Voices of Innovation

 “Our “Voices of Innovation” interview series spotlights key contributors at Leach International. We speak with engineers and leaders about their work in aerospace technology, their experiences at Leach, and their thoughts on future industry developments.”

Michael J. Ortega, Environmental Laboratory Manager

Today I lead a team of highly skilled professionals – a technical writer and five technicians – whose stability and dedication are integral to maintaining Leach’s reputation for quality and innovation in the aerospace and defense sector.

The environmental lab team is different from other departments. We’re not regular technicians – we know and live by military specifications and standards. We don’t simply perform tests; we ensure the robustness and reliability of critical components through rigorous analysis and a deep understanding of complex military standards, specifications, and engineering drawings. It’s an exciting environment because it’s all about continuous learning, complex work that demands mastery of evolving technical requirements.

So there’s a continuous build-up of institutional knowledge that makes your team valuable?

Exactly. You still learn something new every day. Training takes significant time – several months – before someone can conduct tests independently. We’re working with high currents and high voltages, which requires careful preparation, and as always, safety comes first. Our team has an in depth understanding of our products since the tests we perform are exactly how the components are used in the field.

The experience in our team is substantial – collectively, our lab has over 150 years of experience testing Leach products. That’s 150+ years of knowledge applied every time we test something. We have team members who’ve witnessed the evolution of Leach products over decades – this is irreplaceable knowledge.

It sounds like your team functions almost like product physicians. How does your relationship with the engineering team work?

Our environmental lab team, with its thorough understanding of product performance in real world scenarios, complements the engineering team’s design expertise. Rigorous training, spanning months, ensures our technicians can safely and effectively conduct complex tests involving high currents and voltages. We’re laser-focused on safety and precision.

Our team operates at both the beginning and the end of the production process, focusing on quality verification. We have input at the beginning, since we are the department responsible for conducting Qualification tests for newly developed products and end, when we conduct retention of qualification tests for QPL (Qualified Product List – DLA) products. While we’re part of the quality team, we function as a distinct, specialized department. The importance of our work is ensuring all products comply with military standards and specifications.

There’s synergy between our engineering and lab teams. Engineering innovates and we validate, and often provide insights to improve product design.

Our lead technician, Aaron Gill, is the brain of the lab. I learned so much from him and everyone on the team salutes him. He significantly streamlined our testing process through innovative standardized test stations.

What are you actually looking to measure in your testing – is it primarily about environmental factors?

While our lab is called “environmental,” our mission is to test the life and longevity of Leach components. We don’t just test; we simulate real-world extremes, pushing our products to their limits.

Take our 400 Amps contactor, for example. We subject it to life tests, replicating its exact field usage, measuring its endurance through thousands of cycles under various loads: 400 Amps Resistive, 150 Amps Inductive, 1,200 Amps Special Motor Load, and a staggering 4,000 Amps Rupture. We go beyond standard testing, pushing relays to their full specifications, from -70°C to +125°C extreme temperatures.

We also conduct continuous current testing, simultaneously subjecting relays to rated current, altitude (equivalent to 80,000 feet), and extreme temperatures. Our specialized chamber, which looks like space exploration technology, creates these harsh conditions. For high-current tests (4,000 or 2,500 Amps), we implement robust protective barriers, recognizing the power and potential for explosive conditions.

Our shock testing is equally impressive. We subject high-reliability relays to 1500 Gs – a force far beyond human tolerance – and they continue to function flawlessly.

How does your role connect to safety and integrity in the industry?

We’re at the end of the line, the final validation point. Once a product is built, we’re the ones testing it to ensure it’s good, dependable, and meets the requirements. We understand the gravity of our responsibility. In the event of a failure during retention testing, we are committed to complete transparency with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), ensuring compliance with QPL certification. My role as liaison demands absolute honesty and a thorough understanding of MIL standards.

Any hobbies that help you relax after a day of blowing up relays?

 I find balance and rejuvenation in a variety of passions – basketball, billiards, and the joy of singing. As a proud Filipino American, I share a love for music, whether it’s performing with my choir, karaoke, or playing guitar and piano.