Leading Edge Composites

LEC is a design , engineering and manufacturing company in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, working mainly in aviation, aerospace and defense. The site describes more than 25 years of composite part development. It is a small family owned business, classified as woman owned, with about 50 employees and all manufacturing in the USA. LEC has taken part in numerous STCs for utility, search and rescue and VIP interiors on rotary and fixed wing aircraft.

Capabilities

• Mold, tool and pattern design and fabrication, all done in house, plus jig fixtures
• Reverse engineering of parts and finished components
• Prepreg lay-up of fiberglass, carbon fiber and Kevlar, with cure temperatures up to 500 degrees F
• Vacuum infusion (VARTM) and vacuum bagging
• Thermoplastic vacuum forming on an in house 4 by 8 foot machine, for items from UAV exterior parts to interior aircraft parts
• Composite structure repairs and modifications
• Cabinetry, interiors and a full paint booth
• Engineering and design, product development and mechanical systems design

Equipment

The 40,000 square foot facility includes a 5-axis CNC mill with a 10 by 10 by 4 foot envelope, further 3-axis and 4-axis CNC mills, a CNC ply cutter, a FARO Quantum portable CMM, a FARO laser scanner, 3D scanning, a temperature controlled spray booth, thermal curing ovens, internal autoclaves, a climate controlled lay-up cleanroom and refrigerated storage for sensitive materials.

Customers and projects

The company names Sikorsky, L3, Northrop Grumman, Columbia Helicopter, Bell Helicopter, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Gulfstream among the manufacturers it has worked with, on civilian and military applications. It has also made automotive parts and ballistic panels. Stock parts and raw materials are listed in an online store.

Company facts

• ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D certified, with a certification audit passed with zero findings
• PMA holder and FAA Part 145 repair station for more than 10 years, repairing components at its plant and traveling to AOG aircraft
• Address: 645 Sands Court, Suite 101, Coatesville, Pennsylvania
• Open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm