About Progressive Surface Inc.
Progressive Surface Inc. (PSI) is a custom industrial machine manufacturer specializing in surface treatment equipment.
Company Overview
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
Founded: 1981
Specialization: Custom surface treatment equipment for industrial manufacturing
Business Model: Engineer-to-order (ETO) - each machine is custom designed and built for specific customer requirements
What PSI Builds
PSI designs and manufactures custom industrial equipment for surface treatment applications.
Core Product Lines
| Product | Application | Industries |
|---|---|---|
| Blast Rooms & Cabinets | Abrasive blasting for cleaning, finishing, preparation | Aerospace, Automotive, Energy |
| Spray Booths | Paint and coating application | Aerospace, General Manufacturing |
| Shot Peen Systems | Surface hardening for fatigue resistance | Aerospace, Automotive |
| Thermal Spray Systems | Metal/ceramic coating application | Aerospace, Energy |
Machine Characteristics
- Fully custom: Each machine designed for specific customer needs
- Large scale: Many machines are room-sized or larger
- Highly automated: PLC-controlled with complex motion systems
- Long lead times: Typically 6-18 months from order to ship
Blast Systems
Blast Rooms
Large enclosed spaces for abrasive blasting operations. Used for:
- Surface preparation before coating
- Cleaning/descaling metal parts
- Finishing cast or forged components
Typical Features:
- Automated media recovery systems
- Dust collection and filtration
- Manual or robotic blast nozzles
- Variable room sizes (10x10 to 100+ ft)
Blast Cabinets
Enclosed cabinets for smaller part blasting:
- Suction or pressure blast systems
- Integrated dust collection
- Glove ports for operator access
- Turntables for part rotation
Spray Systems
Controlled environments for coating application:
- Paint, primer, and topcoat application
- HVLP, airless, and electrostatic spray
- Climate-controlled for consistent results
- Exhaust and overspray capture
Applications:
- Aircraft component painting
- Automotive finishing
- Industrial equipment coating
Peen Systems
Surface treatment that improves fatigue life by:
- Bombarding surface with small media (shot)
- Inducing compressive stress layer
- Preventing crack initiation
PSI Peen Systems:
- CNC-controlled nozzle positioning
- Media flow rate control
- Almen intensity monitoring
- Saturation curve generation
Industries: Aerospace (landing gear, turbine blades), automotive (gears, springs)
Thermal Spray
Apply metal or ceramic coatings via thermal spray:
- Plasma spray: Highest temperature, ceramic coatings
- HVOF (High Velocity Oxy-Fuel): Dense metal coatings
- Arc spray: Wire feedstock, economical
Applications:
- Turbine blade coatings
- Wear-resistant surfaces
- Corrosion protection
- Dimensional restoration
Custom Automation
PSI designs custom automation solutions:
- Part handling robotics
- Vision systems for inspection
- Multi-station processing cells
- Turnkey manufacturing lines
Industries Served
| Industry | Typical Applications |
|---|---|
| Aerospace | Landing gear peening, turbine blade coating, airframe prep |
| Automotive | Gear peening, casting finishing, body panel prep |
| Energy | Turbine maintenance, pipeline coating, wind turbine components |
| General Manufacturing | Surface preparation, coating, finishing |
| Defense | Military vehicle components, weapons systems |
| Medical | Implant finishing (specialty applications) |
Services
Installation & Commissioning
- On-site machine installation
- Utility connections
- System startup and testing
- Operator training
Retrofits & Upgrades
Modify existing machines:
- Controls upgrades (PLC modernization)
- Capacity expansion
- Process improvements
- Safety upgrades
Note: Retrofits use 5-digit job numbers (>=10000) while new builds use 4-digit numbers.
Parts & Support
- Replacement parts
- Consumables (media, nozzles, filters)
- Remote troubleshooting
- On-site service
Project Types
| Type | Job Number | Description |
|---|---|---|
| New Build | 4-digit (e.g., 2374) | Brand new machine |
| Retrofit | 5-digit >=10000 (e.g., 12345) | Upgrade to existing machine |
| Stock | STOCK | Inventory/spare parts |
Typical Project Timeline
| Phase | Duration | Activities |
|---|---|---|
| Proposal | 2-8 weeks | Quote, specifications, customer approval |
| Engineering | 8-16 weeks | Design, drawings, BOM creation |
| Procurement | 4-12 weeks | Long-lead items, vendor parts |
| Build | 8-20 weeks | Fabrication, assembly, wiring |
| Test | 2-4 weeks | Runoff, MVI testing |
| Ship & Install | 2-8 weeks | Delivery, installation, commissioning |
Total: 6-18 months typical
Organizational Structure
Key Departments
| Code | Department | Function |
|---|---|---|
| 110 | Mechanical Engineering | Machine design, drawings |
| 111 | Controls Engineering | PLC programming, electrical |
| 115 | Proposal Engineering | Customer quotes, technical sales |
| 106 | Mechanical Assembly | Mechanical construction |
| 108 | Electrical Assembly | Wiring, panel builds |
| 120 | MVI | Machine verification, testing |
| 135 | Field Service | Installation, commissioning |
See Data Brain for complete department codes.
Business Systems
| System | Purpose |
|---|---|
| AFTEC | ERP system - orders, jobs, parts, labor |
| SolidWorks PDM | Engineering document management |
| Redbook System | Quality issue tracking |
Data Flow
Customer Order → ERP (AFTEC) → Engineering (PDM) → Manufacturing → Shipping
↓
Quality (Redbook) ← Issues discovered at any stage
Quality Philosophy
PSI uses a homegrown quality issue tracking system called “Redbooks” (named for the original red physical notebooks). Key principles:
- Capture everything - Any issue, any stage, any department
- Track to resolution - Issues stay open until fixed
- Enable learning - Data enables pattern analysis
Related Pages
- Terminology - PSI vocabulary glossary
- Engineering - Design workflow, ECN/NCN process
- Manufacturing - Build process, departments, assembly
- Quality - Redbook system, quality metrics
- Data Brain - Data sources and systems
Last updated: February 2026