nasa engineers visit floe international to develop welding refinements

Floe International, a leading manufacturer of aluminum trailers, boat lifts, and dock systems, was visited by NASA engineers from Lockheed Martin Space Systems in November to further refine the company's welding processes. Already known for aluminum construction, Floe engineers consulted with the NASA team to explore ways to enhance their welding procedures to maximize weld integrity and cosmetic appearance of the welds on their products.
 
Lockheed Martin is recognized as the national leader in aluminum welding and fabrication. The company constructs the nearly 100-foot long external fuel tank for the space shuttle, which is filled with oxygen and hydrogen fuel to propel the space shuttle during lift off.

According to Bill Fournier, Floe International chief operating officer, the meeting with the NASA team was a great opportunity. "We are excited to learn from these experts how we can refine and optimize our welding procedures and make them even better," he said.

The NASA team was comprised of Fred Ogden, staff engineer who specializes in welding procedures, and Gordon Dyer, technology transfer officer. The visit was part of a technology transfer program arranged by NASA and Minnesota Technology, in which federal agencies and educational institutions provide expertise and advisement to growing companies.
 
"We're already known for the integrity of our products," said Fournier, "and they complimented us on our workmanship. For example, we weld our components together on all four sides, rather than just two. But the input from the Lockheed Martin group will help us optimize our welding process. Plus it's interesting to know our recreational aluminum products are constructed with similar welding procedures used on the space shuttle. Not many companies can say that."