Nolan’s Notes: Finding Your Sweet Spot
Standard of Excellence: Delivering Excellence—A Daily Goal
Knocking Down the Bone Pile: Tin Whisker Mitigation in Aerospace Applications, Part 3
Lockheed Martin: Flying High With Digital Twin
August 9, 2023 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamEstimated reading time: 1 minute
While at a conference in Dallas, Barry Matties listened to a presentation on digital twin from Don Kinard, a senior fellow at Lockheed Martin. Later, we reached out to Don, who was happy to provide a deeper understanding of digital twin’s role in the manufacturing space. What does digital twin mean when the product you manufacture is an eight- or nine-figure combat aircraft packed full of electronics?
Barry Matties: Don, let’s start with your background and experience at Lockheed.
Don Kinard: I got my PhD in polymer science at Texas A&M, and I worked for an oil company for a couple of years followed by a couple more years in marketing in Belgium. I came to Lockheed Martin because I didn't like being a salesman. Here, I worked in composite materials for a few years, then as a contract program manager. I was assigned to the F-22 as composites lead, then as a design team lead, followed by the engineering lead for the factory, and finally deputy director for the Mid Fuselage Build Team. Later, I became the director of F-35 production engineering and restarted the program with a large team in a new configuration, which we’re currently building. We’ve delivered nearly 1,000 F-35s to date. I’ve had the opportunity to be a senior fellow at Lockheed for the past 12 years, with the last seven or eight working in digital transformation in one form or another.
This is my 39th and last year with Lockheed because I'm retiring next year. I've been a program person for the F-22, F-35, and some F-16s, and now I’m just trying to head us on the right path with digital transformation as I walk out the door, so to speak.
Matties: How did you get started in digital transformation?
Kinard: Digital transformation in our industry started with 3D modeling. Lockheed got involved in the mid-’90s when we started developing 3D models and common PLM systems. I think Boeing even started a little earlier than that. The F-35, for example, started as a digital program. We used the digital thread—3D solid models—for everything. Everybody accessed a common database so those models could be passed along from engineering to manufacturing. That was the beginning of digital transformation.
Continue reading this feature interview in the August 2023 issue of SMT007 Magazine.
Share on:
Suggested Items
It’s Only Common Sense: Why Sales Teams Fail (and How to Fix Them)
06/22/2025 | Dan Beaulieu -- Column: It's Only Common SenseIn sales, success is never a given. Despite best intentions, the most well-resourced sales teams can stumble. Understanding why is the first step toward creating a high-performing sales force. Here are the main reasons sales teams fail—and actionable strategies to fix them.
STI Celebrates Travis Wease’s 10 Years of Dedicated Service
06/17/2025 | STI Electronics, Inc.STI Electronics, Inc., a full-service organization providing training services, training materials, analytical/failure analysis, prototyping, and contract electronic manufacturing, proudly celebrated the 10-year work anniversary of Travis Wease, Master Instructor and valued team member.
The Marketing Minute: A Brand Visibility Playbook—Get Seen, Heard, and Remembered
06/18/2025 | Brittany Martin -- Column: The Marketing MinuteIn the competitive world of electronics, recognition isn’t given—it’s earned. With so many companies vying for attention, how do you ensure your brand voice stands out and stays top-of-mind? This month, I’m focusing on building recognition using three high-impact tools: social media, paid advertising, and thought leadership.
The Government Circuit: From Tax Policy to Tariffs, Denver to Delhi, Speaking Up for Electronics
06/18/2025 | Chris Mitchell -- Column: The Government CircuitI had the privilege of attending the June 3 opening ceremony of AT&S’s HTB3 facility in Leoben, Austria—a milestone moment for Europe’s electronics ecosystem. HTB3 is now the first and only facility in Europe capable of both developing and producing high-performance IC substrates—the advanced platforms that allow powerful chips to connect, process, and function. As demand for AI, 5G, and other cutting-edge technologies grows, so too does the need for sophisticated substrates like those HTB3 will produce.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
06/13/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007Today is Friday the 13th, and in much of Western folklore, this is a day when bad luck is lurking. But while Friday the 13th may top Western superstition charts, the global calendar is sprinkled with its own unlucky legends. In Spain and Greece, the bad juju lands on Tuesday the 13th—a day linked to Mars, the god of war, and naturally, chaos. In Italy, it’s Friday the 17th that is feared, thanks to the Roman numeral XVII, which can be rearranged to spell VIXI—Latin for “I have lived” (a poetic way of saying you’re dead).