Our POV: High Tech Manufacturing by Small Businesses Is Key Driver for Job Creation in NJ and USA

Since the peak of 2.5 million US high tech jobs in 2000, the US has lost 687,000 of those desirable manufacturing jobs. Meanwhile, about 85% of R&D growth in US multinational corporations since 2004 has been based abroad. These trends reflect an emphasis by large US corporations on high growth and low cost labor markets found overseas over the past decade – especially in China*. The good news is that now economists estimate that production cost differentials between US and Chinese markets are rapidly dwindling – with a very narrow gap expected by 2015**. SIGMA believes US small business manufacturers are nimble and competitive enough to grow and lead the turnaround in high-tech production and employment in the USA. Read on to find out “how”.

“In New Jersey the creation of about 40,000 new jobs (only 12% of our current manufacturing base) would restore the manufacturing sector back to its peak level. This is a realistic goal over the coming few years”, proclaimed Lynch of SIGMA. “If we could start more small manufacturing businesses that each create 25 to 50 jobs per company, then we will be well on the road to reestablishing our hi-tech manufacturing might. Each small manufacturing firm needs to buy screws, paint, machining, plastic which all builds momentum”, he added. A recent Business Week article confirms his point – “manufacturing still has the highest leverage factor of any sector. It creates much more value and many more ancillary jobs than any other sector”***  And the National Association of Manufacturing (NAM) indicates that each dollar’s worth of manufactured goods creates another $1.43 of activity in other sectors, twice the $.71 multiplier for services.

For its part, SIGMA will follow its successful B2B technology commercialization model. One example is a diagnostic laboratory apparatus that SIGMA newly designed in 2011 for the US market and which SIGMA has been producing monthly since August 2011 (see our Sept 2011 blog article) . This product is creating steady work for SIGMA employees and for numerous local suppliers. Significantly, about 40% of sales are for export, which is also beneficial for the US trade balance, the US dollar and for US competitiveness. SIGMA is committed to repeating this local B2B commercialization-production model for other highly engineered products at our New Product Manufacturing Center in Middlesex, NJ. Come join us!

Sigma Design Company – Promoting the New American Manufacturing Era

Sources: *Manufacturing.net, **Boston Consulting Group, ***Business Week

People Power: Bob Messinger, Senior Project Design Engineer

Whether you need Finite Element Analysis (FEA) on an injected molded medical device part or on a large steel bridge structure, then Bob Messinger, Senior Project Design Engineer takes care of business. Bob is an experienced mechanical engineer and one of five Solidworks specialists at SIGMA. His recent project experience spans the Ohmsett National Testing Platform (see SIGMA blog article), Motion Power Express™ energy harvester (see SIGMA blog article) and the Rapid Vodka Chiller.

Bob Messinger, Senior Project Design Engineer, SIGMA

Bob joined SIGMA in 2004 after a 21 year career with Hayward Pool Products where he designed filters, pumps, valves and water management devices that utilize precision injection and blow molded plastic parts. Prior to that, Bob spent 4 years with Valcor Engineering Corp. designing electro-mechanical solenoid valves for aircraft, aerospace and nuclear applications. Bob has extensive training that includes Cosmo FEA (linear and nonlinear, Solidworks (Beginner in 2000, Advanced in 2000 and Advanced in 2011); Solidworks surface, SDRC Ideas Design and Drafting, and Pro/E Design and Advanced Design.

Bob is a long time Harley-Davidson enthusiast who also enjoys cabinet making in his home woodshop. What Bob likes best about Sigma is “the wide range of activities, from micro to maxi, keeps the job interesting and challenging”.

SIGMA Upgrades National Ohmsett Testing Facility in Leonardo, NJ

SIGMA Upgrades National Ohmsett Testing Facility in Leonardo, NJ

Oil spills in waterways or the Gulf of Mexico are serious business and call for innovative water cleaning technologies. To test emerging technologies for oil spill clean up, many turn to the Ohmsett National Oil Spill Response Research & Renewable Energy Test Facility, located in Leonardo, New Jersey – right on the Raritan Bay about one hour south of New York City.  Sigma Design Company of Middlesex New Jersey (SIGMA) was awarded a contract to lead the upgrade of the Ohmsett Test Facility.

Ohmsett Test Platform - Delivery

The Ohmsett National Oil Spill Response Research & Renewable Energy Test Facility is the largest outdoor saltwater wave/tow tank facility in North America. This is the only facility where full-scale oil spill response equipment testing, research, and training can be conducted in a marine environment with oil under controlled environmental conditions (waves and oil types).  The Ohmsett Test Facility is maintained and operated by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE).

Recently the Ohmsett Test Facility served as the test site of more than seven different systems that competed for a first prize of $1.4 million in the Wendy Schmidt Oil Cleanup X CHALLENGE for highly effective oil spill cleanup methods. The facility also has the mission as a research and testing venue for wave energy conversion devices.

Ohmsett Test Platform - Placement

With such increased levels of activity, the 50 year old Ohmsett Test Facility needed an upgrade and critical components needed improvement, especially the test platform – which is affectionately called the Aux Bridge.

Unique in many ways, the Ohmsett test platform is a hybrid bridge/test platform – that is 70 feet long and weighs 35,000 lbs. Test systems are towed through the seawater tank, which is 650 feet long, 65 feet wide and 12 feet deep. The lab can also create 2 to 3 foot waves to better simulate open water challenges in firefighting and oil spill clean up.

After a competitive bidding process, SIGMA was awarded an engineering contract to design and manage the construction, as the owner’s representative, of a new test platform for Ohmsett. The major design challenges were to develop a larger test structure that was safer, easier to use allowing quicker operational set ups while reducing the overall weight, and increasing operational test load capacity.

Ohmsett Test Platform - Installation

SIGMA analyzed, designed and managed every part of the new testing system by using 3D design software, FEA structural analysis methods and mechanical engineering competencies. The platform was validated by:                1) alignment testing – to ensure “she” rolls straight when pulled 6 knots; 2) load testing- with over 80,000 lbs; and finally 3) operational testing – while being pulled 6 knots through seawater tank.

With the completed installation and acceptance of the new test platform in January 2012, the Ohmsett Test Facility is ready to serve oil spill clean up and wave energy technology testing needs for many years to come.

Sigma Design Company – Solution Analysis, Design and Construction/Installation Management 

Sigma Design Company Exports Fuel Filter Testing System For Army Desert Vehicles – A Global Collaboration

Anyone who has waited too long between car oil changes knows how things start to slow down and wear out. Now imagine sitting in a military vehicle in the desert on a critical mission; well this is not the time for your diesel fuel filter to be clogged or you will be a “sitting duck”. What to do? Well the Army conducts extensive testing on automotive fuel filters to avoid such events and to ensure efficient operation of military vehicles used in desert terrain. For this important preventative work the Army is using a new state-of-the-art Fuel Filtration Testing System that was made by Sigma Design Company Middlesex, New Jersey. On December 1, 2011 Sigma Design and IFTS Inc. USA shipped the first system for export to the Middle East.

Fuel Filter Test System of Sigma Design Company

The order was initiated from Chrysler Egypt and US TACOM earlier this year and IFTS, Inc. USA collaborated with Sigma Design Company to develop and fabricate the system. The Fuel Filtration Testing System was designed from scratch and the work started with a visit to Cairo by Jerry Lynch, President of Sigma Design, for a pre-concept engineering design meeting with the Egyptian Army engineers. Parts were designed and sourced in the USA, then assembled into a complete system and finally validated through strict protocols prior to shipment of the 10 x 5 x 7 foot laboratory system.

This diagnostic laboratory based filtration equipment will test diesel fuel filters for efficiency and dirt holding and retention capacity for mission critical vehicles to be used by the Egyptian Army. This effort is part of global automotive filter manufacturers’ requirement under ISO 4020 for diesel fuel filter testing. The laboratory system is being procured under the “Buy America” project of the United States Army.

Fuel Filter Testing System (inner) of Sigma Design Company

The Fuel Filter Test System determines the filtration efficiency and lifecycle capacity per ISO 4020. The Army will test filters for use on various fleet vehicles including Diesel / Petrol engines (2.4 & 4.0L gas engines, 2.8LVM diesel engines, 4 / 6 / 8 Cylinder Jeeps).

“This is a great example of Sigma Design’s role in bringing global manufacturing for export back to New Jersey”, explained Jerry Lynch, President of Sigma Design.  “With increased orders for filtration laboratory equipment like this, Sigma Design expects to hire additional engineers in 2012”, he added.

The client turned to IFTS and Sigma Design Company due to their special expertise in applied engineering and science for filtration for all types of substances – such as oil, water, blood and other fluids. Sigma Design was selected by IFTS because Sigma had previously designed and supplied the United States Navy with a filter test system to evaluate desalination pre-filters on the CVNX Aircraft Carriers as well as their experience in the development of laboratory equipment and appliances.

Lynch, who is also co-owner of IFTS, Inc. USA, has been active for 25+ years in the area of filtration systems design and testing and has served on the Board of the American Filtration and Separations Society (AFS) for over 10 years (http://www.afssociety.org/). In fact, Lynch was the AFS National Chairman for 2006-2007.

With this set of competencies and manufacturing track record, the Sigma Design/IFTS collaboration is ready to deal with any type of filtration challenge. And with Sigma Design’s new 20,000 square foot Technology Commercialization and New Product Manufacturing Center that opened October 2011, Sigma looks forward to designing and assembling many new highly engineered filtration systems in the coming years.

Sigma Design Company – Promoting a New Manufacturing Era in New Jersey and USA

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Our POV: A New Manufacturing Era is Critical to Grow America!

Almost every local and global economy is suffering or worrying about a financial meltdown. Leaders and citizens alike are struggling and feel the sting of the dwindling economic pie. While some are complaining, some occupying and others grandstanding, at Sigma Design Company we are taking positive action by working to promote a New Manufacturing Era. We are doing this by investing, creating, producing and employing.

Sigma Design Company is bullish on the inventiveness and ingenuity of the American people. We believe in ourselves, our suppliers, our clients and our collaborators. We have more than doubled down on US manufacturing by expanding eight-fold and by just opening (in October) a Technology Commercialization and New Product Manufacturing Center in Middlesex, New Jersey.

We believe that we, and others like us, can compete right here in the USA and right here in New Jersey! We are doing this by conceiving, designing, and producing state of the art, high-valued, high-engineered systems and solutions for a range of industries. We bring team spirit, professionalism and innovative collaboration for total new product development and manufacturing. We seek to spur on others across this great land to stand up, work smart and be part of the solution to build a New Manufacturing Era. Come join us!

Sigma Design Company – Promoting a New Manufacturing Era in New Jersey and USA

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People Power: Meet Maureen O’Callahan Sigma’s Customer Quality Supervisor

Maureen O'Callahan Sigma Design Company

Every team needs a capable all around player to keep them on track and Maureen O’Callahan serves this role for Sigma Design Company.  As Sigma’s Customer Quality Supervisor, Maureen is the first point of contact for new customers. Our engineering team relies on Maureen, who prepares bills of materials for new projects, handles procurement and ensures on time receipt of materials to keep production moving. Rounding out Maureen’s responsibilities are vendor management, accounting and shipping. She is surely the glue that holds the team together!

Maureen joined sigma in 1999 after an18 year career with Fisher Scientific which spanned data entry, inside sales, project management and customer service. She is always ready with an encouraging word and, of course, with her famous bowl of chocolates which puts a smile on everyone’s face. What Maureen likes best about Sigma is “the constant change of job details.Nothing is ‘same old same old’. The job is ever changing along with our customers’ requirements, therefore, it is never boring.”

Contact Maureen to learn more about our product engineering, mechanical engineering or prototyping services;  or about our sourcing, manufacturing and assembly services in our Technology Commercialization and New Product Manufacturing Center in Middlesex, NJ USA : telephone at (732) 629-7555, facsimile  (732) 629-7556  and  mocallahan@sigmadesign.net.

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Sigma Design Co at the 2011 Middlesex County College NJ Job Internship Fair

Sigma Design Company was a proud participant on November 9 at the 2011 Middlesex County Job and Internship Fair.

Kathleen Lynch, Sigma (Center) with Interested Students

Sigma with its new ‘Technology Commercialization and New Product Manufacturing Center’ anticipates the need for engineering and technical professionals for high-wage, high-tech jobs in the coming years.

Sigma decided to jump start its sourcing efforts to identify quality candidates from New Jersey. “The Middlesex County Job Fair allowed us to put our name out in the marketplace and interact firsthand with potential candidates”, explained Kathleen Lynch, Marketing at Sigma.

Sigma Design Company – Promoting a New Manufacturing Era in New Jersey and USA

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Congratulations to Client WATTLOTS Whose SolarArbor™ Won “Top 10 Cool Products of 2011″ by NJTC

Client WATTLOTS was designated a winner of the “Top 10 Cool Products of 2011″ by the New Jersey Technology Council (NJTC) on November 9th for their SolarArbor™ product. The base of the SolarArbor™ was designed by Sigma Design Company.

The SolarArbor™ is a uniquely styled parking lot canopy system that is specifically designed to retrofit existing surface parking lots providing substantial quantities of clean, renewable electrical energy where it is needed.

Sigma Design Company, of Middlesex, New Jersey,  developed the design for the base of the SolarArbor™ to provide stability and to enable rotation to maximize sun exposure. A working prototype is under testing in New Jersey and has already withstood an earthquake, a hurricane and a snow storm!

Stay tuned for more information about the development of this renewable energy product by WATTLOTS and Sigma Design Company.

Sigma Design Company – Turning Smart Ideas into Product Solutions

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Sigma Exhibited Cryo System Prototype at Cimquest Update Meeting in Teaneck, New Jersey

Please join us in applauding the Cimquest team for the great Update Meeting held on October 26th in Teaneck, New Jersey!

Cryo System Prototype by Sigma Design Company

It was our pleasure to demonstrate how we used SolidWorks for product design and then built a complete prototype using Stratasys FDM 3D Printing machine (Cryo System Prototype). The Cryo System is a laboratory apparatus for more effective tissue sample preparation.

Jerry Lynch, President (R) and Kathleen Lynch, Marketing (L), Sigma Design Company

We enjoyed meeting many attendees and sharing our passions about new product design and manufacturing. Over 200 companies participated in the one day event – including Stryker Orthopedics, LifeCell, The Estée Lauder Companies, Konica Minolta and Con Edison

It was truly an inspiring gathering of professional product designers and engineers.

Sigma Design Company – Turning Smart Ideas Into Product Solutions

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New Product Demonstration of MotionPower™ System to Generate Sustainable Electricity From Moving Cars – a Design/Prototype by Sigma Design Company

New Energy Technologies, Inc. and the City of Roanoke, Virginia, jointly debuted, on October 22, 2011, the latest MotionPower™ Express system, capable of generating sustainable electricity from moving vehicles. MotionPower™ assists vehicles in slowing down, and in the process, captures the slowing vehicle’s motion (kinetic) energy before it is lost as brake heat and friction, thus converting this energy into electricity.

DEMO MotionPower™ Express in Roanoke, VA - Designed by Sigma Design Company

The lead engineer for the company is Mr. Jerry Lynch, President of Sigma Design Company of Middlesex, New Jersey. Sigma designed and built the prototype of this clean alternative energy product.

This first-ever public demonstration of New Energy’s brand new roadway technology was demonstrated at the Roanoke Civic Center in Virginia, a high-traffic volume entertainment, convention, and cultural complex from 10 am to 6 pm on Saturday, October 22, 2011.

The live demonstration provided “important information that is the vital engineering link to rapidly developing our technology for commercial deployment.” stated John Conklin, President and CEO of New Energy Technologies, Inc.

Once fully optimized and installed, engineers anticipate that MotionPower™ devices may be used to augment or replace conventional residential or commercial electrical supplies used to power roadway signs, street and building lights, emergency power storage systems and other electronics, appliances and devices used in homes and businesses.

Made in the USA – Made in New Jersey – Made by Sigma Design Company

Learn More about Sigma Design Company. Learn More about  New Energy Technologies, Inc. 

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