Shipbuilding and Aluminum Conference

Originally interested in aerospace, Marcus worked for Cranfield Unit of Precision Engineers, and then Westland Helicopters, where he obtained and Higher National Diploma in aeronautical engineering. From the material laboratories at Westland’s, he transferred to the metallurgy laboratories of Nottingham University, from which he graduated with honors in 1992. The same year The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) in London were seeking a metallurgical engineer for their European division. Moving away from the high-tech world of composites, duralumin, titanium and ceramics, Marcus’s world would become just one material…STEEL. For 18 years in London, he acted as the sole metallurgist for ABS in Europe assisting Owners and Shipyards, and Manufacturers with materials and welding challenges and governed many intricate material failure investigations. In 2010 Marcus was promoted to the Chief Metallurgist of ABS and transferred to ABS Houston, where he has been leading a worldwide team of materials and welding engineers ever since.

In 2017 Marcus’s contributions to ABS and the marine industry were fittingly recognized and he was awarded the much coveted “Chairmans Chair”. This is ABS’s highest honor of recognition and in 163 years of operation, ABS has only issued this award 3 times. Marcus in Chairman of various materials and welding groups including the AWS D3.5 Guide for Steel Hull Welding and represents ABS in the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) Materials working group.

One particular memorable and enjoyable project he worked on was the three-masted barque tall ship “The Elissa” the official tall ship of Texas.

Humberto currently serves as a Product Applications Development Engineer, specializing in Carpenter Technology’s Defense Market products. In this role, he collaborates closely with OEMs to integrate Carpenter Technology’s advanced materials solutions into systems that support and enhance the capabilities of the US warfighter.

In previous roles at Carpenter Technology, Humberto served as both a Field Metallurgist and Product Metallurgist. During his tenure, he expertly combined his deep understanding of mill processing with his strong customer relationship skills to develop and implement tailored solutions. These solutions not only addressed specific customer needs but also helped them achieve advantageous positions in the market.

Humberto holds a Bachelor of Science in Physics from the University of Connecticut (1993) and a Master’s in Materials Science and Engineering from Lehigh University (1995). He began his career at Carpenter Technology in 1995 as a Product Metallurgist in the Bar Group, where he provided support for Automotive Valve Steel, Stainless Steel, and Nickel & Cobalt-Based Superalloy bar products.

Vincent Mangino is the Supervisor of the Welding Engineering – Advanced Concepts team at General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB). He has been with GDEB since 2015 and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Materials Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Masters of Engineering in Materials Science Engineering from the University of Connecticut. His team evaluates, develops, implements, and scales new technology for submarine fabrication which includes subject matter expertise in welding technology, robotic welding, additive manufacturing and filler material development. His team also possesses the capability to design more advanced submarine systems based on novel weld material systems, base materials, processes, and equipment. Vincent is the Major Initiative Team Lead (MITL) for Ship Production Technologies in the National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) and is involved various other forums related to shipbuilding technology and advancement.

Boyan Ivanov studied Industrial Engineering at Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg and is a certified International Welding Engineer through SLV Duisburg. He is currently Head of Robotics and Automation Solutions at EWM GmbH, where he is responsible for strategic development, sales leadership, and product management within automation and robotic welding systems.

Mr. Ivanov has held several key leadership roles at EWM, including Vice Head of Training (2007), Head of Application Engineering (2010), Head of Digital Welding Solutions (2018), and Technical Head of Sales (2022). In 2024, he assumed his current role leading Automation, bringing together technical innovation, digitalization, and market-driven strategy.

Max Lautenbach holds a Master of Engineering degree from the Technical University of Dresden and is an International Welding Engineer, also certified at TU Dresden. He currently serves as Head of Application Engineering at EWM GmbH and additionally as Deputy Head of Robotics and Automation Solutions. In this role, he is responsible for application-focused R&D equipment, project management, and technical customer support.

Mr. Lautenbach joined EWM in a leadership capacity in 2021 as Deputy Head of Application Technology, was appointed Head of Application Engineering in 2023, and in 2024 expanded his responsibilities to include deputy leadership of Automation and Robotics. His work focuses on bridging advanced welding technologies with practical, customer-oriented solutions.

Peter Alink is Senior Area Sales Manager at KRANENDONK Smart Robotics, responsible for the U.S. and Canadian markets, including shipbuilding-related and heavy fabrication segments.

He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Marine Engineering and started his career as a Technical Officer in the Royal Dutch Navy. Since then, Peter has built over three decades of international sales experience in technically complex, engineered-to-order environments, combining solid technical understanding with commercial responsibility.

Throughout his career, he has worked with industrial manufacturers and project teams across Europe, Asia and the Americas. In his current role at KRANENDONK, Peter represents a broad range of robotic welding and cutting solutions, ranging from large-scale gantry systems to mobile platforms such as the PORTABOT.

Brian is currently a Process Engineer in the Foundational Technologies group at Siemens Corporation located in Charlotte, NC. He received a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Florida and has a background in CNC programming and machining of turbine airfoils. He has previously held R&D roles at precision machine tool OEM, Mitsui Seiki USA, and aero-engine manufacturer, Pratt & Whitney. He leverages this experience at Siemens for process development of robotic repair systems, additive manufacturing, and machining applications. In his current role, he is tasked with welding and machining program development, control integration and customization, and process design. He is an avid motorsports enthusiast and actively follows dirt racing, NASCAR, and F1.

Micah Keller graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a degree in Materials Science & Engineering with a focus on fields such as metallurgy and advanced ceramic science. Micah started out his career at Naval Sea Logistics Center in Mechanicsburg, PA where he worked as a materials and welding engineer for the Level I/SUBSAFE Stock System. During this period, he participated in a rotational assignment for several months at NAVSEA HQ with NAVSEA 05P and 05R where he became involved with the early NAVSEA AM community. This rotation and his personal interest in AM has led to his current role in the Maritime Industrial Base (MIB) Advanced Manufacturing Team. He is a project engineer working on the procurement of AM components for all fleet needs with the goal of advancing Navy capabilities and improving maintenance availabilities with this burgeoning technology.

He is also a SUBSAFE Functional Audit Certified Auditor and ISO 9001:2015 Certified Lead Auditor, a graduate of the Naval Acquisition Development Program, and has a DAU Level II Certification in the Engineering acquisition field.

Ben joined Lincoln Electric’s Additive Solutions group in November 2019. His responsibilities include welding procedure development and material property characterization for the Gas Metal Arc additive printing process. Prior to joining Additive Solutions, Ben spent 14 years in Lincoln Electric’s Consumable R&D group. His last role was Group Leader for Wire Products where his responsibilities included supporting existing, and developing new, consumable wire products. He has been involved in the commercialization of a wide range of welding consumable products and holds multiple patents in the field of arc welding. Ben is the Chair of the American Welding Society’s A5M subcommittee for mild and low alloy steel cored-wire welding consumables. He is also an active member of the AWS A5O subcommittee for mild and low alloy steel solid-wire welding consumables. Ben has a B.S. & M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University.

Kevin is an Engineering Manager II for the Advanced Manufacturing department with Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS). He is the manager assigned to the Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) team and is responsible for LPBF additive manufacturing (AM) efforts at the “deck plate” level, which include research and development of AM technologies, materials (including qualification and testing) and production methods, teaming with commercial AM centers and suppliers, and maturation of AM production capabilities. Kevin joined the AM department in July 2024, however, he has 40+ years of shipyard engineering and test experience.

Zack Sanders is a Welding Engineer at Civan Lasers. He studied Welding Engineering Technology at BYU-Idaho and is completing a master’s degree at the University of Arizona. Before joining Civan, he spent over seven years as a Welding Engineer at Caterpillar, where he improved weld quality across global facilities and supplier sites. He helped build sustainable quality systems and trained hundreds of employees in weld design and manufacturing best practices. Zack is also an adjunct professor in BYU-Idaho's welding engineering technology department. He also serves on the AWS D1.1 task group on qualification, is an AWS Certified Welding Inspector, Certified Welding Supervisor, and the AWS selected him as a 2026 Future Leader.

Fatma is a mechanical engineer with a master’s degree and doctorate from RWTH Aachen University, Germany. She is an IIW-certified International Welding Engineer and Laser Safety Officer, with research expertise in laser and electron beam welding, focusing on material behavior in dissimilar material combinations, particularly residual stresses and distortion. Based in Berlin, she is the Head of R&D and co-founder of WeldNova, a spin-off from the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, and was named one of the 100 most important minds in Berlin science in 2025.

Jukka Rantala, MSc., Industrial Engineering & Management, is the Vice President of Sales and Key Accounts, and member of the management board at Pemamek.  With extensive 20-year experience in shipbuilding automation, Rantala has been instrumental in building relations and Pemamek’s success. Under his leadership, Pemamek has delivered advanced automation lines to prominent shipbuilders, including Ingalls Shipbuilding, Edison Chouest Offshore, Navantia, Babcock International and BAE Systems.

Alex Ugarte joined GDEB in 2024 as a Welding Engineer at the Groton Shipyard. He earned a B.S. in Materials Science & Engineering at the University of Connecticut. Alex joined the Welding Engineering Advanced Concepts team to push the boundaries of welding technologies and evaluate potentially groundbreaking methods of welding and fabrication for submarine construction. He has enjoyed his experiences with pipe welding, additive manufacturing, robotic welding, and metallurgical investigations into new submarine materials.

Kyle Drummer is General Manager, Pre-Engineered Automation of Lincoln Electric Automation, leading a business focused on industrial robotic and cobot solutions. With nearly two decades of experience in welding automation with Lincoln Electric, Kyle has worked extensively with shipyards, Navy subcontractors, and offshore industries to implement advanced mechanized and robotic welding solutions. His background includes managing global sales and technical teams, developing turnkey automation systems for global shipbuilding applications, and presenting automation strategies to improve productivity and weld quality in large-scale fabrication. Kyle holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Penn State University and an MBA from the University of Memphis.

Dr. Baker is a Senior Commercialization Specialist with 20 years of experience designing, developing and fielding successful robotic systems, ranging from pure laboratory experiments to self-driving cars to large-scale aerospace MRO systems. Dr. Baker was a core member of the Tartan Racing team that won the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge, and he was the Technology Lead for the Autonomous Laser Coating Removal (ACRS) system at NREC. The ACRS system used a welding laser to implement full-aircraft coating removal for the USAF, and the success of that technology led to the founding of Titan Robotics. Dr. Baker served as CTO of Titan Robotics for several years, eventually returning to NREC with a critical combination of technical expertise and business experience to help lead the next generation of robotics innovation at CMU. Dr. Baker holds a PhD in robotics from Carnegie Mellon University (2010), an MS in Robotics from CMU (2004), and a BS in Computer Science, with a Minor in Robotics, also from CMU (2002).

Dr. Herman is a Principal Commercialization Specialist and Director of NREC with 30 years of experience in developing robotic vehicles, sensors, and electronics for defense, agriculture, mining, and other markets. Dr. Herman leads multiple projects at NREC, among which are two large DoD programs: i) Aided Target Recognition using Mobile Cooperative and Autonomous Sensor funded by the Army AI Task Force, and ii) a revetment manufacturing robotic system on a floating barge funded by the Army Corps of Engineers. Dr. Herman was also the PI for developing the autonomy for BAE’s Black Knight prototype – a 12-ton tank that can navigate autonomously off-road. Dr. Herman was also co-PI for NREC’s team on the DARPA Robotics Challenge. He has also led dozens of robotic system and subsystem development that have been commercialized and deployed successfully, including multiple systems in agriculture, automated warehouse and defense. Dr. Herman holds a PhD in robotics from Carnegie Mellon University (1996) and a BS in computer science from the University of Illinois (1989).

Dan Colvin is a leader whose career exemplifies dedication and growth within the welding sector. Joining ESAB three decades ago in 1996 as an Equipment Specialist, he steadily advanced through diverse leadership positions such as Sales Director and Director of Automation. His experience also includes managing international business for an industrial software firm, adding a unique dimension to his expertise. Currently leading ESAB's efforts as Vice President of Robotics and Digital Solutions, Dan draws upon a lifetime of industry involvement. This extensive background provides him with significant expertise in welding and cutting automation technologies and a keen understanding of the customers and applications ESAB serves.

Bruce Albrecht is an accomplished leader in welding technology with over 40 years at Miller Electric and ITW. As Vice President of Global Innovation & Technology, he oversees worldwide R&D and drives advancements in welding equipment, consumables, and processes.

A graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Platteville with an MBA from UW–Oshkosh, Bruce has played a key role in shaping industry standards, fostering workforce development, and promoting innovation that enhances productivity, quality, and safety across global manufacturing.

A holder of nearly 100 U.S. patents and a member of the ITW Patent Society Hall of Fame, Bruce combines deep technical expertise with strategic business leadership—helping move the welding industry forward.

Speaker information will be available soon.

Jeph has led global quality and operations across Belgium and Colorado, where he implemented and integrated AS/EN9100-compliant quality management systems. He later built and led the Process & Application Engineering organization, which also is the primary business development function, at 3D Systems—now a trusted partner to major industrial primes and directly contributing 5–10% of the company’s total annual revenue. Jeph joined Fortius in the spring of 2025 as CEO to lead the company’s innovation and commercialization in advanced materials and software.

Vladimir Yasnogorodski is an engineering leader with over 17 years of international experience in welding engineering, welding QA/QC management, and the delivery of large scale industrial projects. His career includes leading multidisciplinary teams in piping manufacturing, process and power plant construction, and aluminum welding consumables production. He also founded and managing Canada’s first National Application Resource Center for Lincoln Electric, establishing a national hub for technical excellence and innovation.

Vladimir’s expertise spans multiple sectors—including oil and gas, automotive, shipbuilding, structural fabrication, transportation, and general manufacturing—where he supports customers across Canada in adopting advanced welding technologies from Lincoln Electric.

Andrew Pfaller is a Segment Manager at Miller Electric Manufacturing LLC, a global leader in welding equipment manufacturing. Based on a foundation of real-world welding, Andrew achieved a BS in Welding Engineering Technology prior to starting his career as a Welding Engineer at Miller in 2012. Having been promoted through various new product development roles within Miller Electric, he continues to advance the welding industry by sitting as Chair of the Aluminum conference, Chair of the AWS D17-K subcommittee, Vice Chair of the D17-Main committee and correspondent to numerous other technical committees.

Mike Iverson serves as Chair of the AWS D1G Subcommittee on Aluminum Structures, a role he has held since 2021 after joining the committee in 2018. In this position, he oversees the AWS D1.2 Structural Welding Code - Aluminum, ensuring compliance and advancing industry standards.

A graduate from LeTourneau University, he has over 30 years of experience as a Welding Engineer. His experience spans equipment manufacturing, structural welding, power generation, pressure vessels, and nuclear code applications. He is currently the South-Central Regional Sales Manager for OTC Daihen, specializing in welding and automation solutions.

Mike is an AWS Certified Welding Inspector (25 years) and Certified Welding Supervisor (6 years), reflecting his deep technical expertise and commitment to quality.

Juvenal Calvo is currently President of Republic Testing Laboratories, LLC and Vice President of TIPTIG USA. He is a Mechanical Engineer with 15 years of diverse engineering and hands-on welding, including experience with multi-national and regional manufactures in the Aerospace, Steel, Power, Nuclear, Pharmaceutical, and Oil & Gas industries. Mr. Calvo has demonstrated the ability to control cost and increase weld quality through the most effective use of weld processes, welder training, and joint design. He also has the ability to identify areas of weld strength and weakness, implement and/or develop company policies, and standards to optimize welding productivity in Carbon Steel, Stainless Steel, Nickel Alloy, and Titanium welding using FCAW, GTAW, GMAW, SAW, PAW SMAW, and Mechanized Process (orbital welding, flex automation, fixed automation).

After graduating from Ferris State University’s Welding Engineering Technology program in 2011, Thomas Pfaller began working as a technical engineer in aluminum welding technology and training for AlcoTec Wire Corp. Over the past fifteen years, Thomas has refined his aluminum welding knowledge in the areas of procedure development, metallurgy, and troubleshooting. He also has been awarded multiple patents on aluminum welding solutions. Other accomplishments include serving on the D1G subcommittee as well as assisting in the revision and editing of the Aluminum Association’s book Welding Aluminum: Theory and Practice.

Slade Gardner has led Big Metal Additive from startup to internationally recognized manufacturing company serving customers in aerospace and defense with industry leading, large scale, metal additive manufacturing. Dr. Gardner is the 2022 SME Additive Manufacturing Industry Achievement award winner recognizing outstanding accomplishments of significant impact advancing industrial additive manufacturing.

Blake Breaux is a multidisciplinary Welding Engineer with extensive experience across structural, mechanical, electrical, and manufacturing engineering, with a strong focus on aerospace research and development. His work spans complex fabrication, advanced manufacturing, and high-precision engineering programs supporting aerospace, space, defense, and industrial applications.

With a foundation in hands-on welding and fabrication, Blake has collaborated closely with engineers, drafters, welders, and inspectors across the full project lifecycle—from design and drafting to fabrication, inspection, and manufacturing integration. His experience includes friction stir welding (FSW) and gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) process development, welding procedure and performance qualification (WPS/PQR/WPQ), quality assurance and compliance activities, and the fabrication of structural and flight hardware for next-generation aerospace and defense systems.

In addition to industry leadership, Blake has served as a college instructor, teaching engineering and special-topics courses in friction stir welding and advanced joining technologies. Through industry-focused research and applied instruction, he has mentored future engineers and designers while advancing workforce readiness for next-generation manufacturing. Known for bridging rigorous engineering analysis with practical execution, Blake delivers compliant, on-time, and high-quality solutions across multidisciplinary programs.

Dave Hebble has been employed by ARC Specialties for the past 15 years in Houston TX where he serves as Manager of Technical Services. Prior to ARC Specialties, he was Senior Application Engineer for ESAB Welding and Cutting Products for 38 years. During his years at ESAB, he provided technical support and process training to distributors and end-user customers. Areas of support included GMAW, GTAW, SAW, PTAW and PAC. Dave has a Welding Engineering degree from Le Tourneau University, Longview, TX.

Sean Walkowski is an Aluminum Applications Engineer for Hobart Filler Metals. He received is WET degree from Ferris State University in 2019. From there he worked in the automotive industry for a year and a half before starting his career at Hobart. Sean’s role as an Aluminum Applications Engineer is to be a direct technical support expert for customers welding aluminum. This includes troubleshooting, training, and optimizing aluminum welders, welding engineers, and managers across all industries welding aluminum.

Steve Bajcer is a Welding Engineer and AWS Certified Welding Inspector with Lincoln Electric, providing global technical expertise and guidance across the Shipbuilding, Structural, and Offshore sectors. His work bridges research, field deployment, and advanced process optimization, with particular expertise in the application of plate, pipe, and complex T-Y-K tubulars across a wide range of steel and aluminum alloys in these demanding sectors. Steve also serves as a global authority on the FCAW-G and FCAW-S processes and plays a key role in advancing Lincoln Electric’s industrial portfolio in support of U.S. Shipbuilding.

Steve serves as Chair of the AWS D1.1 Committee for Tubular Structures and is a member of the ABS Materials and Welding Committee, with expertise in applying codes and standards within both the commercial and NAVSEA defense sectors of the Shipbuilding segment. He is a proud graduate of Ferris State University’s Welding Engineering Technology program.