Checking In

L-3 Crestview Aerospace to Expand Operations
L-3 Crestview Aerospace (L-3 CA) officials are investing more than $7 million in facilities upgrades, including the retrofit of hangar space, at the Crestview/Bob Sikes airport in Florida.

After conducting six major recruiting activities between June 2011 and October 2012, an additional 158 full-time employees have come on board at its Crestview, FL, facility.

“The continued growth of our facility and workforce increases our capacity to provide high-quality aerostructure fabrication and aircraft modification services to our existing and new customers,” says Jeff Barger, vice president and general manager, L-3 CA. www.L-3crestview.com

Embraer Officials Break Ground on Research Center
Officials from Embraer recently broke ground on the company’s new Engineering and Technology Center USA, Melbourne, FL. Expectations are to open the 67,000ft² building in mid-2014.

Located at Melbourne Int’l Airport on 13 acres, the center represents a $26 million investment during the next five years and is part of the company’s long-term strategy to be closer to its customers and major markets. The Engineering Center will create 200 jobs at an average salary of $70,000 per year. www.embraer.com

Mitutoyo America Gold Care
Mitutoyo America Corp. officials announce a new sales program based on packaging select coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) and vision systems with related equipment and service packages at no extra cost in addition to the price of the base machine. The program, launched at the start of 2013 is available to U.S.-based companies served by Mitutoyo America for a limited time period throughout this year.

Measuring machines in this program include:

• CNC CMMs: CRYSTA-Plus series (400/500/700 models)
• Manual CMMs: CRYSTA-Apex S CNC series (500/700/900/1200 models)
• Vision Machines: QV-Apex Pro, QV-Apex TP Systems Every machine group offers a Gold Care package that include:
• A second year extended warranty covering all labor and part costs
• A two-year bronze calibration agreement (A2LA Accredited)
• A five-year technical phone support program covering all of the machine’s software needs
• Mitutoyo’s MeasurLink Pro Edition software package

www.mitutoyo.com

Pratt & Whitney Expanding Jet Engine Facility in Florida
Pratt & Whitney is investing $63 million at a manufacturing center near West Palm Beach, FL, expecting to create nearly 230 jobs.

Company officials finalized their decision after qualifying for $4.4 million in job growth incentives from the state and county.

The Palm Beach County Commissioners agreed to contribute $1 million of ad valorem tax exemption and a $400,000 job growth incentive to the proposed expansion. Officials say salaries will average $81,101. www.pw.utc.com

GE Engines Receive EASA Certifications
GE Aviation’s new H75 and H85 turboprop engines received engine type certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

The China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co. Ltd. (CAIGA) selected GE Aviation’s H85 turboprop engine to power CAIGA’s five-seat Primus 150 business aircraft. This is the first application for the H85 turboprop engine.

The H75 engine is rated at 750shp (shaft horsepower) for takeoff and maximum continuous operation, and the H85 engine is rated at 850shp.

Expected in late 2013 is U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) type certification for the H75 and H85. www.geaviation.com

GF AgieCharmille Extends Employee Expertise
Officials at GF AgieCharmilles recently opened a new training academy at its Geneva, Switzerland, headquarters. The academy’s state-of-the-art facility and curriculum will accelerate the expertise and skills of the company’s applications and service engineers worldwide. The new training academy features a massive machining center area with space for training, an updated metrology area, technical and training labs, as well as classrooms – all included with the intention of further leveraging the company’s ever-expanding knowledge base. www.gfac.com/us.

Sandvik Coromant Breaks Ground in NJ
A new facility will serve as Sandvik Coromant’s U.S. head office and a hub for Sandvik Coromant’s Market Area Americas, a strategic geographical alignment dedicated to increasing synergies between the United States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Latin America.

Design of the 108,000ft², state-of-the-art facility is to meet Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) standards. The contemporary green design facility will provide general office space, a productivity center, and an Aerospace Application Center (AAC). www.sandvik.coromant.com/us

Celeritive Technologies Extends to Deckel Maho
Deckel Maho Pfronten GmbH's, Aerospace Excellence Center, adopts the use of Celeritive Technologies Inc., VoluMill software. Under this initiative, the Aerospace Excellence Center will leverage Celeritive’s ultra high-performance toolpath engine, VoluMill, integrated with Siemens NX CAM, to support pre- and post-sale activities around the world.

“The Aerospace Excellence Center’s focus on aerospace applications is directly in line with many of Celeritive’s industry distinctive initiatives,” says Terry Sorensen, CEO, Celeritive. www.dmgmoriseiki.com; www.volumill.com.