How MES Is Making Rural Internet Possible
So, when a revolutionary provider of high-speed, low-latency broadband internet needed a manufacturer to produce two crucial components for their offering, MES was there.
Summary
Here’s how MES helped one of the world’s most advanced broadband internet providers deliver high-speed internet in places where traditional service providers have failed.
Challenge
For the most part, portable internet has eluded everyone from RV travelers to third-world countries to war-distressed regions throughout the world. It seemed that no one could figure out how to provide high-speed, low-latency internet with a global reach without building wire- or optics-based infrastructure.
So, when our client, a global leader in aerospace, found a way to bring the internet to the most remote corners of the world, it’s no surprise they were called “daring and ambitious.”
Thanks to an innovative history in space, the aerospace company was well positioned to deliver what nobody else can: satellite-based internet comparable to fiber-optics counterparts.
The challenge for the aerospace company, however, was in finding the right supplier to manufacture the hardware needed to make it happen. With large-volume production and a risky supply chain, the aerospace company was concerned with getting the quantity and quality of manufactured parts to support the deployment of their solution.
Insights
To help protect the aerospace company from the potential logistics issues that can arise in working with overseas manufacturers, they wanted to employ a dual-sourcing strategy. This was a smart decision on their part. Even smarter was the fact they understood their need for a partner to move the project forward by providing a North American-based solution across different commodities.
Solution
The MES team evaluated the aerospace company’s drawings for two essential parts of the satellite internet system: a mounting base for the antenna and a terminal mast connecting the two.
Our engineers then worked through the aspects of the part, determining how to take a 12-foot extrusion from another supplier and put it through our MES-owned and domestically operated CNC machining facility. The goal? The machine would produce one part every 2 minutes from the 12-foot extrusion. We could yield 13 pieces from each 12-foot extrusion.
We also took the highest aesthetic requirements we’ve ever seen and found a way to finish the part, painting both the inside and outside with just the right amount of smoothness, gloss, and coverage, while also avoiding an undesirable “orange peel” texture.
Thanks to MES processes and techniques combined with a brand-new paint line, we delivered an internet satellite mast that looks every bit as good as it functions: perfectly.
The MES team also turned its attention to the diecast component. For this, our approach was to simplify manufacturing for the aerospace company by engaging one of our die-casting partners for this part. This enabled our customer to have us as a single point of contact rather than complicating things by adding another supplier to the mix for them.
Our high-tech solutions, domestic manufacturing, supplier sourcing in Mexico, and quality control processes all combined allowed us to quickly ramp up and give t
he aerospace company the highest quality solution within a mere 3-4 months.
This project married our ability to source and produce products at a competitive price.
- CNC Machining
- Extrusion Manufacturing
- Dual Sourcing Supply Chain Management
- Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP)
- Tooling Designs
- Domestic Manufacturing (U.S. Based Production)
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Find out just how cost-efficient and time-effective working with MES, the manufacturing and supply chain partner of the world’s leading innovators. To learn more contact MES today.