Galesburg manufacturing company Pegasus celebrated its 10th anniversary this week by showcasing a new technology called wire laser metal deposition.
“It has a place, for example, in medical implants. We can print titanium, and we can add copper. We can print machine parts now and make them with multiple materials,” said CEO Ray Whitehead.
“In this case, it would be titanium and copper. Copper is for an implant. And the copper reduces the threat of staph infection by 87%. We've never been able to do that in manufacturing before.”
The Computer Numerical Control machine was designed by Pegasus' sister company, Jupiter, which Whitehead also oversees.
The open house attracted a large crowd, including Knox College student Johnathan Marsten, who wanted to see the machines in action.
“The dual metal printing, along with the machining in one machine, is just crazily impressive. I mean, there's an immense amount of design and programming that goes into that, and then just the fact that it's all coming together in one place and relatively reasonable compared to what it used to be is insane to me. That's really cool,” he said.
Whitehead said Pegasus opened in 2014 with three employees, while encouraging high school vocational training programs. The classes began with a handful of students. They now train 270 high schoolers in seven area schools.
"We're trying to help rekindle vocational technology education here using technology and internship programs in the community itself," Whitehead said.
Pegasus and Jupiter have been economic wins for Galesburg, according to Ken Springer, President of the Knox County Area Partnership.
"I think it's important for people to understand that in Knox County and this entire Western Illinois region, we do global business here," Springer said.
Pegasus and Jupiter CNC machines have produced parts for Toyota, General Motors, the U.S. Air Force, Boeing, Lockheed, and SpaceX.
The company also makes parts for the DaVinci robotic surgical system.
Pegasus and Jupiter have 40 full-time employees in Galesburg. The company operates from two buildings and plans to start an expansion later this month to accommodate growing demand for its products.
Tri States Public Radio produced this story. TSPR relies on financial support from our readers and listeners in order to provide coverage of the issues that matter to west central Illinois, southeast Iowa, and northeast Missouri. As someone who values the content created by TSPR's news department please consider making a financial contribution.