The U.S. Aerospace & Defense industry is the world’s largest manufacturer of highly advanced aircraft, space systems and defense equipment. For over a century the aerospace and defense industries in America have been pivotal in creating the most superior military on the planet. As the technological leader in design and development the United States’ significant achievements have lead the way for today’s modern communication, transportation and medical achievements throughout the world. The Aerospace & Defense industry continues to be one of the largest employers and serves as the nation’s economic baseline through its vast supply chain; from the world’s largest defense contractors, down through the three primary manufacturing tiers. From major contractors such as General Dynamics, to tier one manufacturers such as little known Inseego’s IoT products and more widely known industrial manufacturers such as Babcock & Wilcox, all the way to local machine shops, the military industrial complex is the strongest segment in U.S. manufacturing. The system is tightly controlled, requiring participants to follow rigorous specifications such as ITAR registration (International Traffic in Arms Regulations), be in good standing on the QPL (Qualified Parts List) and Nadcap accredited (National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program).

In recent decades women have been playing an ever increasing role in industry; from sales, to the production floor, to engineering and the C-Suite. Women provide a major influence on the success of companies ranging from machine shops, to mid-size industrial manufacturers to Fortune 100 companies. The role of women today is unprecedented and long overdue. In what has traditionally been a man’s world, the growing contribution of women to our economy is being fostered by organizations such as:

Beginning October 5th, Brennan Corporate employees will begin a 10-day wellness challenge. This challenge is designed to give employees a chance to not only improve their own physical health, but also change their daily habits to better the environment, and challenge them to learn something new everyday. 

Saturday, September 26th is National Human Resources Day. If your HR department is anything like ours, they've been working tirelessly—especially these past few months. Not only have they been communicating new practices and procedures to keep employees safe and informed, our HR department has also been looking for new ways to boost employee morale. 

Forged Fittings Versus Casting

A cast fitting is made by pouring molten metal into a mold of the desired shape. Forged steel is stronger and more reliable than castings because the grain flow of the solid steel piece is altered to conform to the shape of the part in the die. Because of this, forging provides a uniformity of the structure and composition of the finished part. The refinement that occurs is due to the thermal cycle and deformation process which is what strengthens the final part in respect to internal working pressure, and external impact and shear strength.

Producing forged steel fittings includes cutting and heating billets, then using a pre-formed die that creates the desired shape under high pressure on the heated billet. The part is then trimmed and shot blasted to remove any flashing. This process produces a machined forged blank fitting to exacting net shapes and dimensions.

The Best Methods for Manufacturing Steel Fittings

Forged fittings are far superior to other processes in the majority of applications. The forging process provides consistency in the structure and composition of the materials, and the metallurgical recrystalisation and grain refinement strengthens steel products, particularly for shear, impact and strength.

Forged steel is stronger and more reliable than brazing, casting and plate steel because the grain structure of the steel is altered, conforming to the shape of the part.

Distributed Manufacturing Gives Control to the Parent Organization & Helps Local Economies 

Localized manufacturers with their own designers, manufacturing engineers and labor force create an interconnected ecosystem that encourages development and growth of the local economy. This ultimately provides for Democratization of Technology  by becoming more accessible to the local economy and its supply chain. New technologies and improved user experiences empower organizations to more readily access and use technological advancements in products and services.

A Distributed Manufacturing Model: Flexibility, Higher Quality & More Cost Effective

Implementing distributed manufacturing allows a company to take advantage of local resources and become leaner and more adept in product development for the particular region’s needs and get product to market much faster.

Conventional Manufacturing & Distribution

For example, consider XYZ Company located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who makes valves used primarily in the oil & gas market and conducts conventional manufacturing and distribution methods. They employ leading engineers in the design and development of fluid handling products. They perform final assembly of their products at the Pittsburgh headquarters, yet utilize subcontractors for parts and components located in the Asia. These subcontractors employ cheap labor to produce the valve components designed by engineers in Pittsburgh. The components are produced and then shipped to America where they are inspected and any out-of-spec product is rejected and returned. Without the control of localized manufacturing of all necessary components, the Pittsburgh valve manufacturer can incur more costs and slower lead times. This cuts into their mar

During these unprecedented times, it's important for us to keep the safety and well-being of our employees and customers top of mind. Over the past few months, we have implemented new safety measures and are now offering contact-free curbside pick-up at each of our Brennan facilities in the US. 

Advantages of Distributed Manufacturing

Historically manufacturers own and operate a dedicated factory and develop or leverage existing supply chains to meet the needs of their customers. Consider a manufacturer located in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are in an ideal location for logistical distribution throughout the Midwestern and perhaps Southern United States. They have dozens of their own dedicated distributors and operate through other independent distributors. Traditionally this model has helped them to be a strong player in a large geographic footprint, yet they find it difficult to be competitive in the Northeast or Western U.S., and prohibited from being competitive internationally.