From Action to Culture: the Value of FOD at Aerosystems

In the aerospace industry, FOD (Foreign Object Debris/Damage) is one of those risks that often go unnoticed, until they become a problem. And for that very reason, they are among the most critical.

A small, misplaced object seemingly harmless can impact safety, quality, and product reliability. This leads to a key principle: FOD prevention is not just about procedures, but about attention, habits, and awareness.

In other words, it is about Culture (Just Culture).

Developing this awareness is not automatic, It means being able to recognize what does not belong: a bolt in the wrong place, a fragment left behind after an operation, an object that simply “shouldn’t be there.” A simple action, yet far from trivial.

To make this concept tangible, Aerosystems introduced an initiative inspired by aviation best practices: the FOD Walk typically carried out in hangars or on airfields. A gold-painted bolt, intentionally out of context, hidden within the company, with one clear objective, observe, recognize, and report.

This is not a treasure hunt. It is a way to train the eye.

In the photo, FOD Manager Mr. D. Modesti awards Mr. P. Manfrini with the symbolic Golden Bolt Trophy, produced internally using biodegradable 3D printing.

And yes, there is a touch of irony:
some aim for the Ballon d’Or… at Aerosystems, we aim for the Bolt d’Or.

A light remark, carrying a clear message. It naturally raises a question: why reward something that should already be standard?

The answer is simple; nothing is truly automatic. Behind a seemingly simple action, there is training, experience, attention to detail, and above all, individual responsibility built over time.

Reporting a foreign object is not just “doing your job”, It is demonstrating awareness.

The real outcome is not finding a hidden bolt, It is reaching the point where that action becomes natural when it no longer needs to be reminded, when it happens instinctively, when it becomes part of everyday work. That is when safety stops being a rule and becomes culture.

The “Golden Bolt” is just a symbol but what it represents is tangible: an organization where attention to detail is not the exception, but part of its DNA.