Engineered Ducting & Inlets for Environmental Control Systems
APEX manufactures aerospace composite ducting and ECS components for military aircraft, space vehicles, and ground platforms. With over five decades of experience working on programs such as F-15, F-18, T-7A, MQ-25, AH-64, V-22, KC-46, P-8, and E-7, as well as many others, we bring proven design and manufacturing expertise to every ducting application. Our ECS manufacturing capabilities span 1" to 16" diameter, lengths up to 15’, and configurations ranging from straight runs, inlets and multi-port plenums.
ECS Composite Ducting & Inlet Components
APEX engineers and manufactures the full range of composite ducting and inlet components used in environmental control systems, including:
- Inlets: Heat exchanger inlets, RAM air inlets, and custom inlet geometries for controlled air intake.
- Ducting: Straight ducts, Y-ducts, T-ducts, and complex multi-bend configurations for air distribution throughout the airframe.
- Plenums: Mixing chambers with single or dual inlets and multiple outlets for precise air blending and distribution.
- Piccolo Ducts: Perforated ducts for dispersing conditioned air evenly across a defined area.
- Riser Ducts: Vertical routing ducts that carry air from below the floor up the cabin sidewall for overhead passenger cooling.
- Waste Ducts: Water and lavatory waste ducting for waste system designs that require composite duct and tank constructions
Aerospace ECS Manufacturing Specifications & Capabilities
We manufacture aerospace composite ducting across a broad range of sizes, configurations, and materials, with full in-house design engineering and equipment to support your program from the start:
- Diameter Range: 1" to 16"
- Length: Up to 15’
- Configurations: Straight, Y-duct, T-duct, multi-port plenums, silicone bellows, silicone connectors and custom geometries
- Materials: Fiberglass, carbon fiber, and hybrid composites
- Cure Methods: Oven cure and autoclave
- Tooling: Plaster, Paraplast, bladder, and metal breakdown tooling
- Programs: Military fixed-wing (F-15, F-18, V-22, KC-46, E-7, P-8), and ground vehicles
Whether you're developing a new ECS architecture or need a qualified supplier for an existing design, our engineering team brings direct design-for-manufacturing experience to every project. We also execute build-to-print programs with full in-house tooling development. With APEX, your ducting is built with manufacturability and repeatability in mind from the start.
How Composite Ducting Works in ECS
Composite ducting is an essential component in any aircraft or space vehicle. On aircraft, it handles heating and cooling, fresh air supply, pressurization, and avionics cooling, as electronic equipment requires consistent temperature and pressure. Larger aircraft have more complex ECS networks that push conditioned air into every section of the airframe, including freight compartments. Ground vehicles work on the same principle with simpler systems, typically combining composite ducts with flex hoses to route air for climate control.
APEX: Trusted Composite Ducting Manufacturer for Aerospace & Defense
APEX has engineered and manufactured superior composite components for the most demanding programs in aerospace and defense for over 50 years. From prototyping through full-rate production, we deliver end-to-end composite manufacturing under one roof. Our operational scale includes:
- Over 150,000 square feet of prepreg material processed monthly
- More than 5,700 finished parts produced per month
- Over 4,000 active work orders maintained across our facilities at any given time
- Direct supplier to OEMs and Tier 1 companies across aerospace and defense
- AS9100-compliant quality processes — most customers do not require source inspection
- 50+ years supplying the most demanding aerospace and defense programs
Contact Us for Aerospace Composite Duct Manufacturing Solutions
Request information or contact us today to discuss your composite ducting requirements and find out how APEX can support your ECS program. We manufacture composite ducting and ECS components across a wide range of platforms, including fixed-wing crewed aircraft, uncrewed systems, and land vehicles. Browse our full range of engineered systems to learn more.