A & J Manufacturing Company

When naval ships carry equipment onboard, every piece of equipment generally has to meet specific shock and vibration standards so as to be able to withstand and survive severe conditions. These requirements further apply to the racks and cabinets used for carrying electronics on ships as well. Another one of these important specifications stipulates high strength-to-weight ratios to reduce the overall equipment weight while also ensuring greater strength and durability. With all of these critical requirements to be met, A & J Manufacturing Company (A & J) designed a specialized type of all-bolted together construction that allows for a high strength-to-weight ratio for cabinets. This unique way of construction eliminates the need for welding as the racks or enclosures can be disassembled and reassembled. The all-bolted together construction technique enabled the Navy to take the racks apart, move them between decks, and put them back together. “And of course, all our enclosures meet the required military shock and vibration standards for carrying electronics out on the ocean,” says Barry Lyerly, president and CEO of A & J Manufacturing Company.

Established in 1953, A & J Manufacturing Company (A & J) designs and manufactures commercial-off-the shelf (COTS) and customized electronic equipment racks and enclosures, along with an assortment of associated installation kits and accessories. A & J’s founder started building electronic enclosures around the sixties, which has been the company’s main focus over the years. A & J also provides custom enclosures for customers considering the size, shape, height, and width of their electronics, including various kits for placing the electronics inside the enclosures.

The company has worked on some specialized electronic enclosures for the ICBM Program (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) as well as on racks for the recently developed Zumwalt DDG ships. “It is an ongoing process where we provide initial racks to the customer, after which if they find any tweaks or changes that they want to be made, we add those revisions to future versions of the rack,” says Lyerly. “Some further examples of programs we are involved with include: SIWCS (Ship Wide Interior Wireless Communication System), SEWIP (Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program), LHA-8 Amphibious Assault Ship, SSC (Ship To Shore Connector), LCS (Littoral Combat Ship), ADNS (Automated Digital Network System), CANES (Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services), GBS (Global Broadcast Service), and TCDL (Tactical Common Data Link) to just name a few.”

To ensure the high product quality that A & J has maintained over the years, the company has moved into a larger facility and installed a new ERP system to integrate throughout the company’s manufacturing, accounting, parts, and inventories. To further attest to their quality offerings, A & J recently obtained the AS9100D and ISO 9001:2015 certifications, which would help in their quest of moving forward in the future. To this end, the company has also invested in a Hexagon Absolute 8525-7 CMM (Coordinate Measuring Machine) to ensure all their parts would stay within certain specifications. Not to be left behind on the security end, A & J is working with cloud security specialist Port53 to get the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), which is a requirement mandated by the Department of Defense for all defense contractors’ information systems.

Having consistently maintained quality standards, A & J has built a great relationship with all of its clients. A direct testimony to this is the rack that the company built for the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) 25 years ago, which is still operating efficiently after so many years.
Although A & J’s strength continues to lie in the Defense and Naval industries, the company may possibly be exploring other uncharted territories for more opportunities to expand in the years to come. Having bought another piece of equipment recently for their computer numerical control milling machine and with abundant room for future expansions, A & J is set to move forward as they grow. “We are committed to surpassing our customers’ requirements by continuously improving our products and services, mainly through the efforts of our employees and suppliers,” concludes Lyerly.