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Kristian Norheim, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Engineering and Test Division. From full-scale structural testing to ballistics, EMI to structural stress analysis, DTB steps beyond the confines of checklists and pushes the boundaries of what is possible. They offer a wide range of tests, including environmental, vibration/ shock, EMI/EMC, structural, windblast, and ordnance release.
At DTB, the question isn’t what they do; it’s what they don’t do.
“Customers always approach us with full confidence, knowing that we never settle for ‘that can’t be done’ as nothing is outside our reach,” says Kristian Norheim, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Engineering and Test Division. “By combining our engineering expertise with advanced testing capabilities, we deliver customer-focused solutions, all within our single location.”
Fueled by a solution-driven mindset, DTB addresses the toughest challenges head-on with 300,000 square feet of testing space in one location offering A WORLD OF ENGINEERING AND TESTING UNDER ONE ROOF™. The company understands that test programs often come at the tail end of projects and customers always work on tight schedules. In response, they offer 24/7 testing services and provide preliminary on-the-spot data for most tests. DTB delivers finished reports within 14 days with the ability to expedite the process for even faster delivery.
Fast, High-Quality Results with Unmatched Expertise
This fast turnaround time never compromises quality. DTB is A2LA, NVLAP, ISO 9001 and AS9100 accredited/ registered, ensuring adherence to the highest standards of quality. They undergo regular audits to maintain top-tier quality and management systems. DTB also conducts round robin testing to verify its results align with those of industry-leading laboratories.
Complementing testing and engineering services, DTB has a Technical Services division that provides comprehensive technical publications and logistics services, which include expert technical writing, illustrations, data conversion, and logisticians. DTB’s Mission Systems division designs and integrates advanced products and intelligent systems like mobile and transportable SCIFs, satellite shipping containers, and material procurement support for customers’ critical missions.
“While our services are wide-ranging, it’s our people who truly create the value at DTB. Numerous engineers and technicians have been with us for over 50 years, bringing a wealth of industry knowledge and experience,” says Matt May, Vice President of Operations of the Engineering and Test Division.
Building Solutions Together
From metallurgy experts to PhDs, analysts to dynamic engineers, the DTB team is comprised of highly skilled professionals ready to address any challenge and efficiently deliver results. Customer engagement begins when a sales representative or engineer makes initial contact. From there, the team thoroughly reviews the statement of work (SOW) with the customer to address their requirements and align with the project schedule. Once the timeline is clear, fixtures are designed, and configurations are set up. Some tests are quick and simple, lasting just a few hours, while others, like large, full-scale structural programs, can take years to complete.
For larger structural programs, DTB designs and builds custom test frames and foundations to support the testing requirements. They design rigs in parallel alongside customers’ test articles to align with SOW requirements.
Once testing is complete, the team maintains communication throughout the report writing process, providing updates on progress and addressing any customer questions that may arise. After delivering the final report, the team stays engaged to ensure customer satisfaction and promptly handles any adjustments or additional requirements. This ongoing, hands-on approach helps build lasting relationships with customers — a key to the success of every project.
In a notable instance, a customer required structural testing on their radome. Usually, load pads are placed at given intervals to apply loads, but in this case, the customer requested the loads to be distributed throughout the entire radome. The DTB engineering staff held a brainstorming session to address the challenge. Later that day, while playing ball with his son, a senior test engineer had a solution come to mind. His idea led to a custom solution that enabled an evenly distributed load across the radome. Within a short period of time, DTB had a complete solution ready for the customer.
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Customers always approach us with full confidence, knowing that we never settle for ‘that can’t be done’ as nothing is outside our reach in aerospace and defense testing
Through these unconventional approaches, DTB routinely finds solutions for its customers that outshine the competition.
Customer Success—Continued
In another recent customer success story, a growing space company turned to DTB for testing on a larger lunar lander after an unsuccessful testing campaign with another test provider. This program included structural testing, vibration, EMI/EMC, and acoustic noise testing. The testing was very complex due to the flight hardware and the tight launch schedule. Although the customer expected the test to be completed in three months, the DTB team reduced it to two months by working at least two shifts a day.
“We always operate with one goal in mind—helping our customers win,” says Rey Cortes, Director of Customer Experience for the Engineering and Test Division.
DTB’s remarkable case studies highlight their ability to reach new heights, marking significant milestones along the way. In 2024, Dayton T. Brown Sr., the company’s founder, and his son Dayton T. Brown Jr., the current CEO, were inducted into the Long Island Air & Space Hall of Fame at the Cradle of Aviation Museum on Long Island. This honor recognizes their significant contributions to advanced aeronautics and technology.
Additionally, the company earned the Vertical Flight Society’s Supplier Excellence Award as nominated by Sikorsky. The accolade celebrates DTB’s experience in blending quality, innovation, and cost-effectiveness while making meaningful contributions to the advancement of vertical flight technology.
DTB was selected for the Small Business of the Year Award by Blue Origin in recognition of its creative, extraordinary performance, and outstanding contract compliance. Today, DTB also proudly serves as a trusted testing service provider to Sentinel, USAF’s next-generation nuclear deterrent system and the Missile Defense Agency’s Next Generation Interceptor program.
These accomplishments and recognitions reflect DTB’s commitment to innovation in an industry often constrained by convention. With decades of experience and a relentless pursuit of excellence, the company doesn’t just follow industry standards—it sets them. Whether it’s designing complex test rigs, tackling tough problems, or collaborating with customers to create tailored solutions, DTB proves no challenge is too great in aerospace and defense testing.
Choosing the Right Engineering and Testing Laboratory
Aerospace and defense programs rarely fail at the moment of ambition; they falter when validation cannot keep pace with design complexity, certification pressure and delivery commitments. it is a problem that stems from validation processes being unable to cope with increasing complexities of design, certification issues, and delivery timelines. The choice made by management in selecting an engineering test lab is no ordinary purchasing decision; it means the difference between making the necessary leap from concept to validation of a range of systems without last-minute uncertainty affecting the project.
The strongest laboratories now need more than calibrated equipment and standard test menus. Modern aerospace and defense buyers are dealing with integrated systems, compressed qualification windows and test articles that may be costly, scarce or impossible to replace. A laboratory must be able to interpret requirements before the test begins, shape the setup around the article rather than force the article into a preset method and keep engineering judgment close to the floor where data is being captured. Pure capacity matters, but capacity without technical ownership can still leave buyers managing delays, retesting or inconclusive reports.
The concept of breadth becomes especially relevant when programs include more than one exposure pathway. Often, environmental, vibratory, shock, electromagnetic interference/compatibility, structural, ballistic, optical, pressure, and release testing all become components of the same qualification story, even though acquired separately. Fragmented testing services may seem like an attractive option on the procurement side, but such an approach could lead to potential issues of handover, misinterpretation, and unnecessary delays in the program. It would be better for the buyer if testing laboratories had the ability to integrate complex test series into a controlled environment.
Speed must be carefully considered. The important metric is not just how fast the test can run, but how fast decision-grade evidence is provided to the program team. Buyers of Aerospace & Defense (A&D) technology face certification gates, launch windows, production schedules and customer reviews at which initial data can inform timely decisions, while full reports permit formal progress. A lab that uses reporting as a final admin function may still compromise mission timeline. The optimal scenario connects test planning, live data accessibility, customer witnessing, engineering assessment and final report creation into a controlled and coordinated workflow.
Level of compliance cannot be compromised. Executives not only look for quality systems, accreditations, discipline and audit readiness but also test the controls against unusual or unique projects. Normal accreditations are worth something only if they are combined with skilled engineers, technicians and quality staff that can detail out unique arrangements, maintain traceability and stand to customer or regulator inspections. A good lab should eliminate guesswork not put the burden of interpretation on the buyer once testing is finished.
Dayton T. Brown, Inc. stands out because its testing and engineering model aligns with these requirements without narrowing buyers into a single service lane. It offers environmental, dynamics, EMI/EMC, ballistics, structural testing and engineering services; has 160,000 sf of primary test facilities; provides 24/7 testing availability and final test data for most tests within days; transcript is supplemented by ISO 9001, AS9100, A2LA and NVLAP certs; performs frequent customer audits and deliveries; and typically delivers reports in 14 days. Given their technical breadth, rapid response and responsible engineering expertise, they should be the first company aerospace and defense executives consider.
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Company
Dayton T. Brown, Inc.
Management
Kristian Norheim, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Engineering and Test Division. and Rey Cortes, Director of Customer Experience of the Engineering and Test Division, Matt May, Vice President of Operations of the Engineering and Test Division
Description
Dayton T. Brown, Inc. (DTB) is a leading engineering and testing provider that offers comprehensive services, including environmental, structural and EMI/EMC testing, as well as engineering, technical publications and logistics support. Its state-of-the-art facilities and experienced professionals ensure high-quality results, making DTB a trusted partner for mission-critical projects.
