Northwest Aerospace News April | May Issue No.20 | Page 37

In anticipation for the future , Harper Engineering is also investing in factory automation . They have purchased robots and have developed integration of the robots on the line . Funk said , “ You don ’ t buy robots to replace people ; you buy robots to help people with what they are doing .
When you have smaller jobs , as with aerospace , you can use selective automation with things that are tailored and flexible to assist employees that much better .”
Offering keen insight into ways of doing things is built into the Harper Engineering model . “ We make recommendations on problem solving based upon a given set of solutions ,” said Lindgren .
Their opportunity is to design something new by understanding overall architecture of the aircraft interior . Although in some cases , they may only be producing a latching or attachment solution , Lindgren said , “ We see the vision for the entire aircraft .” They will receive an envelope of requirements , including aesthetics ; sometimes it is a 200-page document . They need to fit the form and need of the overall design vision and rigorously test . “ Everything we are involved with is a highly engineered product ,” said Funk .
Looking forward , Harper Engineering continues to focus on quality and delivery . They want to “ solve our customer ’ s problems from beginning to end ,” Lindgren said . They also focus on continuous improvement in their factories and their operations . Lastly , they believe it is most important to be collaborative with their customers with a high assist in providing a solution for the need .
“ We embody dedication to the customer ; everybody feels the pain if we ship a bad part or miss a delivery because of a problem ,” said Lindgren .
However , because of their AS9100 Rev D Certification , quality remains critical and is a key part of the company .
“ We passed Rev D with zero findings ; even prior to Rev D , we were operating at that level ,” said Lindgren .
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