasonic peening and flapper peening technologies from the main market players with no manufacturer bias. Depending on the client spec and part accessibility, we recommend the most relevant technology — including STRESSONIC when mandated by the package.

Yes, very often: cold working a hole followed by localized shot peening, or shot peening an area then flapper peening a post-repair touch-up. Each sequence is validated by the Process Engineer per the NADCAP file.

NADCAP Heat Treatment, EN 9100 / AS9100 (aerospace quality system), PART-145 (EASA maintenance organization), AMS 2430 and AMS 2432 (shot peening), BACC 5060 (Boeing cold working), plus OEM approvals Airbus, Boeing, Safran, Dassault.

Yes, we run shot peening services under the applicable NADCAP accreditation and apply the AC7117 checklists. Annual audit covers Almen strip, saturation, masking, process control and traceability.

EN 9100 is the European version, AS9100 the American — content is identical (ISO 9001 + IAQG aerospace requirements). An EN 9100 certificate is recognized by AS9100 customers and vice versa.

Yes. We apply the RCC-M (Design and Construction Rules for mechanical components of nuclear islands) for de-tensioning and fatigue-enhancement processes on primary and secondary components for EDF / Framatome.

Yes. MIL-S-13165 (shot peening for vehicles and weapon systems), MIL-STD-2154 and MIL-HDBK-516 are applied for our land, naval and aerial defense clients.

IIW 2016 recommendation (Document XIII-2617-16) published by the International Institute of Welding, plus DNV rules, Eurocode 3 Annex B and client specifications (Vestas, Siemens Gamesa, Enercon in wind energy).

Yes, AS9102 FAI report signed by the Quality Manager, including Almen strip, saturation curve, visual, metrology and media traceability — delivered with the first lot of any new part.

End-to-end traceability: media lot number, Almen curve per shift, qualified Level I/II/III operator, machine, parameters, masking, post-process control and digital record archived for 15 years per OEM and PART-145 requirements.

Phone response guaranteed within 2 hours, 365 days/year. Qualified technician + tooling takeoff within 24 h for major aerospace hubs (Europe, Middle East, Southeast Asia, Americas), within 48 h for secondary destinations. AOG line: +33 7 69 51 61 26.

An AOG intervention is billed on a mobilization lump sum (on-call, travel, tooling) + technician days. No weekend or night surcharge — on-call is included. Firm quotation sent within one hour of need qualification.

Yes. This is precisely what our AOG line is built for: shot peening, flapper peening, cold working or structural rework performed on a grounded aircraft, at an FBO, third-party MRO or on the apron subject to operator authorization.

Yes. Our technicians hold clearances suited to military zones and operational bases. ITAR / French national defense clearances on file. Confidential intervention under STANAG 4671, MIL-HDBK-516.

Handheld flapper peening, needle peening, split-sleeve cold working, bushing expansion, HFMI weld rework, Almen strip checks. Cabinet shot peening is not performed in AOG (workshop return required).

Yes. A qualified Process Engineer can be dispatched to your MRO partner to oversee execution, sign conformity statements and clear a process issue — with no commercial overlap with your MRO.

Yes. Short, medium and long-haul fleets — A320 / A321neo / A330 / A350 / A380 / B737 / B747 / B777 / B787 / ATR / Embraer E-Jets. Direct intervention or through MRO partners (Lufthansa Technik, AFI KLM E&M, ST Engineering, AAR, HAECO, SR Technics).

Yes. Falcon, Gulfstream, Bombardier Global, Embraer Executive, HondaJet, Pilatus. Confidential intervention at FBO or OEM facility — shot peening, flapper peening, cold working on landing gear, wings, flight controls and engine components.

Yes. Dedicated cargo fleets (FedEx, UPS, DHL, Cargolux, Atlas Air, Turkish Cargo) and Passenger-to-Freighter (P2F) converted aircraft. Structural reinforcement, post-conversion rework, fatigue maintenance on zones exposed to the more severe cargo cycles.

Yes. Tactical platforms, MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) and HALE (High Altitude Long Endurance). Shot peening of wings/fuselage, cold working of landing gear, on-site flapper peening on operational base, AOG on grounded drones. Qualifications STANAG 4671 / 4703, MIL-HDBK-516.

Yes. Joby Aviation, Volocopter, Lilium, Archer, EHang, Wingcopter programs. HFMI on motor boom welds, shot peening on structures, flapper peening on critical zones. Support towards EASA Special Condition VTOL qualification.

Yes. Airbus Helicopters (H125, H135, H145, H160, H175, H215, H225, Tiger, NH90), Bell, Leonardo (AW139, AW169), Sikorsky, MD Helicopters. Shot peening on shafts, gearboxes, blades, rotor heads and landing gear.

Yes. HFMI of weld toes on monopiles, transition pieces, jackets, tubular towers, nacelle hubs and frames for Vestas, Siemens Gamesa, GE, Nordex, Enercon. Compliance with IIW 2016, DNV, Eurocode 3.

Yes. Primary and secondary components for EDF / Framatome, vessels and steam generators, de-tensioning of maintenance welds per RCC-M. Nuclear-grade traceability enforced.

Yes. Civil shipyards (Chantiers de l'Atlantique, Fincantieri) and defense (Naval Group, TKMS) — HFMI on hull welds, needle peening for repairs, shot peening on fatigued structures.

Yes. Bogies, axles, springs, suspensions for Alstom, Siemens Mobility, Stadler, Bombardier Transport. Shot peening compliant with SNCF, DB, RATP and OEM specifications.

Yes. Armored vehicles (Leclerc, Jaguar, Griffon, Serval, VBMR), artillery (CAESAR), gun cradles and gearboxes. Shot peening per MIL-S-13165, Nexter / KNDS, Arquus, Thales.

Yes. Blades, disks, shafts, gears and casings — Safran, GE Aviation, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, MTU, Solar Turbines, MAN Energy Solutions, Wärtsilä programs.

Yes. Regular interventions in Bavaria (Munich, Augsburg, Donauwörth — Airbus Helicopters), Hamburg (Airbus, Lufthansa Technik) and Baden-Württemberg. Mobilization within 24 h from Bordeaux or long-term secondment.

Yes. Singapore (ST Engineering, SIA Engineering, Seletar), Malaysia (Subang, Kuala Lumpur), Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines. Technicians deployable within 48 h from Bordeaux, multi-month secondment available.

Yes. Interventions in the USA (Texas, Florida, California, Wichita, Seattle) and Canada (Montreal, Toronto, Mirabel — Bombardier, Pratt & Whitney Canada). Operational B1 business visas, ITAR-compliant.

Yes. Dubai (Emirates Engineering), Abu Dhabi, Doha (Qatar Airways), Riyadh, Dammam, Istanbul (Turkish Technic). Intervention on wide-body, business jet and defense fleets.

Yes. Morocco (Casablanca, Royal Air Maroc, Bombardier), Egypt (EgyptAir), South Africa (Johannesburg, Cape Town), Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia. Scheduled interventions with anticipated visa and logistics.

Yes. Brazil (Embraer São José dos Campos, GOL, LATAM), Argentina, Mexico (Querétaro aerospace cluster), Chile, Colombia. Technical support and AOG interventions.

Yes. Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide (ASC Pty Ltd, BAE Systems Australia). Defense and civil aviation interventions, AOG lead times of 48 to 72 h from Bordeaux.

Yes. Secondments from 1 to 12 months — resident technician at OEM or MRO, production line supervision, process transfer. Contract and visa tailored to the country.

Level I (operator), Level II (inspector), Level III (process engineer) per the NADCAP / NAS 410 pyramid for shot peening, flapper peening, HFMI and cold working. Initial, refresh and recycling training.

5 days in classroom + workshop in Bordeaux or at client site, including theory (AMS 2430/2432), hands-on Almen strip, saturation, masking, written exam and practical test. Kronos certificate recognized by NADCAP auditors.

Our training is designed to meet the operator qualification requirements expected during NADCAP AC7117 audits. The operator certificate itself is issued by the employer per their internal qualification procedure, using our materials.

Yes, worldwide. Training is often paired with an intervention or process transfer to maximize the value of the trip. Support in French, English, German, Spanish.

Yes. Dedicated 3-day HFMI training covering weld fatigue theory, IIW 2016 recommendation, use of PIT / UIT / HiFIT tools, groove shape quality control and saturation. For design offices and field operators.

Yes. 2 to 3-day internal auditor training with an AC7117 audit simulation, checklist by checklist, analysis of common non-conformities and action plans. Before initial audit or renewal.

Price depends on level, duration, number of attendees and location. From €1,200 / day / group at Bordeaux site, custom quote for in-house training at client site. Volume negotiable for multi-year programs.

Yes. 2-day 'Fatigue & surface treatments for engineers' module — sizing, process selection, writing specs, reading Almen strip and saturation curve. For design, quality and methods teams.

Yes. Kronos Engineering designs and sells its own shot peening cabinets, flapper peening machines, control instrumentation, consumables (steel, ceramic, glass media) and custom tooling.

No. Kronos Engineering is independent, with no manufacturer bias. We master the processes across the technologies of the main market players and recommend the most relevant solution — with no commercial stake in any specific brand.

Yes. Certified A, N, C Almen strips, support blocks, calibrated media per AMS 2431, ceramic abrasive, conditioned steel shot and masking tooling. Delivery across Europe within 5 to 10 working days.

Yes. Upgrade of legacy cabinets: digital instrumentation, media flow control, nozzle actuation, CNC programming, lot traceability. Retrofit project framed after a preliminary technical audit.

Yes, we distribute and integrate PIT (Pneumatic Impact Treatment), UIT (Ultrasonic Impact Treatment) and HiFIT tools per client spec and applicable IIW 2016 standard.

Yes. FTI mandrels, split-sleeves, bushings and installation tooling per BACC 5060 and Boeing / Airbus specs. Standard sizes in stock, special sizes on order.

Yes. Almen gauges, saturators, coverage measurement systems, surface profilometers, media flow sensors. Traceable calibration and annual maintenance.

12 months parts and labor, contractual extension up to 36 months. Phone technical support included, on-site intervention within 72 h in Europe (excluding wear consumables).

Call or quotation form, needs qualification within 24 h by a Process Engineer, firm quote sent within 48 working hours for a standard intervention, within 1 h for an AOG emergency.

Price depends on process, volume, part, location and urgency. From €1,800 / day / technician in Europe + consumables + tooling. Tailored quote within 48 h of receiving the technical package.

Yes. Systematic NDA offered before exchanging technical packages, specs or drawings. We routinely work under client, OEM and defense NDAs. Interventions on sensitive programs without any marketing communication commitment.

No. We operate as Tech Rep, process subcontractor or trainer embedded in your organization — no competition on your core activity. Our client orders, we execute the specialized process under their label if required.

Yes. Intervention under the principal's brand, documentation matching their quality template, operators under client instructions. Common practice for MROs, OEMs and engineering firms wanting to broaden their offer without hiring the special-process skills.

Drawings, specs and production data remain client property. Stored in our quality archives for 15 years (PART-145 / EN 9100 requirement) on French servers, with attested destruction at program end on request.

Kronos Engineering positions on quality, AOG responsiveness and technological independence rather than rock-bottom pricing. Our value lies in low rejection rates, on-time delivery and a long-term trust relationship with principals.

Yes. One-off orders, simple purchase orders, emergency interventions outside any framework — our commercial process is sized for agility. Master contract recommended above 3 to 4 yearly interventions to optimize rates and lead times.