Starring role Juve Hernandez is a Materials, Process & Physics engineer with Boeing Research & Technology in Ridley Township, Pa. In this Frontiers series that profiles employees discussing their jobs, Hernandez explains why he’s excited about rapid prototyping and the ways it can help Boeing programs. Frontiers October 2014 13 WHAT WE DO This engineer has a passion for designing devices that help others do what they do—only better As told to Jennifer Hawton, with photo by Fred Troilo Growing up in California I was surrounded by movie stars, but I was interested in a different type of star. I learned about space missions like the Mars Rover in high school and thought, How cool—I want to be part of that, part of something bigger. I knew that if I worked hard I could do it. I started reading everything I could find about space missions and eventually decided to get my degree in aerospace engineering. I wasn’t quite sure where I would end up working after college, but I thought it would be one of the big aerospace companies. That wasn’t the case, as I spent quite a few years working in other industries. I took personal time and money to learn everything I could about new advances in technology like composite materials, 3-D modeling and additive manufacturing. In 2011 I got my chance to work for Boeing, one of the largest aerospace companies in the world. The only problem was that the job was near Philadelphia. I’ve never lived anywhere but California or been that far from my family. I took the leap because I knew Boeing was where so much of the cutting-edge technology was being used and developed. Although I wasn’t familiar with the rotorcraft products being built in Ridley Township—the H-47 Chinook and V-22 Osprey—I knew I had the right skills to get a running start as a technologist with Boeing Research & Technology. School and industry experience had equipped me with advanced tools—and I get to use them all to fix tough problems for my customers. I get to see all sides of the work since I’m the only Boeing Research & Technology person on second shift. I stand right next to the folks on the production line and get to help keep our line moving by using the cool, smart and innovative approaches and tools that our engineering and research and technology organizations are developing. Recently we ran across an issue with crooked drill holes. There wasn’t a tool or an easy way to align the part, and there wasn’t room in the factory to drill straight because of the way the parts were put together. My teammates and I designed a device so the holes can be drilled easily and consistently. Without access to our rapid prototyping lab and Moonshine Shop, where we can quickly create versions of new specialized devices using additive manufacturing, and the support team here, it would have taken two months to manufacture the device. But with rapid prototyping, it took two days. I’ve been working since I was very young in environments from construction to shipyards. I wish people had been around to show me easier, more ergonomic or efficient ways to do all that work. That is where I get my passion for designing devices and techniques that help others do what they do, only better. If I can help one person I’m pretty excited; when my designs start getting copied and used in other places, I get really jazzed. Because I know I’m helping people and helping Boeing. It is inspiring to be part of something bigger. Every time I see or hear a Chinook take off, I know that I’m part of the team that makes that possible. n jennifer.d.hawton@boeing.com
Frontiers October 2014 Issue
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