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.”

Shahriar Sheybani, Engineering Software Manager

What makes you smile at work? Why do you enjoy working at Leach?
I recently mentioned this to my wife—I genuinely love what I do. Working with power distribution, facing its challenges, and exploring new innovations and ways of thinking really energizes me. It’s the problems that come up and the thrill of solving them that keep me excited to come back to work each day.

At the core, it’s all about problem-solving, which is why many of us choose engineering in the first place. For me, it’s more than just a job—it’s a passion. The chance to dive into complex issues in power distribution and be part of innovative solutions makes every day at Leach both rewarding and enjoyable.

Can you tell us about a significant project or innovation you’ve worked on at Leach in recent years?

Over the past few years, there have been two key accomplishments that I’m particularly proud of. First, we developed a method to drastically reduce the wiring within our Power Distribution Assemblies (PDAs), which brought about two major benefits: a significant reduction in weight and easier assembly. In aerospace, we usually deal with limited production volumes, often focusing more on performance than ease of build. But with this project, our team really innovated by making our products easier to assemble and service—something that’s not typically emphasized in our industry.

The second accomplishment was the development of a new coating designed to mitigate electric arc damage. This breakthrough is poised to give us a strong competitive advantage. Both of these innovations are crucial steps in enhancing the efficiency, safety, and manufacturability of our products.

How is Leach considering the use of AI in its products and processes?

We are exploring the potential of integrating AI into some of our products and processes. Specifically, we’re assessing its value as a prognostic tool to detect system anomalies before events occur.

However, one of the major challenges in aerospace is that everything, especially flight-critical systems, must be highly deterministic. AI, by its nature, is not deterministic. In traditional software, we follow a rigorous DO-178C design process, but AI’s learning-based approach doesn’t align perfectly with these strict requirements. Even leading AI and aerospace companies have struggled to achieve Design Assurance Levels (DAL) A or B, with most only reaching DAL C. Since power distribution systems typically need DAL A or B, this presents a significant challenge.

One potential solution is to separate the flight-critical software, which requires DAL A certification, from the AI components, keeping the AI in a non-critical area of the system. This approach can explore AI’s potential without compromising safety and regulatory standards.

What advice would you give to someone considering a career in software engineering, particularly in power electronics or embedded systems?

 “For anyone new to the field or considering a career similar to mine, I’d emphasize the importance of understanding both software and hardware, especially in power electronics or embedded systems. My background in electrical engineering has been invaluable in allowing me to guide schematic designs, offer suggestions, and make necessary adjustments. Sometimes, software alone just isn’t enough.

With increasing specialization today, it’s becoming less common to find people who have strong skills in both areas. I’m at a point in my career where I look back and think, “Wow, our parents managed to do so many different things.” In earlier generations, there were fewer specialized roles, so we had to wear multiple hats. I imagine the next generation will look at us the same way, as they become more specialized in their own fields.”