Get to Know the A3D Team: Will Glover
At A3D Manufacturing, our team blends deep manufacturing expertise with forward-thinking innovation. Today we’re spotlighting Will Glover, a key member of our quality and operations team whose background in AS9100, quality systems, and AI helps ensure every part meets the highest standards while pushing our digital manufacturing capabilities forward.
How Will Got into Manufacturing Right after high school, Will needed a job and started as a press operator in a die-cutting shop. He moved into inspection and receiving, where he discovered a natural aptitude for quality. “I really enjoyed math in school, and found a direct translation to that skill set in the quality department,” he says. The moment he converted a polar plot to a Cartesian plane for a GD&T callout, he knew he’d found his field. He pursued auditing and AS9100 training and now navigates the standard with ease.
A Day in the Life Will’s mornings start early: kids dressed and fed, dog walked, and on the road by 6:30 a.m. for a 1.5-hour commute across Phoenix to A3D’s new facility. Once there, his day involves product evaluations (“Can we make it?”), quality reviews of customer clauses, and reviewing lengthy documents for the sales team. “It won’t be unheard of to have a sales rep ask me ‘Hey can you review this 60-page document for me?’” he laughs.
How He Joined A3D During COVID, Will studied AI and Machine Learning and did lucrative contract coding work. When ChatGPT disrupted the field and competition increased, he pivoted back to manufacturing. He discovered Athena Manufacturing (now A3D) — an ISO 9001 company using additive manufacturing in exciting new ways. After a great interview with Taylor Moore and a humorous hallway encounter with Jacob Moss, he got the offer. “I want this job so freakin’ bad,” he told his wife. One of his first tasks was helping rebrand to A3D Manufacturing.
Highlights from the Shop Floor and Beyond
What He’s Working On Now AI galore. Will is focused on breaking down data silos across A3D’s tech stack, feeding everything into a data lake so the team can make better, informed decisions.
On the Resurgence of U.S. Manufacturing Will sees real opportunity, especially with AI helping reduce overhead and improve competitiveness on price. He believes the next generation needs to get excited about manufacturing and that the industry stands to gain the most from the “AI Wave” because it produces physical products people actually use.
Most Fun / Quirky Project Building a Monodepth SLAM drone for Intel’s AI Global Impact Festival — a drone that could navigate and map an unknown room using only a single camera. “It was a blast to put together all the components and make the hardware and software communicate.”
Side Quests Will is a huge Fantasy Football nerd running a 10-year dynasty league. His team is stacked at QB and WR but thin at running back. He’s currently wheeling and dealing for the upcoming NFL draft.
Book Every Manufacturer Should Read Profit First by Mike Michalowicz.
What Excites Him About the Future AI’s ability to democratize knowledge. “You can ask questions and explore topics without feeling like you’re asking a smart person a dumb question.” He sees AI bridging massive knowledge gaps in manufacturing, from product development to starting a business.
Time-Travel Dream Project The Pyramids — just to answer the question: “How were they made?”
Over-Engineered Everyday Object A phone case that turns his slim Galaxy into the size and weight of an old-school satellite phone. “Could you imagine sitting in the airport… pulling out this huge monster?”
Most Absurd Failure A major aerospace rejection over silicone sheets where the part mark spacing was off by 0.25″. It caused an Aircraft on Ground (AOG) situation — fixed by Will driving to the site to re-stencil by hand with a tape measure.
Rapid Fire Questions
- Sexiest material: 17-4 PH Stainless with Burnt Bronze Cerakote.
- No budget or limits? Iron Man suit (Tony Stark style). Close second: a lightsaber.
- Fussiest machine: FX20 (FDM).
- Easiest process: Non-FX20 FDM.
- Favorite material: Aluminum or Steel.
- Cringiest: Non-cured SLA resin. “It’s icky.”
- Historical artifact to print: The Terracotta Army — “Large volume print job? Good margins…”
- Best advice for 3DP noobs: Stop calling yourself a noob.
- Dream customer request: Lightsaber replica.
- Worst thing to print: Non-conforming parts or reprints.
- Best thing to print: Orthotics or custom firearm furniture.
- Office games: Reigning champions of the seasonal Scavenger Hunt.
- Office toy skill: Sniper with Sticky Hands — “Like a frog eating a fly.”
Advice for Manufacturing Careers “No time in manufacturing is wasted… Finding the right company to work for can make or break this experience.”
About Will Glover Will Glover brings extensive quality and AS9100 expertise to A3D Manufacturing, supporting product evaluations, customer requirements, and AI-driven process improvements. With a background that spans traditional manufacturing, quality auditing, and machine learning, he’s passionate about blending new technologies with proven processes. Outside of work, Will enjoys fantasy football, gaming, learning CNC machining, and spending time with his wife and two young sons in the Phoenix area.
Stay tuned for more A3D team spotlights!
Have a project that needs precision and innovation? Reach out to the A3D team today.
