The Team at Navus: Contribution in Custom Automation
At Navus, the majority of our team has worked at the company for years. Each one comes with a different professional and educational background, and a lot of them are hired with one position in mind. But a trend at our company is our team members discovering what they’re most passionate about in the custom automation process, and moving into that position as they grow with the company.
Meet David: Automation Technician
David P. has been with the Navus family since 2007. He’s done a variety of jobs, including welding, fabrication, assembly work, and now mostly operates our water jet and press break. We recently sat down and asked David to share his Navus story.
Passion for Fabrication
Navus: Describe what you do in your role at Navus.
David: I do a variety of things. Welding and fabricating. We do the automated machines, obviously, so that requires a lot of assembly work. But mostly I operate the water jet and the press break. I still do a little welding if they need some extra help with it, but mostly making parts for our machines is what I do day-to-day! I really enjoy it.
The water jet cuts the material. It can cut a variety of thicknesses from 1/16” to 3” and a variety of different materials. It will even cut glass, cardboard, wood… You put it under there and it will basically cut it! It uses 90,000 PSI (pounds of force per square inch).
Navus: How did you end up in this career, and ultimately at Navus?
David: I was born into it. My dad was a sheet metal worker for 40 years so he always did custom cars at home. I’ve been welding since I was 5 years old. I studied some stuff about fabrication in the auto trade in school. I went to college for mechanical engineering, but I’m not an office person. I prefer to be in the shop. I worked in automotive painting for a while, but I really enjoy the welding side of that industry more. That’s what got me into this.
The company I worked at before [Navus] had a huge warehouse and they had rented part of it out to Navus because of a big machine they were making. At the time, Navus needed the extra space. That’s actually how I got connected with Navus. They were interested in starting more of the welding side of fabrication, and asked if anyone at my job was interested! It’s close to home, and we’re always doing something different, which is really nice.
Navus: What’s your favorite part about your job and working at Navus?
David: Seeing the whole process to me is fun. Right now they’re finishing a weld cell, getting ready to ship it, [at the same time] keeping the ball rolling on all of our other current and upcoming projects. I’m always cutting parts for the next machines. I love seeing the whole process, from me cutting the parts, to the guys welding them together, to powder coating, to assembly, to seeing the machine run. That’s just always super cool. We’ve made some really neat machines over the years.
Obviously, we stay busy. But it’s a really great environment. Our team trusts each other, and no one micromanages what we do. It’s close to home. And once I get somewhere I like, I like to stay.
More Heads Are Better Than One
Navus: Describe some of the ways you’ve seen the team at Navus work together to overcome challenges.
David: The more heads you have in something, the better off you are as far as perspective goes. It’s just neat to see how people think differently to solve the same problems.
Navus: What have been your favorite projects to work on?
David: There’s a bunch. The very first one was a filter machine. It was stainless steel filters and the machine did the entire process. It would actually run it out, sheer it off, crimp it, stack it, and have it ready to go. Another one was for a paper company. They had big rolls of paper towels and the machine would stretch out the paper towels and cut it off. I liked that one a lot.
I also love the project I’m cutting parts for right now. It’s a return client that wanted us to do more of a system we’ve already created and delivered to them. It’s for a product that a lot of people are familiar with, so it’s cool to be a small part of the process of the production for them.
Navus: What do you hope for your future at Navus?
David: I can’t wait to see what projects come in next. It seems we get something different every day to work on, and it’s just nice to be super busy and learn new things constantly.
Forging the Future & Clarifying the Complex in Custom Automation & Fabrication
Navus’ team is made up of hand-picked individuals who bring a variety of backgrounds and experiences to our work. We believe that a work environment like ours should be a safe place for our team members to show interest in new skills and grow in their career. Dedicated team members like David who have worked with us for so long are a part of the reason that our high standards for the solutions and products we deliver are possible!
If you’re interested in learning more about how we can help overcome your challenges through custom automation solutions, or if you’re interested in joining the Navus family, reach out to us today. You can contact us by emailing info@navusinc.com.
