Welcome 2021

2020 was a tough year for everyone. With all of the closings, cancellations, and abrupt ending of the indoor track and very limited outdoor opportunities, it is certainly good to have 2020 behind us. We were all forced to adapt and overcome many different challenges thrown our way.

Just as things were beginning to get off the ground for BHLM, things abruptly dropped off, with disruptions of supply lines and lack of orders. This sudden change certainly was unwelcomed, but offered a unique opportunity to improve my skills and tooling, to be in a much better position now that track and field is getting up and running again.

Since last March, I've been able to make big strides in my 3D modeling skills, designing and making molds, fiberglass and composite production, and machining skills. These new skills have allowed me to much more control over the production of parts and re-engineer things in a way that makes them easier to produce more locally and in smaller runs.

You can see the plug that I modeled to update the new LASAM 3.0 shape. This allowed me to create a fiberglass mold to produce a 2-part fiberglass case for the new LASAM units. Moving to fiberglass instead of steel has offered a great reduction in weight, while also not having to worry about powder coating and rust. It also allows me to produce them more on demand instead of having to pay significantly for a machine shop to make a minimum run of parts. It also offers a more unique shape, and the opportunity to do some cool customizations.

Having a better handle on my 3D modeling skills has allowed me to make some nice part updates and iterate parts quickly. This has allowed me to make some adjustments to use more off-the-shelf parts, and better communicate with suppliers on part specs and be more precise with what I am looking for without having to go through a different engineer. To the right you'll notice I was able to quickly iterate a new design for securing the internal battery. Starting with the design on the right, I made adjustments and changes until setting on the design furthest left. While I ended up going in a different direction and using a different design, this process allowed me to work through each part, so that they integrate better with each other, determine the best material and manufacturing process for the part, and allow for future updates and features to be added down the line.

I know things have been quiet here without many updates, since last March, but things are looking good and moving forward once again. I don't have the resources to keep a lot of inventory on hand right now, but am producing units and building a list for future deliveries. Check out the Special Edition Carbon Fiber unit below.