Startup week in Arizona. Chain-on-edge conveyor, infrared preheat, TAK cure ovens, automated fluid handling — the works. This project has been on the books for months, and seeing it come to life is one of those moments where all the engineering, planning, and late nights finally click into place.
But there’s another side to projects like this. What you don’t see in the system photos is the part where I’m on the road for long stretches, away from home. The system needs me here — dialed in, tweaking spray settings, checking circulation loops, making sure the whole thing runs to spec. Meanwhile, back home, I’m missing bedtime stories with Tommy and Evie, time with Mollie, and even the chaos of Tucker underfoot.
This startup is only the first half. A second system is in production now, and when the explosion-proof servo-driven spray gun positioners are ready, I’ll be back here again to install and start them up. That’s more miles, more hotels, more nights of quick phone calls from a different time zone.
There’s pride in watching the system run the way it was designed to. There’s pride in building something that will keep producing long after I pack up my tools and head for the airport. But there’s just as much pride in walking back through my own front door — because I know I’ll be heading out again soon.
Engineering isn’t just about machines — it’s about balance.
👉 If you want to see the technical side of this project, I wrote up a detailed post here: Precision Under Pressure: Automated Coating System for Aerospace Fasteners