Ontic MRO opens new advanced circuit card repair lab to extend the life of critical electronics.
Ontic MRO has established a new state-of-the-art Circuit Card Assembly (CCA) Repair Lab at its Miramar facility, creating an advanced capability to repair electronic components that may previously have been considered beyond recovery.
The new lab specializes in the repair of non-procurable printed circuit boards (PCBs), including complex boards where conventional repair or replacement options may no longer be available. By diagnosing, repairing and returning these components to service, Ontic MRO can help extend the useful life of existing electronics while reducing the need for replacement boards.
Repair rather than replace
At the heart of the new capability is a simple principle: where a component can be successfully repaired and returned to service, its useful life can be extended rather than unnecessarily replaced.
The approach aligns with ABI Electronics’ global “Repair, Don’t Waste” movement, supporting efforts to reduce electronic waste and make better use of existing electronic equipment. The Ontic MRO team has also trained with ABI Electronics and is using its BoardMaster system and reverse-engineering tools within the new lab.
For Ontic MRO, the capability also supports our wider commitment to long-term product sustainment - investing in the specialist knowledge, technology and expertise required to keep aerospace products supported as components become increasingly difficult to source.
A state-of-the-art repair capability
The completed lab brings together specialist technology including a PACE infrared solder/desolder robotic rework station, advanced soldering equipment, high-power microscopes and reverse-engineering tools, giving the team the capability to tackle complex circuit card repairs. But equipment alone doesn't make a repair possible. The lab is staffed by experienced avionics engineers and technicians with deep expertise in board-level diagnosis and component-level repair, bringing over 55 years of combined experience across critical electronics. Every repair follows a disciplined process, with thorough fault isolation, precision rework and full functional testing before a part is returned to service. It is this combination of skilled people and rigorous process that turns a non-procurable board into a serviceable one.
The quality of the facility has already received significant praise from industry specialists, with experts commenting that they had not seen a repair lab developed to this level before.
Giving previously unrepairable electronics another life
Most importantly, the capability is already delivering results.
The team has successfully repaired complex circuit boards that were otherwise impossible to obtain. The successful repairs provide a process that can now be replicated across hundreds of other PCBs, creating new possibilities for components that might previously have had no viable route back into service.
The new CCA Repair Lab strengthens Ontic MRO’s ability to find solutions for increasingly difficult-to-support aerospace electronics - extending component lifecycles, reducing electronic waste and helping keep critical products supported for longer.
Have a part that could benefit from this capability?
Get in touch with the Ontic MRO team to discuss sending it to our Miramar facility for assessment and potential repair.