In 1946, Thomas C. Ellingson, a newly discharged Marine Corps fighter pilot, began making plans to combine his interest in aircraft and flying with his pre-war education at the University of Minnesota and his apprenticeship at Foley Manufacturing. His decision to create a company to produce precision parts for the growing California aerospace industry resulted in the formation of ELLINGSON, Inc., a company that today produces housings and bodies for flight control actuators, filtration manifolds, and air/fuel receptacles.
Thomas Ellingson has retired from the business, but has left it in the very capable hands of his two sons, Rick and Steve. While completing their engineering degrees from California State University at Fullerton, they apprenticed to their father as mold makers. In the mid-‘70’s the Ellingson brothers began to move the company in a new direction, that of computer numerical controlled (CNC) machining as the first step in creating a system which combines the best of computer technology and their manufacturing experience.
Today’s ELLINGSON specializes in machining raw forgings and castings into parts to customer specifications using multiple 4 and 5 axis machining centers, 4 axis EDM, assorted support equipment and strong relationships with dependable subcontractors. ELLINGSON has created a system of in-process inspection that emphasizes the verification of supercritical measurements at each stage of machining, which includes the use of coordinate measurement machines (CMM). Computers are used throughout the shop to create various databases in support of all manufacturing processes using JobBOSS software.
Beginning in 2005, ELLINGSON began a machine renewment and retrofit program for its nine machining centers, adding Mitsubishi M66 controls with full digital servo amplifiers, AC brushless servo motors and Farrand scale position feedback units. In-house honing capability was added in 2009 with the acquisition of a Sunnen ML5000 powerstroke honing machine.
In 2007 ELLINGSON completed the FAA regulatory requirements to establish a repair station as specified within CFR Title 14 Part 145. Adding the capacity to repair aviation articles has proved itself mandatory to the customer support mission of ELLINGSON.
Finally, although ELLINGSON had long maintained its compliance to the requirements of AS9003 (and earlier to MIL-I-45208A), in 2010 ELLINGSON made a commitment to acquire certification to AS9100 Rev B. This quality management project has been successfully implemented through the assistance of Optimized Performance Technologies, Inc. and certified through ISA Registrars. Interested parties may view related ELLINGSON certificate information on the OASIS website.