We build the product.
You certify it. We helped with that too.

Product development at GSM starts with a hard requirement list, not a concept sketch. We take your performance envelope (load ratings, environmental exposure, operating temperature range, regulatory body) and work backward to a material and geometry solution that passes certification on the first submission, not the third.

Engineering work is done in-house. We use FEA for structural validation and CFD where fluid dynamics matter, and we document every design decision with the regulatory rationale. The result is a package that satisfies your buyer's technical review, your quality system, and your surveyor, without back-and-forth between three separate vendors.

Deliverables include an approved drawing set, material certificates, design calculation binder, and a compliance matrix cross-referenced to the applicable standard. If we're taking the product through type approval, we manage the submission and handle responses directly.

• Concept definition and requirements traceability matrix
• 3D models and 2D engineering drawings (ASME Y14.5 or ISO)
• FEA structural analysis report with factor-of-safety summary
• Material selection report with certifications for traceability
• Compliance matrix cross-referenced to applicable standards
• Type approval submission package and liaison with certifying authority
• First-article inspection plan and acceptance criteria

Not every engagement is a new product. Some are a failure investigation on a component that's causing port delays. Some are a design review for a product your team developed that needs an independent structural opinion before it goes to a classification society. Some are a regulatory pathway question: which standard applies, which test protocol is required, which body has jurisdiction.

We operate as an independent technical advisor. We have no financial interest in any particular supplier, material, or design approach, which means our analysis is objective. We're also direct: if the design won't pass, we'll tell you why before you spend money building it.

Consulting engagements are structured as either time-and-materials or fixed-scope, depending on the question. For failure investigations, we document root cause, failure mode classification, and a corrective action recommendation. For design reviews, we issue a stamped engineering opinion letter suitable for your class or flag state file.

• Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) for existing products
• Root cause investigation with photographic documentation
• Independent structural design review with stamped engineering opinion
• Regulatory pathway mapping: which standards, which bodies, which sequence
• Materials compatibility analysis for corrosive marine environments
• Written technical advisory report with actionable recommendations

Prototypes built by GSM are built to be tested, not displayed. Every prototype ships with a test plan keyed to the applicable standard (ASTM, USCG, ISO, or MIL-SPEC) and we conduct testing under controlled, documented conditions with calibrated equipment. Test records are kept to the retention schedule required by your quality system.

Environmental testing covers the full Pacific marine exposure spectrum: salt-spray per ASTM B117, UV degradation per ASTM G154, thermal cycling, vibration per MIL-STD-810, and hydrostatic pressure at the specified working depth. Load testing is conducted to 1.5× rated working load minimum, with proof-load certification available.

Test results feed directly into the compliance package. If a test fails, we analyze the failure, revise the design, and retest within the same engagement, without a new SOW. The goal is a clean test report on the first certification submission.

• Prototype fabrication using production-representative materials and processes
• Test plan cross-referenced to certification requirements
• Salt-spray, UV, vibration, thermal, and hydrostatic test reports
• Load test and proof-load certification with calibrated equipment records
• Failure analysis and design revision if testing reveals deficiencies
• Final test summary report formatted for regulatory submission

Getting a product through certification is one problem. Getting it manufactured consistently is another. GSM provides manufacturing transition support to close the gap between the approved design and the production process: supplier qualification, DFM review, process documentation, and first-article inspection.

Supplier qualification covers material traceability, process capability (Cpk), and quality system review. We evaluate suppliers against the design's tolerance requirements, not against a generic vendor scorecard. DFM review identifies features that are theoretically compliant but practically difficult to hold in production, and proposes design modifications that maintain compliance at lower manufacturing cost.

First-article inspection is conducted to AS9102 or a customer-specified standard, with full dimensional verification, material certifications, and functional test results documented in a bound first-article inspection report.

• Supplier qualification assessment report with traceability verification
• Design for manufacturability (DFM) review with revision recommendations
• Bill of materials (BOM) with approved vendor list and part numbers
• Process documentation: work instructions, inspection plans, control plans
• First-article inspection report (FAIR) per AS9102 or customer standard
• Production oversight and in-process inspection during initial production runs