With a mission to accelerate the world’s transition to the New Space Economy and an objective to send the first women-led crew to Mars, I have a unique drive to make a positive impact on the world.

I excel in a fast-paced and highly collaborative environment, where I have successfully implemented scaled agile frameworks and led sprint planning, reviews, retrospectives, and daily scrums to increase efficiency and eliminate bottlenecks. My expertise also extends to data science and artificial intelligence, and I have a passion for using machine learning to solve real-world business problems.

As a Spartan Trifecta finisher and ultra-runner in training, I have faced and overcome various physical challenges that have pushed me to my limits. This has given me a strong sense of determination and the drive to succeed in all endeavors, both professionally and personally.

My approach is to always play to win and to constantly strive for growth and success. I am always looking for new challenges and opportunities to build and conquer.

[The following text was written in the third person – for continuity of Matt telling his own story, I have changed the pronouns to first person.]

I recently initiated a LinkedIn project with the objective of identifying active LinkedIn members who consistently share high-quality content pertaining to the aerospace and aviation industries. The project involved curating a list of such individuals and highlighting their contributions to these fields. The first article in this series, “Top 62 Women in Aerospace and Aviation to Follow on LinkedIn,” was published in May 2021. The aim of this article was to showcase the achievements of women in these industries and create a platform for them to connect and inspire others. 

The article was well-received, so I went on to write “Top Men in Aerospace and Aviation to Follow on LinkedIn” [October 2021], culminating with “Top 100 Aerospace and Aviation Professionals to Follow on LinkedIn 2021” [January 2022].

I have continued to publish these lists, with a renewed focus on diversity and inclusion. Based on nominations and a rigorous screening process, 2022 saw the publication of  “Top 100 Women in Aerospace and Aviation Professionals to Follow on LinkedIn 2022,” succeeded by the “Top 100 Men in Aerospace and Aviation to Follow on LinkedIn 2022” and the “Top 100 Aerospace and Aviation Professionals to Follow on LinkedIn 2022″[ January 2023]. The six articles in this series have garnered a total of 1248 reactions, 464 comments, and 262 shares.

Coming from a place of help.

The project was initiated to promote the posts of professionals who “talk about” aerospace and aviation industry on LinkedIn.For a month I searched for posts and people who discuss #aerospace and #aviation on LinkedIn. I soon realized that stories of first-hand experiences, personal stories and industry trends from LinkedIn members with less than 5k followers, get fewer views. My aim is to change all that by recognizing their unsung efforts and feature them in the TOP 100 lists.

Through feedback from the community, I have realized the importance of diversity and inclusion, making these a key focus of the project. I have invested significant time and effort into screening profiles of nominated LinkedIn members, selecting those who have a strong engagement with the community, share relevant and informative content, and are actively contributing to the growth of the industry.

As my support efforts have evolved, my goal has shifted from simply spotlighting individuals, to also providing a platform for sharing tips and best practices for thriving on LinkedIn. This now includes a weekly feature “Top Tips on How to Thrive on LinkedIn” as well as “How TOP 100 Use LinkedIn to Thrive,” a series of articles which showcase the various ways in which LinkedIn has helped these professionals in their careers and businesses. The ultimate objective of this project is to encourage and inspire fellow LinkedIn members to leverage the platform as a powerful tool for career and business growth.

How LinkedIn has helped me to thrive.

LinkedIn has been instrumental in helping me connect with other professionals and expand my network. Through LinkedIn, I received an invitation to join the California State University Chico Digital Marketing Advisory Council in January 2022, offering my area of expertise in systems engineering, UX research and design, web and graphic design, SEO, PPC, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, project management, branding, storytelling, community building and management. 

Similarly, working with Fiona McKay in the Leading Ladies Of…Aerospace Summit also has provided valuable networking and learning opportunities. https://mckayunlimited.com/managing-mindset-to-drive-change/

Finally, being invited to Mark Schulz’s #DigitalAircraft live broadcast is a great opportunity for me to share my insights and expertise with a wider audience. There I have talked about my perspective on digital marketing in the aerospace industry.

What the community says about the TOP 100 list:

“This is the first time I’ve ever seen anyone highlight the many amazing women in this industry — I’m humbled to be part of this special group and this just made me so proud of what we are achieving individually and together —well done ladies!”  ~ Jennifer Snow

“Thanks Matt Higa for this fun and amazing project. Thank you for giving me the voice for pioneers, inventors, disruptors — enthusiastic and passionate — for all the ‘little princes’ of Antoine De Saint Exupéry around the world: 

“As for future, your task is not to foresee it, but to enable it.”

#Aviation #Aerospace #NewSpace #SpaceExploration

“Children’s dreams, fly to come true, #revesdenfant always amaze yourself to believe …

Now, for Future and Next Generation

NewArea Newspace NewFrontier” ~ Stephanie Soquet

“Thank you once again for the huge work and effort you’ve put into this. And I feel profoundly honored to be listed amongst some of the most inspiring #Space Power-Women I deeply admire, and I look up to! ” ~ Bianca Cefalo

“Matt Higa, thank you for the recognition. This is an amazing article — with inspiring leaders and role models. Hopefully you have created access and opportunity into the great aerospace and space ecosystem. I am honored to be included in this list of amazing women!”~ Shelli Brunswick

The post Who is Matt? appeared first on Northwest Aerospace News.

The Culture of Innovation at SEKISUI Aerospace 

SEKISUI Aerospace’s commitment to innovation lies at the core of its business strategy. The company recognizes that by embracing innovation, it can continuously improve its products, processes, and overall market position. Key elements of SEKISUI Aerospace’s innovative culture include open communication, employee engagement, and investment in research and development.

Andrea Dorr, senior vice president of business development, emphasizes the importance of a diverse and engaged workforce in driving innovation: “Composites are our passion. But the secret to a great organization is the leadership, culture, and the diversity of the team. Diversity creates innovation. SEKISUI focuses on bringing together people with diversity of thought, backgrounds, and experiences.”

The company’s leadership plays a critical role in fostering a culture of innovation by actively supporting and encouraging employees to generate and collaborate on innovative aerospace composite solutions. This focus on collaboration extends beyond individual teams, with SEKISUI promoting cross-functional cooperation on projects and initiatives to break down silos and encourage diverse perspectives.

Benefits of an Innovative Culture 

Embracing innovation has provided SEKISUI Aerospace with numerous advantages, including increased efficiency, the development of better products, and a stronger market position. One notable example of a successful innovation at SEKISUI is the implementation of RFID technology for tracking shipments and work orders. This technology has significantly improved operational efficiency, on-time delivery, and overall customer experience.

Matea Osojnik, senior director of business development – new technology, highlights the impact of this innovation: “At the height of the global pandemic and aerospace downturn, SEKISUI embarked on a journey to bring the vision for a ‘visual factory’ to life to advance our operations and leap ahead of the competition.” The Visual Factory Program brought together users and vendors to empathetically design, test, and deploy an RFID application that directly targets supervisor pain points in operations’ planning and organization.

By staying at the forefront of innovation, SEKISUI Aerospace can respond quickly to market changes and capitalize on emerging opportunities. The company’s commitment to exploring new materials, processes, and technologies enables it to create advanced composite solutions that address the evolving needs of the aerospace industry.

Furthermore, a culture of innovation helps attract top talent, as professionals are drawn to organizations where they can contribute to cutting-edge projects and work alongside like-minded individuals. This influx of skilled professionals further fuels the company’s growth and success. Additionally, SEKISUI’s focus on cross-functional collaboration creates a work environment that encourages employees to share ideas, learn from one another, and work together to solve complex challenges.

Limitless Possibilities

SEKISUI Aerospace’s commitment to cultivating a culture of innovation has been instrumental in its success and growth in the aerospace sector. By prioritizing open communication, employee engagement, and investment in research and development, the company has managed to stay ahead of the competition and contribute to the advancement of the industry. As SEKISUI Aerospace continues to explore new opportunities and push the boundaries of what’s possible with composite materials, its innovative spirit will undoubtedly remain a driving force behind its achievements. As Andrea Dorr aptly states, “In a culture of diversity and innovation, the possibilities are truly limitless.”

Celebrating Innovation

The Pacific Northwest Aerospace Cluster (PNAC) is dedicated to innovation in aerospace manufacturing in the PNW region. It is a formalized, corporate industry-led, member-based initiative that includes partners from five economic segments. Partners work together to drive innovation, overcome barriers, access new market opportunities, and attract talent and capital via an agreed-upon portfolio of projects.

For more than 100 years, the aerospace ecosystem has been building aircraft in the Pacific Northwest. Today, with more than 100,000 employed in the industry and thousands more from companies supporting aerospace manufacturing around the region, the Pacific Northwest is at the forefront of aerospace innovation when it comes to cutting edge aerospace composites, avionics, and alternative fuels. As part of our mission, we want to highlight companies like SEKISUI Aerospace that exemplify the spirit, legacy, and practice of innovation. Reach out to us at pnac@pnaa.net to share your story of aerospace innovation!

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South Korea’s aerospace industry has been growing rapidly in recent years, driven by both government and private sector R&D investment. The aerospace industry is largely driven by key players such as the Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI), and Korean Air, the largest commercial airline and national carrier for South Korea. In 2021, Korean aerospace companies reached $1.9 billion in combined revenue and the country is the 18th largest destination for U.S. aerospace exports — worth over $1.2 billion — and with the U.S. Korea Free Trade Agreement in force since 2012, all U.S. aerospace exports to Korea receive duty-free treatment.

While the Korean market can present some challenges, the Korean government aims to further its country’s aerospace industry, bolstered by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, focusing particularly on emerging areas such as urban air mobility (UAM), drones and the space industry, with key opportunities for U.S. companies to support their efforts. 

Areas of opportunity

UAM

The Korean government is planning to invest $197 million between 2025 and 2030 to commercialize UAM services through the K-UAM Grand Challenge (GC) project. The project is a phased demonstration program to test and ensure safety measures for UAM platforms and traffic management systems for urban environments. The project is run and funded by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and supported by the Korean Aerospace Research Institute (KARI).

Further investment of $7.7 million will establish the infrastructure for the GC testbed and build a Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) Station, enabling transfers between railway, bus, and UAM platforms by 2025. 

Major Korean companies including Hyundai, LG, GS, Hanwha and numerous other infrastructure and service providers and operators are forming consortia to take part in the project. This government initiative presents significant opportunities to partake for Washington-based companies operating in the UAM ecosystem — from UAM platforms to traffic control and safety measures.

Drones

In the commercial drone sector, delivery services have been launched in Korean cities including Busan and Gapyeong, while additional areas are set to join soon. Companies like 7-Eleven and numerous e-commerce platforms are actively taking advantage of these services as well; many municipal offices are using drones for surveillance and emergency situational awareness purposes. 

As the Korean government plans to transform 64 mid-sized cities into smart cities, the demand for drones and related systems will grow. Drone surveillance to ensure safe operation and maintenance is a crucial component of offshore wind farms being built along Korea’s southeastern coast.

Companies with technologies for automating drone flight paths, advanced avionic drone sensors and ground sensors to reinforce flight safety would be of great interest to Korean companies and the government.

Space

The Korean government is set to spend $674 million this year alone on programs to expand its domestic space industry, and it is planning to invest $1.2 billion by 2031 to boost the sector further. 

The “Big Three” aerospace companies in Korea are leveraging their respective strengths in the Korean “space race.” Hanwha Group is investing in LEO satellites and launcher capabilities; LIG Nex1 is promoting the Korea Positioning System, an ambitious government scheme to deploy positioning satellites by 2035; while Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is aiming to develop cube satellites.

As Korea is a nascent power in the global space industry, local companies are eager to work with international players to strengthen their capabilities.

A role to play for U.S. companies

Korea, as a close ally of the United States, tends to follow American regulations and technological trends — especially in the aerospace field — which leads to many areas for cooperation between the two countries across the entire technology spectrum: from aircraft platforms to passenger safety systems, avionics and vertiport infrastructure. 

Likewise, in context of the drone industry, military grade devices that can be commercially utilized are in demand. Some functionalities that the Korean market is keen to develop include performing counter-UAS operations and other surveillance such as urban, industrial and forestry monitoring.

The space industry also presents opportunities for companies with satellite navigation and communication technologies, as well as space data analysis and software.

Challenges

While Korea is an interesting destination, the market is not free of challenges. U.S. businesses should expect to face language and cultural barriers as they enter the market. Both government entities and Korean system integrators prefer to work with people on the ground who speak their language and understand the “Korean way” of doing business — including being able to call your supplier in the middle of the night expecting impeccable and timely support. 

Often, the “Korean way” includes forming consortia with other companies to take part in bids for Korean government tenders. Being able to navigate the sea of stakeholders and to understand internal politics and procedures is crucial to achieving success. In short, to establish a strong foothold in the Korean market, it is wise to find a reputable local partner with whom to pursue opportunities and carve out a market presence. 

Breaking into new markets or creating further expansion can be overwhelming but the Washington State Department of Commerce is here to help. We have a team of international consultants that can provide small businesses with market intelligence reports and business-to-business matchmaking in over 20 markets worldwide. 

For more information on opportunities in South Korea or on Washington State Department of Commerce exporting services, please contact Joanna Boatwright, Joanna.boatwright@commerce.wa.gov.   

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Doing business internationally can be challenging. There are location and language barriers and trade methods that may differ. The Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition (PNDC) understands the defense and security industry and how to trade effectively. That is why they bring a delegation to the biennial Defense and Security Equipment International (DSEI) conference every other year. 

For 2023, PNDC has again invited a delegation of businesses from Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and Montana. The conference is September 12-15, 2023, in London, England. PNDC wants more contracts to come to the Northwest. By bringing a delegation to DSEI, they can ensure that regional businesses have productive B-to-B meetings. 

“DSEI is the only event to integrate all the pillars of national security and defense: Air, Space, Land, Naval, Security, Cyber and Joint.” 
https://www.dsei.co.uk/

Denise Ryser, executive director of PNDC, said, “We are actively trying to bring more defense dollars to the states in the alliance – PNDC went in 2021 during the pandemic and still had 12 companies to go to DSEI.” She said PNDC does it because it allows member companies to enter international trade and expand their businesses. Ryser added, “If it can help me do my job, that’s what I do.”

Sean Johnson, principal of Hyssos Tech, a member of PNDC for three years, plans to go to DSEI. He’s been in business for eight years, but much of the technology in the business is from two decades of DARPA work. During that time, the team is “creating intuitive and user-friendly interfaces, providing quick access and manipulation of data for warfighter mission planning.” 

Johnson said that PNDC has helped with “introductions to both commercial and federal entities, allowing us to navigate the complex landscape of the Department of Defense and its business requirements more efficiently as a small company.” 

In 2021 they were asked to attend the conference on short notice, because another partner could not attend. Johnson was concerned at the time about the cost of participating, but he said, reassuringly, “PNDC and the Washington Department of Commerce came to the rescue here. Commerce provided a STEP grant that allowed us to attend for only a few thousand dollars out of pocket. We would not have been able to attend without this support.”

PNDC has established relationships with each member state’s Department of Commerce for various levels of STEP grants. Each state does it differently, so PNDC can help introduce businesses to the appropriate agencies to help fund the conference. 

Another attendee this year is John B. Sullivan, CEO of ColdAvenger LLC of Missoula, Montana. Their 15-year-old business designs cold-weather clothing items for the U.S. Military and European military allies. They aren’t currently a member of PNDC but are researching it. They haven’t attended DSEI in the past, but this year they applied for a grant through the Montana Department of Commerce. He said, “These international shows are costly, and this program allows us to attend on a larger level. The benefits of attending DSEI are to engage directly with our active-duty customers in Europe, review current projects/solutions, and meet new customers.” 

Another facet of the conference, according to Ryser, is that PNDC works with attendees in a mentor and protegee relationship. They help advise on how to take international meetings with buyers and how to give a good elevator pitch. She added, “Some businesses do amazing stuff but have difficulty putting it into an elevator pitch to tell what they do to a prime or lead company.”

Tyler Grover, sales and marketing manager for GrovTec of Wood Village, Oregon, said they haven’t attended in the past but are registered to go this year. He enjoys the relationships with PNDC and said, “First off, they have fun, and secondly, they help you grow your business. Whether it’s education, advocacy, or networking, PNDC is here to support you, and they have supported us for the past eight to 10 years.”

He added that PNDC was founded to increase the amount of Department of Defense (DOD) spending in the Pacific Northwest. He said this event provides valuable exposure to small precision machine shops like his. “We want to bring in outside dollars to help grow our local economies and spread awareness of the amazing manufacturing network in the Pacific Northwest.” 

In Summary 

PNDC assembles a delegation of regional businesses to attend DSEI every other year in London. Because of grants through each state’s SBA, each company can receive funding to attend the conference. Once at the conference, PNDC secures a large booth for the delegation where they are all represented. Each delegation member receives coaching on doing business internationally and best practices for representing their company. They can also take B-to-B meetings with buyers. Ironically, Ryser added that some of the delegates in attendance travel across the world with the delegation and end up making a business relationship with someone from their own state!  

Contact Info

PNDC 
1-888-701-PNDC [7632]
info@pndc.us
PO Box 1379 
Lake Oswego, OR 97035
www.pndc.us

The post London Calling appeared first on Northwest Aerospace News.

The KC-46A Pegasus has charged full steam ahead since being cleared for global deployment by the U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command in September 2022. From a 36-hour endurance flight by the 157th Air Refueling Wing at Pease Air National Guard Base to participating in Juniper Oak — the “largest and most significant” joint military exercise between United States and Israeli forces, according to the Pentagon — the Pegasus continues to demonstrate the versatile advanced capabilities it brings to the force.

American made

More than 37,000 workers in communities across the United States have played a role in the tanker’s path to combat-proven deployment, and those same Americans — working for Boeing and more than 650 suppliers in 43 states — continue to outfit the Pegasus with next-generation capabilities to deliver fuel, cargo and passengers, aeromedical evacuation support and data connectivity to the battlespace.

From St. Petersburg, Florida to Huntington Beach, California, hundreds of small businesses supply the thousands of components needed to build the KC-46A — many of them located in the Northwest — and they take great pride in fueling the global mission for the service members who depend on them.

One such small business in western Washington, PSI Solutions, Inc., was founded in a garage in Federal Way in 1995 to serve the test instrumentation, embedded systems and imaging system needs of Pacific Northwest aerospace manufacturers. Like Boeing itself, PSI Solutions is an industrial nexus for numerous businesses and the people they employ.

Twenty-seven years on, president Tad Papineau and his team of more than 10 employees are proud to be a key supplier for Boeing’s KC-46 program and play a crucial role in supporting the nation’s armed services.

“To know that we had a little piece in helping the warfighter go out and complete their mission and most importantly, return home safely at the end of the day to their family and their teams, really puts a smile on our face and helps us feel good about things,” said Papineau, who also runs a second office in Portland, Oregon.

Cousin connection 

In Everett, Washington, where each tanker is built on Boeing’s 767 production line, brothers Chad (KC-46 manufacturing manager) and Wade Holliston (heavy structures technician) share an even closer relationship to the Air Force mission.

“It’s a pretty cool connection that my brother and I work here together,” Chad said. “And then we’ve got our cousin who is anywhere in the world flying the tankers that we’re building.”

Their cousin, U.S. Air Force Captain Michelle McMillen, has been a tanker pilot for more than three years.

 “(The KC-46A) is better than any platform I’ve ever been on,” McMillen said. “Being a tanker pilot is so cool! Bringing the fuel to the fight and supporting those on the ground has just been phenomenal.”

This “cousin connection” sparked a family reunion at Boeing’s Military Delivery Center in Tukwila, Washington. Chad and Wade were on hand to watch Capt. McMillen pilot the 24th Pegasus delivery to McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, Kansas.

“It gives me a sense of family pride,” said Chad, who recalled the cousins gathering as kids at their grandfather’s cabin near Trout Lake, Washington.

“She’s a pilot for the Air Force. She’s flying our tanker. I think it’s very awesome.”

Combat ready — today and tomorrow

The unmatched capabilities of the KC-46A have been on full display as the Pegasus has played an increasingly crucial role in the Air Force mobility fleet. 

During a visit to Boeing’s Everett Modification Center, Lieutenant Colonel Joshua Renfro, Air Mobility Command’s KC-46A cross-functional team lead at the time, described how the Air Force has demonstrated the capabilities of the KC-46A — and where it’s headed in the future.

“The KC-46 brings a lot of capabilities that were not traditionally baked into the legacy aircraft; notably defensive systems — the ability to detect and avoid threats using either on-board measures or tactical data link options that are passed to us via other receivers and other platforms out in the field,” Renfro said.

He provided a specific example from an exercise in 2022, as the Air Force was proving out the KC-46A on its path to global deployment.

“A tanker saw a pop-up threat that the fighter didn’t see right away,” Renfro explained. “Our tanker crew was able to call out, ‘Hey, there is a threat over this quadrant. Vector over and engage.’ The fighter conducted the kill based on that pop-up notification.

“So we actually had the tanker participating in the kill chain specifically because of that connectivity it brings to the fight,” Renfro said.

The Air Force and Boeing continue to evolve the KC-46A to meet the mission needs of the future, including an advanced communications suite upgrade that was announced in April 2023. The Block 1 contract will further enhance the aircraft’s data connectivity and situational awareness with line-of-sight and beyond-line-of-sight communications technologies including anti-jamming and encryption features. The Pegasus will continue to expand its battlespace network capabilities, including Advanced Battle Management System integration.

The Air Force and Boeing are also partnering to upgrade the aircraft’s Remote Vision System that aerial refueling operators use to see receiver aircraft and manage refueling operations. Renfro stressed that these improvements have been made as part of a collaborative partnership between the U.S. Air Force and Boeing on the RVS 2.0 upgrade. “We have boom operators at the wings and the program office, working directly with the Boeing engineers and the Boeing boom operaters to figure out what is the best solution in order to develop this combat capability and get it to the warfighter for the long-term vision of the program,” Renfro said. “RVS 2.0 represents the culmination of that partnership and we are very happy with the result.”

Continuing to grow the global fleet

With more KC-46As operating globally than any other tanker except the Boeing-built KC-135, Boeing aircraft will continue to refuel the joint force fleet for decades to come. And with many more on order to be built for the U.S. and international customers, Boeing and its global network of suppliers extending out from the Pacific Northwest will continue building and delivering KC-46 tankers well into the future

Photos

KC-46A refueling P-8A  [File name: 200207-F-JG201-1249.JPG]

Caption:

The KC-46A Pegasus and the P-8A Poseidon are both built by Boeing in the Puget Sound region of Washington State, with support from suppliers throughout the Northwest and across the country. (Photo: Boeing)

KC-46A & Mt. Rainier [File name: 16BFT000104_003_Photo_by_Paul_Weatherman_sm.tif]

The KC-46A — shown here in flight near Mount Rainier — operates globally for the U.S. Air Force and allies, delivering fuel, data and combat-ready multi-mission capability. (Photo: Paul Weatherman, Boeing)

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Xemelgo’s founders, Rich Rogers, CEO, and Akhila Tadinada, CTO, started the app-based company for manufacturers to develop tools and solutions to improve their businesses. These veterans of Hitachi and other high-tech companies knew one thing would be mission critical to get their business off the ground — they needed to approach manufacturers ready to observe and listen. 

Before they did that, however, they noticed something about other startup companies in the arena. “Many IT experts were trying to jam their IT experience into manufacturing. But they didn’t solve a real-world need,” said Rogers. In other words, they saw pre-built applications being pushed by others, but they decided their offerings should be co-created to ensure they provide substantial value to a manufacturer.

He said they have developed what they call co-creation partnerships with the manufacturers that they work with. “When you do a startup, you are making a huge sacrifice of your time. You can waste months and years if you build the wrong thing. None of our team members had worked on a factory floor. We didn’t have domain expertise. We listened to manufacturers to ensure we were building a solution to help them and other manufacturers.” 

In its fifth year now, the company has developed customer relationships with big-name businesses in major industries like aerospace, medical, test and measurement, agriculture, defense, and space. 

One of their customers is Paul Michaels, director of aerospace at Boyd Corporation.  Michaels has worked with Xemelgo for two years and said he is an advocate for what they are doing. “They are leaning forward to embrace technology.” Boyd has opted for an RFID tracking system from Xemelgo. “We have about 3,000 jobs at a given moment, 24 hours a day. Those are all physical job tickets – tracking movement, tracking lost job tickets, finding, and updating tickets, and updating changes from customers. Xemelgo has helped us to be smarter about manual tracking.” 

Michaels said that in a company the size of Boyd, there are thousands of jobs at each workstation. It is hard to track if someone needs to remember a routing number or any number of items. Now with the tracking system, they can pinpoint exactly where a job is in the factory. They used to have people spending time trying to track things down – something like a purchase order change. They can find a project in a stack of paper. He said, “What they’ve done is scratching the surface” of what they may be able to do at Boyd.

He added that many software solutions are “off the shelf, out of the box, but not with the customization factor we needed.” He shared that Rogers and Tadinada came to the facility and asked, “What do you do? What do you make? What are the challenges in your company?” They watched a job from start to finish. He added, “They never said, ‘We have this great software to sell you.’ They ping us with proactive engagement and offer a solution.” 

Tadinada said about competitors, “Many people are doing science projects. We wanted to build something people wanted to buy, which provided value from day one.” She said they did a deep dive into mom-and-pop shops during their startup process. They did “co-creation” with manufacturers to involve them in the process. At first, they were on the road and needed to meet and talk to many companies. “Before people understood the app (concept), we wanted to provide an end value to the customer.” She said that Rogers is good at explaining things in a consumer-oriented manner. 

Rogers uses examples of how their apps might work in a business, but in a way that people understand. He explains, “Our customers love the solution. Everything is explained in realistic terms.” He references apps for the factory like consumers might use Google Maps or ‘Find Your iPhone’ for tracking, or he explains how shipping could work like Door Dash. He likes using analogies so that people can understand what an app can do in the factory. He has a way of explaining quickly, whether labeling and identifying inventory, tracking a work order, changing a customer work order, or something else. 

“We have had people dance with joy when they start using a solution; it is impactful and helpful. People are still intimidated by (the term) smart manufacturing,” Rogers said. When he brings it to them as ‘this is like what your iPhone does when tracking your location,’ they understand.”

Michaels calls their ability to explain how an app can impact factory operations, a “light bulb moment.” 

They all noted that many manufacturers are still running with an old guard that isn’t tech savvy and doesn’t plan to be. Rogers said that for many, “It is generationally based. The leaders of manufacturing today didn’t grow up with these solutions.” He said many are ‘gun shy’ about technology. 

“Aerospace is one of the hardest sectors to deploy solutions. There is a reluctance to change anything per certifications. However, Amazon and Tesla are the models that teach how tech can help and advance the business,” Rogers said. 

He added, “Thought leaders are deploying Smart Manufacturing solutions and carrying the torch.” 

While it can be hard to start, many manufacturers can see results with an investment in technology. Xemelgo is seeing changes for its customers regarding revenue, materials waste, quality assurance, and inventory. Rogers said, “We use sensor technology to automate data entry into existing business systems.” 

He again reflected on Amazon Go, the self-service grocer in Seattle. “It is a retail experience where you can grab what you want, and your credit card is automatically charged in a shopping environment.” 

In that example, tags are attached to everything and managed by sensors. Inventory is continually tracked, and payments are automatic. With these sensors in a manufacturing environment, everything can be tracked automatically, including inventory in bulk. “Instead of shutting down for two days to count inventory, it tracks automatically. If an order moves through production, we can update the ERP,” Rogers said. 

“We save the customer so much time, and they don’t have to scan thousands of bar codes manually.” 

Xemelgo is a growing entity, and they feel they are graduating from a startup to a more mature company. Tadinada said their company culture is developing: “We listen very closely to our customers. We solicit feedback in our app; customers provide feedback on new features and how to use the app better. The team then quickly incorporates the feedback into the Xemelgo software.” They are hiring, and they offer flexibility in a hybrid work environment — the office is in Bellevue. 

She hopes that through their custom apps and sensoring software, they can eliminate manual, repetitive tasks, “That’s where the waste is,” she said. With the workforce shortage, she commented that people want to work for higher-tech firms like Amazon. She feels that many would be more engaged in a modern factory. She hears from customers, “Thank you for taking me into the 21st century!” 

Contact Info

Xemelgo, Inc

3600 136th Pl SE, #300

Bellevue, Washington 98006

info@xemelgo.com

1-888-907-2884

The post Lightbulb Moment — Xemelgo offers app-based solutions to manufacturers that bring their factories into the 21st century. appeared first on Northwest Aerospace News.

Andy Duyck (pronounced Dike) knew at a young age that he wanted to own a machine shop. At 23, he and his wife sat down and mapped out what type of business they’d like and where they could take it. “We’ve always been very plan driven and goal oriented,” he said. They planned where they’d be in 10 years and what kind of machine shop they would operate. 

One of the tenets of the business would be integrity, and the other, honesty. He has operated the business that way, focusing on good customer relationships and honoring the employees. “We treat everyone well,” he said. They emphasize paid and unpaid time off and even give baby gift baskets when an employee or spouse has a baby.

After 40 years of running the business, Andy shared that he still maintains the same enthusiasm and attention to goals. At 63, he is now working with the staff on strategic planning and the next steps for his eventual transition from the business. 

Anne Duyck, his daughter-in-law, is married to one of Andy’s sons and is the HR manager, payroll manager, project manager, and quality coordinator, depending on the day and who she’s talking to. Andy said, “Anne is as driven as I am. We share a desk in the office, and her passion comes through in her work.” He cited that Anne recently took them through AS9100 certification, which took six to nine months. They both said it was monumental but will allow them to engage with the aerospace industry. 

Thus far, they’ve worked for various industries, such as semiconductor companies in 15 countries and companies that make lasers and food processing equipment. 

Anne said obtaining AS9100 helped them streamline processes for both aerospace and other industries, like high tech, as they enter the aerospace industry. 

Concurrent with earning their certification, they also purchased another manufacturing facility. Andy said that the existing and new facilities are paid for,  “We don’t lease.” The new facility is not adjacent, but it is close by. The purchase was two-fold: the business is expanding and needs space. Also, it will enable larger manufacturing projects that require lifting via cranes. 

The current facility is 20,000 square feet, and the new building is 40,000. They have 10 CNC mills, three CNC lathes, and two water jets. More equipment will be purchased for the new building. They also just had the floors painted at the new facility. People had told him painting doesn’t add value, but he disagrees. He likes it “clean and bright in the factory.” He noted that a clean shop is essential and originally he thought all machine shops were similar, but found out later that wasn’t true. 

“That’s why manufacturing has a bad rap — people think it is dark, grimy, and rough conditions. By painting the floors, employees start putting away tools and caring for things. When the job completes, they clean up,” Andy said. 

While Andy is delegating work and building up additional leaders, he still leads and grows the company. One strategy they’ve developed addresses the workforce shortage that manufacturers are having. “It’s still challenging to get brand new people in here. Experienced machinists already have a job somewhere.” So, they’ve cross-trained their staff, making switching staff members between projects and roles easier. 

Andy is a believer in the culture of the organization. “If you have a good cultural fit, train them to do other jobs.” They had 26 employees in 2020 and now have 33 people. Andy said, “It’s a 25 percent jump, a big deal for us.” But he observed that adding 50 employees at a time would be difficult. He likes finding someone who fits in and then training them to do the work. “Knowing what they have or desire, we can let their skill set grow. We’ll have more qualified candidates in the future.” 

Jack Reynolds, the quality manager, has been with the company for six and a half years and has been in the quality role for over two years. He proudly sits on the leadership team and works on strategic planning and quality supervision. He declared that developing a quality manual and improving sections was a big deal for them. Reynolds came from the machining side of the business, so he understood “running machines” but also had management skills from other past careers. 

Reynolds said that the company is family oriented —“many family members, cousins, sons, daughters-in-law,”— employees that have been there for decades. He added that the culture at Duyck is “very adaptive” and responsive to the customer’s needs, “They have a can-do spirit.” 

Mark Lambert is VP of sales, and he’s been with the company for seven years. He develops new customers and manages the customer service account planners to serve existing customers. He, too, reflected upon the family-oriented nature of the company. He also likes the “rural, small-town community feel.” He feels that most employees live nearby and enjoy the proximity to work. 

Lambert is excited about the company’s foray into the aerospace industry. “The biggest opportunity for us is expanding our reach into the aerospace industry. We were busy with our existing customers during the pandemic and could not go after new aerospace work. As we head into more of a normal business environment, we can support aerospace.” 

Andy said that they could provide any machined component for the aerospace industry. They also offer assembly, which he feels is “value-added.” Also, because of employee cross training, he said, “We have deliberately trained every employee for more than one job; we can pivot them back when we need to do the assembly.” 

One of the reasons that the employees enjoy the company, Anne reflected, is because of the family-oriented nature. She indicated they work hard but have the flexibility and an outstanding work/life balance at Duyck. She also said it is about being involved with the community. 

Andy cited that they are also involved with community outreach, like helping a private school across the street. “If they need tables, chairs…or a forklift, I am here to help.” They also relish the location of the business in Forest Grove, Oregon, because it is both a small-town feel and is close to Portland. “Good location to head north, south, east, and west; it can benefit suppliers and customers, but you can head any direction without much traffic. A small community shop in a pastoral setting makes for a good work environment.”

Finally, with a good work environment and a company that is astute and organized, they have realized gains in production. They recently developed a coolant reclamation project where every machine uses a coolant reclaimer to avoid waste from sludge. “We went from a few barrels to zero,” Andy said. They have also reduced scrap rates and returns, which have improved by 95 percent in the past two years because of their new quality assurance department. 

Summary

Talking with the staff at Duyck Machining is like talking to a friend at the local diner. They are kind and happy and enjoy the work they do. While work is necessary for most, this group has found a way to make it enjoyable through planning, communication, and always looking toward the future. 

Contact 

Duyck Machine

customerservice@duyckmachine.com

4200 NW Visitation Rd. Forest Grove, OR 97116

503-357-0123

The post Family Matters Machining — Duyck Machine in Forest Grove, Oregon is family oriented and has a diverse customer base.  appeared first on Northwest Aerospace News.

Rob Coatney is an aerospace engineer at Zepher Flight Labs (ZFL) in Bingen, Washington. Two years ago, ZFL secured a contract with the Army Research Laboratory to “develop technology that would improve the reliability, endurance, and acoustic signature of a Group II UAS in austere environments,” (according to a 2/23/23 press release). Coatney knew he wanted to be an aerospace engineer as early as eight. But now he is realizing his dream. 

Coatney reflected on getting to where he is today, an aerospace engineer. “There’s one thing to getting an aerospace engineering degree — when you come out of college — you are an applied mathematician but at the same time, you have no experience.” He said it takes years to build on the theoretical background from college, along with learning what works, what doesn’t, and most importantly, what the customer wants. 

Since 2010, he’s worked in the industry and has been a primary driver of the airframe for the vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAS, called the Z1. “I was able to make an efficient and manufacturable airframe,” he said. He’s also been involved with performance analysis, tooling, and structural design. “Most of what you see externally on the aircraft, I designed,” he said.

ZFL is building a hydrogen fuel cell powered UAS carrying 5kg/11-pound payloads. It is highly reliable, can be mass manufactured, and is modular. The luxury of ZFL is that they can develop the UAS to these high specifications and envision a new reality for the future of UAS because they have earned contracts with the Army Research Laboratory to fund the program. 

Adam Stolz, president and CEO of ZFL, understands one of Coatney’s early learnings: knowing what the customer wants. Stolz has focused on the customer for most of the 19 years of his career. He worked for eight years as a civilian for the Department of Defense at the Naval Warfare Center, Crane Division, before making his way out West to work at Zepher, Inc., also in Bingen. He’s worked in business development and has spent time in customer outreach. 

He said about the next generation UAS, “The new way of UASs and how the industry was going to use them – it was not going to look like it did.”

The concept of ZFL came from a plan to build a company that can focus on research and development of new technology, according to Jaime Mack, CEO and CTO of Zepher, Inc. She is the executive board member of ZFL and couched the two companies as sister companies. However, Stolz said that ZFL operates independently of Zepher, Inc. 

Mack said her main objective on the board of directors is to “shepherd the growth of the business financially in preparing for the technological challenges ahead. Not only to produce the current platform but also to continue innovating and growing the company.” 

One of the company tenets is to design for manufacturability and mass production. They have a partner with the AS9100-certified Zepher, Inc. to conduct that work when they are ready. “Most UASs are not built for high volume, low cost. The reality is that the payloads end up costing three times as much as the structure,” Mack said. She aims to see the Z1 produced to get the product to “warfighters.” She added, “It doesn’t do any good to have a UAS for the warfighter if you can’t get it to the warfighter.” 

Additionally, they are looking at the supply chain with this product, “We’ve seen with the global supply chain issues how critical it is to have manufacturability as your highest criteria. (We are) doing as much in-house as possible to eliminate global supply chain issues, as a barrier to on-time delivery.” 

Stolz said the team at ZFL is ripe for this role of inventing a future UAS different from anything else on the market. “We saw a niche market and many UAS products, but the idea of the Z1 came from our aerospace engineer.” He noted that in addition to Coatney, they have a team of nine employees and are hiring more. “Our entire team has spent time in UAS companies. We’ve all seen it done elsewhere, and we feel there is a better way to create the right UAS platform now.” 

Another plus of their working group is their vendors and service partners. “We consider the vendors and service partners a part of our overarching team.” He said for that reason, they are highly curated. They want to optimize their system so that everything comes together for the “right product.” They “heavily rely on them to bring it together in a new way,” he added. Service partners can provide engineering, testing, and development. They are also working to develop autonomous software with one of their partners. 

He said, “We don’t need another product in this industry just to have it, but the Z1 is not just another UAS. It’s a different way to look at the whole feature set; the mission of tomorrow built this UAS.” 

Coatney, Stolz, and Mack reflected that “There’s a better way to do UASs today.” Stolz added, “That’s not just the goal; that’s forward looking.” Hypothetically, he asked what the world looks for in commercial delivery, logistics, infrastructure, and inspection. Stolz thinks that with many innovations in the world, this development comes first from military applications, “You can see it daily in Ukraine,” he said. 

Data gathering and inspection need the right tool, he  observed observed. Also, he noted that without this kind of innovation, it wouldn’t make sense to have 1000 drones in the sky simultaneously because you’d need 5,000 to 10,000 people to operate and maintain them. They are working on an autonomous, quiet, and sustainable product. “The product’s robustness is through the build, maintenance, operation, and the ability to swap out components on missions; it will also need to be autonomous.” 

Their contract with the Army calls for prototypes and a functional, reproducible UAS. The product will be used to “participate in military exercises within the Indo-Pacific Command area of operation, which encompasses the Pacific Ocean, parts of Russia, China, Mongolia, Korea, and Japan; the Indian Ocean to Antarctica; Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica, and Hawaii.” (Wikipedia, United States, Indo-Pacific Command). 

Summary

Zepher Flight Labs aims to build the next generation of UAS that is built better and can be reproduced. The team at ZFL is highly experienced and serious about delivering on their contracted work with the next generation UAS. Mack said, “ZFL is pragmatic about building the best tool we can for the military customer, without ego.” She noted that ZFL is very customer driven. “We are most obsessed with serving the warfighter. The design and thought process of the Z1 is — as much as possible — from the user’s point of view, not the engineers. That speaks volumes about the resulting product.” 

Attributes of the Z1

• Reliability – They are creating a UAS that is a highly reliable tool, and reliability is a big part of the design. 
• Mass manufacturing – This UAS has been designed for manufacturing. Instead of making one or two models, they could manufacture thousands. 
• Modularity in architecture and operations – The entire aircraft can be assembled in minutes. They are creating airframe and payload modules with plug-and-play features.

Contact Info

Zepher Flight Labs
310 South Larch Street
Bingen, Washington 98605
info@zepherflight.com
www.zepherflight.com

The post Innovation Collective  appeared first on Northwest Aerospace News.