Catch up on the latest news from General Digital Software Engineering Services, including events, accomplishments, contracts, certifications and other noteworthy items of interest.
2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | ARCHIVE
2023
General Digital Receives AS9100D Certification
This month, General Digital Corporation was awarded the AS9100D Quality Management System Certification in recognition of our robust operational standards.
The AS9100D QMS certificate recognizes that our Quality Management System is in conformance with the International Quality System Standard and was awarded by American Systems Registrar, an ANAB- and IATF-approved global registration services company.
This new certification encompasses our existing ISO 9001:2015 QMS while adding additional requirements specific to aviation, space, and defense industry requirements, furthering our ability to provide innovative solutions for our partners in these industries.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our entire team for achieving this incredible milestone,” remarked Quality Manager Tony DeCarlo. “We have a rich history of supporting defense and aerospace over the last 50 years, and this new certification helps us evolve alongside those industries opening new doors for us to provide solutions. I specifically want to thank (Software Quality Lead) Roni-Sue, (Documentation Specialist) Mo, and (Graphic Design Lead) Joe for their support in getting us over the finish line—we wouldn’t be here today without the contributions from them and the rest of our team.”
General Digital has maintained a commitment to quality since our founding in 1973. Our custom engineered solutions support various programs in the Defense, Medical, Aerospace, Industrial and other safety-critical industries. To speak with a sales engineer about your needs, submit this form or call 860.282.2900 today.
About AS9100D
AS9100D is a quality management standard published by the Society of Automotive Engineers and is widely implemented throughout Aerospace and other safety-critical industries. This standard encompasses the requirements detailed in the ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard with additional requirements for quality and safety. These standards include increased focus on customer satisfaction, increased management, and the organization and advancement regarding the efficiency of processes. The recognition of and compliance with this certification culminates in the continuous improvement and production of products and services within an organization to exceed customer and regulatory requirements.
2022
GDC President Bryan Gudrian Riding To Fight Cancer in the Pan-Mass Challenge for Dana-Farber
This Summer, General Digital President & Owner Bryan Gudrian will ride in the Pan-Mass Challenge to benefit the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. This is an
important cause for Bryan, as three of his family members received beneficial treatment at Dana-Farber.
About PMC
The Pan-Mass Challenge is an annual bike-a-thon with thousands of riders and volunteers from around the world. 100% of all rider-raised funds go directly to cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund. There are multiple routes available, and Bryan is riding the longest one—a 2-day, 186-mile ride from Sturbridge, MA, to Provincetown, MA, the tip of Cape Cod.
Why Bryan is Riding
Bryan has seen firsthand the great work that the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute does, but he also knows they still need more help.
Bryan’s mother-in-law benefitted from care at Dana Farber to treat Multiple Myeloma. Her treatment included cutting-edge stem cell surgery, which improved her quality of life and allowed her to spend more time with friends and family before passing.
His father-in-law benefitted from care at Dana-Farber to treat Melanoma that had spread to his lymph nodes. He enrolled in experimental treatment that’s kept him in remission for 15+ years.
Bryan’s father was treated with Keytruda and other protocols after being diagnosed with Lung Cancer. Sadly, Bryan’s father recently lost his battle with cancer, a primary motivator in Bryan’s decision to raise money for cancer research.
Bryan’s Training
Bryan last rode the Pan-Mass Challenge in 2012, but has not trained since his back fusion surgery in 2014. To prepare for his ride, Bryan started training in February and has already biked over 1,000 miles, as of this writing. Track Bryan’s progress and view his outdoor rides.
How You Can Help
Bryan has pledged to raise $6,000 for this event, and he’s asking for your help in accomplishing his goal. Sponsor Bryan’s ride on his personal donation page. 100% of the donation will go to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund.
Space Ready: Mike Mendoza Completes Space Applications Electronic Hardware Addendum to IPC J-STD-001
Back in November, our very own Mike Mendoza earned the title of Certified IPC Specialist by completing the Application Specialist course on IPC J-STD-001: Requirements for Soldered Electrical and Electronic Assemblies.
An impressive achievement in its own right, Mike has built on this by completing the Space Applications Electronic Hardware Addendum to IPC J-STD-001. Mike’s new certification, coupled with our upcoming AS9100D certification, gives our facility the power to produce hardware for space applications, which we are currently designing in support of an upcoming NASA program.
“Mike’s one of our best employees, but he’s an even better guy,” noted Anthony Picone, our Production Manager. “He really went above and beyond to support this program, and I’m really excited to see the cool stuff that we’re going to work on in the next few years.”
Our team is honored to work on the space program. For more information about this announcement, or to speak with someone about your engineering requirements on or off Earth, Contact Us or call (860) 282-2900 today.
Introducing: General Digital's Embedded Systems Engineering Team
In 1973, our company was founded by Len Lazar, a Software Engineer, and Russ Reiss, an Electrical Engineer. As the business grew, the two divisions found success in different markets (avionics for software, defense for hardware), though occasionally collaborated on projects as necessary (e.g., our GenStar). In recent years, as technology continues to advance, we’ve seen increased demand for products requiring customization in hardware as well as embedded firmware.
To best manage these exciting new projects, we’ve organized a team of Embedded Systems Engineers. Our Embedded Systems Engineering team is a diverse group of focused, experienced electrical, software development, and IV&V test engineers who possess the flexibility to tackle almost any engineering project—from product conceptualization to production delivery, and anywhere in between.
“I couldn’t be more excited about the future of our organization,” remarked General Digital President Bryan Gudrian. “Although our hardware and software teams have collaborated on a number of projects in the past, the formation of this group will break down some internal barriers and allow for better cross-departmental collaboration to improve speed and quality.”
What is ESE?
Our Embedded Systems Engineering function consists of the following elements:
- Software Development including requirements development, retrofitting tools into legacy systems, project coordination, updating software to be agency compatible, reverse engineering software to existing hardware, and documentation
- Electrical Engineering including circuit design and analysis, PCB layout, fabrication, and assembly, and EMI design and confidence testing
- Independent Verification & Validation (IV&V) Services including tool validation and qualification, test planning and execution (code reviews, unit/module testing, regression testing, systems testing, and integration testing), discrepancy reporting and resolution, and results reporting
Combined with the robust mechanical, optical, and production engineering expertise of our Display Systems group, the creation of ESE furthers our ability to become a true one-stop shop for any engineering requirement.
Along with the formation of this group, we are also in the process of pursuing AS9100 and ISO 13485 certifications to complement our existing ISO 9001:2015 certification. This effort, on track for completion later this year, will expand our capabilities in the design, development, prototyping, independent verification and validation, and serial production of aerospace, avionic, and medical devices.
Some recent examples of products developed by our Embedded Systems Engineering team include:
Alta™ Series SUDS™ Mobile 10.4" Secure Upload/Download System, a highly-configurable intelligent computer embedded in a Pelican™ case with a 10.4” sunlight readable smart display, with custom firmware developed and independently verified and validated by our in-house software engineers.- VuePoint III, a ruggedized touch-interactive serial terminal emulator with custom firmware specific to the application (U.S. Navy’s Central Atmospheric Monitoring System). Our team is currently redesigning the hardware with contemporary electronics and redeveloping GDC’s original MS DOS code to ensure a form, fit, and functional replacement.
- Tactical TwoView (as seen at AUSA 2021), a revolutionary MIL-Certified dual-head display workstation with an integrated COM Express processing module and video controller designed and customized by GDC’s engineers to meet specific customer and military requirements.
- Nociometer, a turnkey medical device (hardware + embedded firmware) capable of objectively measuring pain. The device utilizes sensors to scan a patient’s retina, while the firmware analyzes the data to determine pain level. This was developed in collaboration with our partners at AlgometRx and certified by GDC’s IV&V team.
We’re thrilled to share this news with you, and believe that the formation of this group alongside our new certifications will continue to allow our organization to reach new heights by continuing to do what we do best—turn problems into solutions.
For more information about our new capabilities, or to speak with someone regarding an engineering requirement, Contact Us or call (860) 282-2900 today.
2021
Third Time's the Charm! General Digital Hosts Long-Awaited Grand Opening Ceremony
This July, East Hartford Mayor Marica Leclerc stopped by to celebrate our company’s recent move back to East Hartford, our original hometown.
While we hoped to have an event like this when we moved in June ’20, the dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic prohibited us from doing so. We originally scheduled the event for the end of June ’21, but a contractor knocked out power to our building while repairing a nearby line, forcing us to again reschedule.
As critical suppliers for essential industries, including defense, medical, and heavy industrial/nuclear, we remained fully operational even during the worst of the pandemic with a split of on-site production staff and a remote office staff. Thankfully, our COVID protocols (and extra 20,000 sq. ft.) helped prevent any outbreaks within our employee ranks.
This ceremony served as a celebration of moving into the new facility, successfully navigating through the pandemic with minimal impacts, and a re-opening of our facility to visitors.
About the Move
When the lease for our previous location in South Windsor came up for renewal, we made a strategic decision to find a newer and larger building to accommodate our growing business. By staying local, we were able to retain all our employees while still being able to attract top talent from the region’s diverse manufacturing pool.
Our tenured employees appreciate that the new building is just a few miles down the road from our old one, while our customers appreciate the more modern facility. We also made a significant investment in capital equipment coinciding with the move, which has seen us optimize processes and greatly increase our production capacity since moving last year.
We look forward to continuing to serve you from our new home at 60 Prestige Park Rd in East Hartford, CT.
To schedule a visit, or to speak to someone about your engineering requirements, Contact Us or call (860) 282-2900.
2020
General Digital Corporation Passes Annual ISO 9001:2015 Audit for its Quality Management System
(Photo caption: Celebrating the passage of the annual ISO 9001:2015 audit are members of the new product development team with the soon-to-be-released Tactical TwoView™ family of displays.)
General Digital Corporation is thrilled to announce that we have achieved our first major milestone since moving to a new facility: passing our annual ISO 9001:2015 audit.
The ISO 9001:2015 QMS certificate recognizes that our Quality Management System is in conformance with the International Quality System Standard and was awarded by American Systems Registrar, an ANAB- and IATF-approved global registration services company.
“Since our company’s inception, we’ve built our reputation on engineering strength and a dedication to quality,” noted Quality Manager Tony DeCarlo. “Passing this audit proves that despite our rapid growth, our dedication to quality remains as vigorous as ever—as it should. Our customers depend on our products to perform safety- and mission-critical tasks, and any minor malfunction could have dire consequences.”
General Digital has maintained a commitment to quality since our founding in 1973. Our custom engineered solutions support various programs in the Defense, Medical, Aerospace, Industrial and other safety-critical industries. To speak with a sales engineer about your needs, submit this form or call 860.282.2900 today.
About ISO 9001:2015 QMS
ISO 9001:2015 QMS obtained global recognition as the leading standard for Quality Management Systems (QMS) and can be implemented by companies regardless of their size and industry. Published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the foundation of the ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard is grounded in effective quality management precepts. These precepts include increased focus on customer satisfaction, increased management, and the organization and advancement regarding the efficiency of processes. The recognition of and compliance with this certification culminates in the continuous improvement and production of products and services within an organization to exceed customer and regulatory requirements.
General Digital Announces Expansion to New, Larger Facility
Like nearly all companies worldwide, General Digital was also affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a member of the Defense Industrial Base, it was critical for us to find a way to safely fulfill our commitments to our customers. After transitioning all our office employees to virtual work, 100% of our production staff remained in place while following the CDC Community Mitigation Framework and Guidance for Businesses & Employers. Thus, we continued providing essential services for our customers in the defense, medical device, aviation, and other safety-critical industries that couldn’t afford a lapse in production.
Concurrently, our leadership saw an opportunity to grow the business through finding a new location for the company once we could all reunite safely. After weeks of planning, we moved our operations into a new and larger facility without any production interruptions. General Digital Corporation is excited to introduce you to our new home in East Hartford, Connecticut.
“Our employees have been truly outstanding throughout this crisis,” remarked General Digital President, Bryan Gudrian. “On top of working safely every day during a health emergency, they also found a way to move facilities without missing a production beat. Now that we’re all united under one roof again, I’m excited and confident about General Digital’s continued growth.”
The 48,000 square foot facility increases our ability to execute larger production runs and adds more office space for Product Development and Software Services. The building features a brightly lit production space with temperature and humidity control. It also features several dedicated lab spaces for software testing, class 100 and 10,000 clean rooms (with capability to expand), ESD compliant workstations, and other improvements. The engineering and other office staff returned from remote work to find safety at the forefront of the new facility’s design. The new office location provides much greater social distance protections than our old home along with an increased ability to collaborate both in person and via video conference with our customers, as travel restrictions remain in place.
While many states still recommend against non-essential travel, we understand that it is sometimes necessary. All potential visitors must complete this health screening questionnaire and be cleared prior to their arrival. Please defer to state and federal guidelines when planning your visit, as conditions are subject to change. For up-to-date information regarding travel, please visit https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus/travel.
APRIL 2020
Software Engineering Services Presentation at the 2019 American Medical Devices Summit
Once again, General Digital PDSS Vice President Bill Stamm, presented at AMDS 2019, discussing Safety Enhancements: Distinguishing Type and Development to Meet Requirements of Safety, Functionality and Cybersecurity.
Watch his presentation below. Visit our YouTube page to watch individual segments.
MARCH 2020
General Digital Software Engineering Services had another year with 0 escapes!
This is a 10% sampling of our work for a customer in the military and commercial aerospace sector. This is the right way to achieve military dominance.
2019
JULY 2019
General Digital Corporation Granted ISO 9001:2015 Certification for its Quality Management System
South Windsor, CT (July 2, 2019) – General Digital Corporation (General Digital) today announced that the company has earned certification to ISO 9001:2015 for its Quality Management System.
General Digital is an engineering services company that:
- Designs and manufactures contemporary engineered solutions
- Specializes in designing and manufacturing industrial- and military-grade monitors, smart displays, computers, control electronics, systems integration and more
- Enhances performance of display systems through integration of overlays, surface coatings, optical film management, backlight redesign, and in-house optical bonding
- Provides safety-critical software development and testing services to aerospace, avionic, medical, transportation, industrial and other applications
The ISO 9001:2015 QMS certificate recognizes that General Digital’s quality management system is in conformance with the International Quality System Standard and was awarded by American Systems Registrar, an ANAB- and IATF -approved global registration services company.
On this award, Bryan Gudrian, president of General Digital said, “Achieving certification to ISO 9001:2015 QMS was a meticulous, company-wide process secured by third-party approval. This accomplishment highlights General Digital’s deep-rooted and unwavering commitment of excellence in providing our customers with the highest quality products and services across our three business units: Display Systems, Optical Bonding Laboratories, and Software Services.”
General Digital is committed to continuous improvement, constant focus on customer satisfaction, and advancing the efficiency of company processes to exceed customer and regulatory requirements. Achieving ISO 9001:2015 QMS certification demonstrates that General Digital quality processes and continuous improvement methodologies meet the highest industry standards.
About ISO 9001:2015 QMS
ISO 9001:2015 QMS obtained global recognition as the leading standard for Quality Management Systems (QMS) and can be implemented by companies regardless of their size and industry. Published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the foundation of the ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard is grounded in effective quality management precepts. These precepts include increased focus on customer satisfaction, increased management, and the organization and advancement regarding the efficiency of processes. The recognition of and compliance with this certification culminates in the continuous improvement and production of products and services within an organization to exceed customer and regulatory requirements.
JANUARY 2019
Software Engineering Services Develops Pupilometer Software with Partner AlgometRx
Scientists are looking for a way to measure pain, beyond the emoji-style sad faces.
This prototype was designed and built by General Digital engineers. The design specifications were form the inventor, Dr. Julia Finkel, a pediatric anesthesiologist and director of pain research at Children’s Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation.
This is an important technology on so many levels. It is a game changer for the healthcare industry and will help pain management within healthcare institutes across the globe.
We are thrilled to be so much closer to bringing this extraordinary concept to life. Not only will it prove beneficial to the estimated 25 million people in the U.S. who experience daily pain*, as well as millions more worldwide, we anticipate it will help in the current opioid crisis by preventing patients asking for unnecessary prescriptions or doctors prescribing excessive dosages.
Read the article from AP News: https://bit.ly/2TMQgcX
*Source: NIH
ARCHIVE
2018
AUGUST 2018
The EU Clamps Down on Medical Device Regulations
At this moment in the global economy, one of the most talked about subjects is the Trump administration’s tariffs around the globe. Disregarding the political chatter, their stated objective is to create fair-trade agreements, by way of tariffs, between the USA and our import/export leaders: China and the European Union (EU).
Recently, the Trump administration and the EU have come to an agreement in these ongoing negotiations. This agreement includes, in part, the regulation of medical devices. As specifics of the regulation are not within the scope of this article, the bottom line is that, historically, medical devices had far fewer hurdles to overcome in the EU. The much sought after CE mark was much more easily attained than FDA approval, meaning devices were more readily marketed in the EU than the USA.
Some products would be fast-tracked to market by going to Europe or elsewhere first. This route yielded two notable results:
- The US population was losing out on technology and treatments because of a substantial increase in the time it took for medical devices to get to market.
- The EU lost out on safety and quality, though as of May 2020, that situation will be reversed. This is all due to the fact that medical devices in Europe will have to go through a similar process to that of FDA approval in the US. In the EU, it will most likely fall under, or be added to, Medical Device Regulation 2017/745. This means that medical devices once unavailable to the US because of pre-approval regulations must now undergo regulations that will be monitored and checked before the devices can come to market.
For any new devices coming to market, or legacy devices requiring this new approval, General Digital Software Engineering Services is one of the few companies worldwide that can help. Our 45+ years of expertise in safety-critical software development, IV&V testing and documentation has prepared us to assist any organization seeking FDA approval for medical devices. We provide the most efficient and cost-effective means to get the safest, highest quality medical devices to market.
Download the articleJULY 2018
We Welcome a New Intern
General Digital welcomes Melissa Levin to an internship in our Marketing Department. She is in her senior year at the University of Connecticut, studying communications with hopes of pursing a career in marketing and public relations.
Since she started, she has worked on numerous projects including producing social media content each week, assisting in Web site revision, analyzing competitors, and assisting in growing business relations. In her free time, she loves to listen to podcasts, try new restaurants, and spend time at the beach!
MAY 2018
IV&V Department is Breaking Records
Recently, General Digital’s Software Engineering Services business unit has taken on quite a few new hires to help with the latest contracts we acquired, serving the industrial and medical fields. In April, with the big boost of personnel behind these projects, we surpassed our previous monthly record of 2,000 hours from our dedicated and diligent Independent Verification and Validation team!
This is an exciting time for us, as our company is growing not only in size, but in capability and expertise within these fields. With the benefit of our decades of experience performing saftey-critical IV&V testing in the military and aerospace industries, we are well equipped to assist our medical industry customers gain FDA approval for their new medical devices.
What we have learned from this accomplishment is that General Digital can provide IV&V services for startup companies in record time compared to that of most competitors. Of course, it’s not only speed that matters, but precision as well, which is especially important when testing safety-critical products and systems.
JANUARY 2018
Kicking Off the New Year with New Software Contracts
General Digital Software Engineering Services is happy to announce that the new year has brought forth quite a few new software opportunities in the aerospace industry. One project integrates hardware and software for a specialized weatherproofing application to be used in the field. Other projects include local aerospace manufacturers who are utilizing our expertise and consulting services to create high quality software that will enhance their internal software processing systems. Additionally, we will continue our ongoing partnerships with aerospace manufacturers and developers to enhance and test their software.
In current projects, after many trial and error sessions, General Digital is proud to announce that the first working prototypes for our partnered startup medical device company have been delivered for ongoing testing. We look forward to the next phase of this exciting new and innovative product, as well as helping them with FDA submissions and further enhancing their product lines.
Whether a customer is developing a new product or software, or attempting to retrofit/recertify a legacy system, General Digital’s experienced staff provides the independent assessments an organization needs to meet high quality software requirements. We are always at the ready to help our customers meet the ever-changing and demanding requirements of most industries, such as medical, avionics, transportation or industrial.
2017
JUNE 2017
General Digital Welcomes Many New Hires
General Digital has just expanded our Software Engineering Services business unit with new hires. The department has nearly doubled in size over the past few months, as we have been awarded several new contracts for software development and IV&V testing. We want to thank SES Sales & Business Manager Bill Stamm and everyone else for all of their work in expanding and further strengthening this business unit.
MAY 2017
General Digital Wins Contracts from Multiple Medical Device Companies
Our recently won contracts from multiple medical device companies (from startups to billion dollar global companies) have more than helped us prove ourselves as experts in the field. As well, they have readied us for the potential troubles experienced by many startup medical device companies, such as finalizing their products to become FDA (Food & Drug Administration) certified and pass SEA (Software Engineering & Applications) regulations.
Recently, the medical industry has implemented changes intended to more strictly regulate itself. Specifically, the SEA has incorporated many aspects of DO-178 into its new requirements, and is demanding greater traceability and independence for FDA approval and certification.
For over 25 years, General Digital’s Software Engineering Services business unit has supplied IV&V (Independent Verification and Validation) services to the aerospace industry in compliance with DO-178 standards for safety-critical software. Our unrivaled experience performing manual and automated testing of life and mission-critical systems, as well as the qualification of the toolsets used to perform testing, has made General Digital a leader in the software testing field. This intimate knowledge of DO-178 requirements will allow us to seamlessly apply our unique talents to the medical market, and position ourselves as the subject matter experts to provide consultative services and testing. We are uniquely qualified to help our customers better understand the certification requirements, as well as perform IV&V services and provide software development.
Whether our customer is developing a new product, or attempting to retrofit/recertify a legacy solution, General Digital’s experienced staff provides the independent assessments necessary to obtain complete and accurate high quality software requirements, as well as help its customers meet the ever changing and more demanding requirements of the medical marketplace.
2015
AUGUST 2015
Development and Verification Completed
General Digital Software Engineering Services recently completed a development and verification effort for a sub-component of the CH-47 Chinook helicopter.
MARCH 2015
Our Team is Growing
Our Software Engineering group welcomes a new Software Engineer, Bill Crabtree. Bill was previously employed with General Digital many years ago.
FEBRUARY 2015
KC-390 First Flight Successful!
General Digital Software Engineering Services is extremely proud that we were an integral part of the verification efforts for the KC-390. Way to go, team! Great job!
Read the press release from Embraer SA: https://lnkd.in/dP2fufv
2014
SEPTEMBER 2014
Medical & Avionics Software Testing Blog Release
Read our latest blog post discussing how medical device and avionics software testing are very similar processes.
AUGUST 2014
MFD Project Going Well
The Software Engineering group is making good progress on the prototype of the Multifunction Cockpit Display project that is targeted for rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft (and we are considering derivatives for other industries).
While the General Digital Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) and Aircraft Communications FPGAs are in development, the software group is writing the planning documents, developing the graphic elements and real-time animations, and evaluating Real-Time Operating Systems.
JULY & AUGUST 2014
Our Team is Growing
In July, our IV&V group welcomed new Test Engineer Alex Higgins.
In August, our Software Engineering group welcomes new Software Engineers Dan Guerrera from UCONN School of Engineering, and Laura Eberhard from XOS Corporation. For their first task, Dan and Laura will be developing software for a Multifunction Cockpit Display Project.
2013
AUGUST 2013
Trade Show
General Digital Software Engineering Services will have a booth at AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems 2013 trade show in Washington, D.C., from August 12–15. We look forward to meeting new faces and discussing software testing and any other topics of interest.
