Positron Systems is commercializing innovative technologies that provide new insights in the nondestructive inspection industry. The focus is on techniques that quantify changes in component material nanostructure induced by operational conditions and surface treatments. There are currently two unique technologies - Induced Positron Analysis (IPA) and Phase Contrast Analysis (PCA).
Induced Positron Analysis (IPA) is currently being commercialized as a non-destructive technique to assess fatigue, creep, thermo-mechanical and embrittlement damage for example, in critical components made of metal and metal alloys, from initial manufacturing through onset of minute fracture.
IPA technology, developed at the US Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory and licensed to Positron Systems, Inc., provides a new approach to assessing current damage and assists in predicting useful remaining life in many critical components based on the measurement of changes in the crystal lattice structure of the material.
IPA quantifies damage in materials by inducing positrons into the material, which seek-out defects in the atomic lattice structure and react with their anti-matter (free electrons) differently than they would in 'as manufactured' material. This provides a measurable energy distribution response characteristic of changes in the lattice structure.
Phase Contrast Analysis (PCA) is currently being commercialized as a non-destructive technique to assess many defects, in critical components made of any material from pure metal to advanced composite.
PCA technology, developed in the medical industry by MXI Systems, Inc and licensed to Positron Systems, Inc. for the non destructive testing industry, provides a new approach to assessing current damage and assists in predicting useful remaining life in many critical components.
PCA provides a monochromatic X-Ray image of material and can be tuned to 'read' any material. It's first objective is to assess the structural integrity of major assets, such as aircraft, without removing the skin.
Media Contact: Sudha Vasudevan
+1.208.514.4578
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Management Team
Positron Systems has a strong management team with a wealth of expertise and knowledge in Positron's target industries, its' technologies and international business.
Steven Yano , Chief Executive Officer
With PSI since 2006, Mr. Yano has led new product development teams for 20 years in various engineering organizations. His experience includes a successful record of developing R&D concepts into marketable hardware, software, and integrated system solutions. Prior to joining Positron, Mr. Yano was Director of Product Development at Zetec, managing a multi-disciplined engineering team in the U.S. and Canada that delivered a number of innovative new products for NDT of nuclear power plant components. He has also previously served in engineering design and management roles at Advanced Digital Information Corporation and Metawave Communications, both early-stage technology companies. Prior to that, Mr. Yano spent nine years in aerospace propulsion, as a Principal Engineer at Rocket Research Company, where his research focused on high temperature plasma applications. Mr. Yano holds a degree in mechanical engineering from Oregon State University.
Alan Hunt, PhD , Chief Technology Advisor
Dr. Hunt was awarded his Ph D in quantum physics from Harvard University. He is the Associate Professor of Physics at Idaho State University and also the Deputy Director of the Idaho Accelerator Center. He led a varied career since leaving Harvard, including work at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Washington State University and Idaho State University. He has published over 32 academic articles in the area of our technology and is a world renowned expert in his field.
Tim Wilson, Material Scientist
Mr. Wilson brings knowledge of materials science and fracture mechanics to Positron Systems, and holds a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Idaho and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Montana State University. He is responsible for test execution, analytical modeling, and materials failure analysis.
Chuck Dickerson, Testing Service Center Manager
Mr. Dickerson significant laboratory experience with the D.O.E. at Sandia National Labs. Being highly motivated to learn new things he quickly became involved in many projects. He has done development work as the lead technician for Preheated Metal Isotropic Compression experiments to be used on the Z-accelerator. He has also fielded 6-Frame Camera shadowography experiments taking images of imploding wire arrays and fielded two XRD systems, among others. He has an Associates of Applied Science in Laser-Optics and Electronics with diverse background in a research and development laboratory setting.
Karol Ennis C.P.A., Finance and Accounting Manager
Ms. Ennis has had a varied accounting career at Deloitte; in her own accounting business; as owner of Port of Subs franchises and as Controller of Ennis Fine Furniture, a major Intermountain furniture company. She has managed the financial transactions of organizations large and small and is well versed in the complexities of running a new company. Her experience includes accounting for organizations with multiple outlets or locations. She is responsible for internal control policies and the establishment of all financial procedures in the Company.
Sudha Vasudevan, Global Sales and Marketing Manager
Ms. Vasudevan has broad experience in customer relations management and information technology. She has held various management and administrative positions in India, Oman and the United States. Before moving to Idaho she was the Assistant Manager for Al Hilal Trading, Oman and played a key role in helping grow the company from a startup to a major player in the highly competitive construction industry. Ms. Vasudevan has a degree in Business and Accounting and fluent in several Asian languages including Hindi, Tamil,Urdu and Arabic. She is an expert in networking and relationship building and has strong ties with several key customers in the Airline and Utility industries in India and the Middle East.
Board of Directors
Positron Systems has a strong Board of Directors with keen oversight and a wealth of expertise and knowledge in growing fledgling businesses.
T. Erik Oaas, Chairman of the Board, Audit Committee
Upon graduating with a Bachelors Degree in Business Management from the University of Montana in 1975, T. Erik Oaas served as President of his family's forest products manufacturing business in Montana. In 1984, he moved his family to Boise and joined the Micron Technology, Inc (MTI) family of companies. He held a variety of supervisory positions in Procurement, Administration and Operations in the Systems Group. In 1989, he was named Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the newly formed contract manufacturing subsidiary, Micron Custom Manufacturing Services, Inc. (MCMS) where he also served as Vice President (VP) of Finance and was a member of the Board of Directors. In 1995, when MCMS was merged with two other companies to form Micron Electronics, Inc. (MEI), he was named Executive VP of Finance, CFO and served on the Board of Directors until he retired in 1998. During his tenure at MEI, he was a key member of the team that raised $276 million in a secondary stock offering and he was a key team member on the team that sold the MCMS subsidiary to Cornerstone Investment Group for $257 million. From 1998 to 2003, he consulted with several start-up businesses and other entities. After extensive discussions and analysis with Steve Laney concerning the Treasure Valley's projected population growth, Erik and Steve Laney decided to launch the Oaas Laney companies in 2003.
Adm Archie Clemins, USN(ret), Member of the Board, Compensation Committee
Archie Clemins is the President of Caribou Technologies, Inc., and co-owner of TableRock International LLC, both international consulting firms, which concentrates on the transition of commercial technology to the Government sectors, both in the United States and Asia. Clients include several Fortune 100 corporations. In addition to serving on the Boards of other technology corporations, he is the Vice Chairman of Advanced Electron Beams, Inc which focuses on revolutionary low energy electron beam technology; and, Vice Chairman of Positron Systems, Inc. a company whose intellectual property determines the fatigue levels of metals at the nano-level through the use of photon induced positron annihilation technology.
Archie Clemins was born in Mt Vernon, Illinois and graduated from the University of Illinois (Urbana campus) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. Commissioned into the United States Navy through the University's Naval Reserve Officer's Training Program, he completed the Naval Nuclear Power Program and served on a ballistic missile submarine before returning to his alma mater for a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering.
Active duty service included tours on several attack submarines and command of the USS POGY (SSN647). Promoted to Flag (General Officer) rank in 1991, he had five follow-on assignments, including Commander, Pacific Fleet Training Command in San Diego, California and Commander, Seventh Fleet, headquartered in Yokosuka, Japan. Admiral Clemins concluded his military career in Hawaii as the 28th Commander of the U. S. Pacific Fleet and retired from active duty on 1 December 1999. During his last three major commands he undertook major endeavors which required significant change management.
Archie Clemins and his wife Marilyn currently reside in Boise, Idaho where he serves on the State's Science and Technology Advisory Board and is a member of the Governor's 2020 Task Force. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the University of Illinois Alumni Association.
Don J. Cestari, Member of the Board, Airline Applications Committee
Don Cestari's thirty plus years of experience span all segments of the Aerospace/Aviation Industry: Airlines, Military, Defense, Major Airframe Manufacturers, and Corporate/VIP Operations. All of it has been with Blue-Chip organizations; Grumman, Mac Donnell Douglas, the USAF including Air Force One, American Airlines including its AMR Consulting Division and CITGO's Corporate Flight Department. His assignments include a lengthy track record with the Airlines, USAF, Boeing, AIRBUS, British Aerospace and Rolls-Royce among others.
He developed and managed a world wide aerospace consulting practice with American Airlines/AMR for seven years and then with his own firm for the past four years. It encompassed work for over twenty Airlines. The areas of practice included Maintenance & Engineering, Flight Operations, FAA and Foreign Regulatory Compliance and New Carrier Certifications, Management Information Systems, Project Management, Technical Training, Aviation Facilities Planning and Construction, Legal Contracting and Out-sourcing, Procurement, Supply and Warehousing. While at American; Don managed a program to convert 5 B767-200's into ER configurations and participated in ETOPS programs with American and other carriers. Don was a part of the AMR Consulting Group and managed the certification process including manual development for several clients. Don was retained by Boeing Commercial Airplane Company to provide the technical maintenance and engineering support programs for the launch of the Boeing Business Jet ("BBJ") B737-700IGW as a new division within Boeing including developing program costs, establishing the maintenance programs and supply chain along with setting up the out-sourcing support contracts.
Alaska Airlines retained Don to serve as their M&E FAA Liaison Director and manage the internal investigation of compliance issues related to the January 2000 loss of a MD-80. In Revenue Contracts at American Airlines; Don had responsibility for marketing and negotiating third party airframe, engine and component repair services. He also conducted Legal Contract Reviews and Vendor Regulatory Compliance Programs. During his tenure at CITGO he managed a separate company subsidiary controlling the aircraft maintenance and administration of their world wide 52 aircraft fleet under FAR Part 91 rules for six years including P&L responsibility. While at McDonnell Douglas Corporation he implemented a material tracking system to meet USAF specs. At Grumman Aerospace Corporation during college he was a summer intern in production and manufacturing engineering and then hired as a management trainee upon graduation and subsequently entered the Air Force. In the Air Force Don served as a commissioned officer on active duty from 1969 to 1980 in various positions in maintenance support and material world wide including the Vietnam War. For 1975-1980 he was competitively selected to be Air Force One's Maintenance and Material Support Officer, which also include supporting the assorted VIP fleet of 43 other aircraft.
During the period of 1980-1991 Don served as a part time reservist in the United States Air National Guard in various operations support positions in a tactical fighter group and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. Don is President of Airlines Consulting, Inc. and currently serves as Vice President of Administration for start-up Western Airlines of Bellingham, WA.
Don received a MBA degree in Management and Finance from Southern Illinois University: a JD Doctor of Law degree from the University of Tulsa and a BS degree in Management Science from St. John's University.
Kim Larsen, Member of the Board
Most recently, Kim served as Co-CEO and President, Corporate Strategy and M&A at Broadwing Corporation, a national facilities-
based carrier with almost $1 billion in revenues. Kim negotiated the sale of Broadwing to Level 3 for $1.4 billion.
Kim was a founding director, counsel and investor in Ciena Corporation and worked on the initial funding and
business plan of the company. Kim graduated from Columbia Law School where he was an editor of the Columbia
Law Review. His undergraduate is from Brigham Young University where he majored in Economics and Political
Science. Kim is a native of Boise, Idaho and is married with three children.
Publications
The following publications have featured stories on Positron's IPA technology.
Aircraft Maintenance Technology - November 2007: Positron Develops Mobile Technology
The Idaho Statesman - April 2006: Positron hires New CEO
The Shot Peener - Fall 2003: Annihilating Structural Uncertainties
Aerospace Engineering - March 2003: Material testing from Positron
Aviation Today - December 2002: Inspection: Atomic Power for Inspectors
Aircraft Maintenance Technology - November 2002: Detecting structural flaws at the atomic level
Horizon Air Magazine - October 2002: Innovative Idaho
Pipeline & Gas Journal - August 2002: Positron Systems Inc.
Oil, Gas & Petrochem Equipment - August 2002: New Nondestructive Testing Tech Detects Material Fatigue, Embrittlement
Advanced Materials & Processes - August 2002: Positrons detect wing spar damage
Aerospace Engineering - August 2002: Detecting Fatigue Damage in 2nd Layer
High-Performance Composites - July 2002: Positron Systems demonstrates PIPA NDT technology
Design News - July 2002:Test Assesses Material Fatigue
Welding Design & Fabrication - July 2002
Aviation International News - June 2002
Mechanical Engineering - June 2002: Got It, Under the Skin
BattleSpace News - June 2002
Inspection Trends - May 2002: Technology Detects Material Fatigue and Embrittlement at the Atomic Level
Transport News - May 2002: 2nd Layer Fatigue Cracks Detected During Lab Testing on Aircraft Wing Spars
Materials Evaluation - February 2002 (pg. 183): New Products Section - PIPA
Quality Digest - February 2002: New Technology Detects Flaws at the Atomic Level
Idaho Business Review - January 2002: Materials-Testing Firm, Positron, Banks on INEEL Process
Hydrocarbon Processing Journal - January 2002
Quality Magazine - January 2002: Nondestructive Testing Through Annihilation
Civil Engineering - December 2001
Chemical Engineering - November 2001
