Based in the Florida panhandle and founded in 1993 on the success of the first GPS-guided bomb, defense contractor Applied Systems Engineering (ASEI) has made fundamental contributions to the field of Munitions Design and Testing through its navigation systems found in USAF and USN aircraft.

Developing mission-critical combat systems through internal R&D gives the team at ASEI a number of challenges including a need for the short turnarounds for parts and fixtures, reducing the cost for these quick timelines, the protection of sensitive IP data, and meeting government material and process certification specifications. 

Kellan Cannon, an Electronic Technician implemented many of the control and guidance systems offered by ASEI. He spoke of the need to precisely cut large amounts of carbon fiber for drone structures, as well as aluminum for items such as missile wing spars and fixtures, and acrylics for enclosures and cover plates. He went on to emphasize their need for the ability to iterate quickly in end-use materials, while remaining on budget.

“The machine runs 7 or 8 hours a day for weeks at a time… all with just some simple maintenance.”

Kellan said,  “We specifically bought the WAZER to create one-offs and rapid prototype more affordably and efficiently”.  The WAZER is being used in the design and prototyping phase, as well as for producing end-use parts designed for harsh wartime conditions. Kellan was enthusiastic about the quality of the WAZER, offering “The machine runs 7 or 8 hours a day for weeks at a time… all with just some simple maintenance”, adding “the plug-and-play nature of the WAZER is important, because it is easy to use and there is no need for another trained person to operate it.” This ease of use translates into a faster time to part with more creative, reduced-risk design solutions.