I understand the floor.
15+ years in aerospace manufacturing, from CNC machining to senior-level work on complex components.
↘ Manufacturing · Business · Systems
Manufacturing experience.
Business thinking.
Better systems.
I started by making complex aerospace parts. Today I estimate what it takes to manufacture them, source the processes around them, and understand the business decisions behind the work. Now I’m exploring how analytics, automation, and AI can make those systems better.
15+ years manufacturingFinance B.S. · CSULBMBA in progress
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THE SHORT VERSION
Four ways I look at the same problem.
My perspective is shaped by the full path from material and machining to money, information, and what happens next.
I understand the numbers.
Cost estimating, a Finance degree, and an MBA in progress — with a focus on practical financial thinking.
↘I understand the process.
Quoting, sourcing, suppliers, ERP, purchasing, inspection, manufacturing operations, and the handoffs between them.
↘I’m building with technology.
Analytics, automation, AI, and software are developing capabilities I’m exploring transparently through the Lab.
↘01 / 08
A practical path from parts to possibilities.
I’m Roberto Garcia — Robert to most people — and I work where real manufacturing meets better ways of working.
I began on the shop floor as a CNC machinist and grew into senior-level aerospace manufacturing work. That experience taught me how parts are actually produced: the materials, process decisions, tooling, inspection requirements, outside processes, and small realities that can change a plan.
Today, as a Cost Estimator, I turn those manufacturing realities into estimates and decisions: What should this cost? Where is the risk? Which supplier or process makes sense? How does information move from a drawing to a quote, then through purchasing, manufacturing, inspection, and the customer?
The progression now runs from manufacturing to cost estimating, finance and an MBA, then into analytics, automation, and business technology — without losing touch with the floor.
Curious about the whole system.
02 / 08
Making parts. Understanding the system.
Selected experience, told as a progression rather than a list of job duties.
01
Cost Estimator
Works on complex manufacturing estimates involving labor, material, tooling, outside processing, lead time, and cost risk. Supports competitive quoting and proposal development as part of a team maintaining approximately $53M in company backlog, working with a network of 15+ outside suppliers and processors.
Cost estimating15+ outside suppliersMaterial · NDT · heat treatPlating · coatings · machining
02
Senior CNC Machinist
Worked in complex aerospace manufacturing with 5-axis machining across aluminum, steel alloys, and titanium, to tolerances as tight as approximately ±0.002". Improved cycle time approximately 20% on recurring work through setup and process improvements.
5-axis machiningAluminum · steel · titanium±0.002" tolerances~20% cycle-time improvement
03
CNC Machinist
Built hands-on understanding through complex aerospace structural manufacturing: drawings, materials, setups, inspection, traceability, and production realities. Participated in process and setup improvements that reduced material waste approximately 10%.
Structural manufacturingDrawings · materials · inspection~10% material-waste reduction
03 / 08
The working toolkit.
A mix of established experience and capabilities I’m actively developing.
01◫
Manufacturing
& Operations
- CNC manufacturing
- Blueprint / GD&T interpretation
- Manufacturing process understanding
- Aerospace materials
- Process improvement
02⌁
Cost
& Sourcing
- Cost estimating
- Material & supplier sourcing
- RFQs and quote analysis
- NDT, heat treatment, plating & coatings
- Outside processing and supplier evaluation
03∑
Business
& Finance
- Financial analysis
- Cost and operational analysis
- Finance concentration
- MBA / business education
- Business case thinking
04↗
Systems
& Analytics
- Advanced Excel
- VBA and macros
- ERP information discovery
- How operational information moves between departments and systems
- Workflow analysis
- Automation exploration
I enjoy the sourcing side of manufacturing: figuring out who can provide a material or outside process, finding the right contact, comparing local and out-of-area options, and turning possibilities into suppliers worth requesting a quote from.
04 / 08
Completed work, documented properly.
Projects will appear here as they move from exploration to something useful, tested, and worth sharing.
PORTFOLIO / OPEN
Projects will earn their place here.
As work moves from exploration to something useful, tested, and worth sharing, this section will become a clear record of the problem, approach, tools, and outcome.
05 / 08
The Lab.
Experiments, prototypes, and active learning — before they become polished portfolio pieces.
ACTIVE LEARNING SPACE
This is where I explore how manufacturing knowledge, business questions, and emerging technology can meet. Some ideas will stay rough. That’s part of the point.
LAB / 001
Concept / Early DevelopmentManufacturing Quote Workspace
An exploration of how manufacturing quoting information can be organized into a connected workspace covering customer requirements, material, machining operations, outside processing, supplier quotes, lead times, estimated labor, cost, markup, and final pricing.
INPUTSRequirements
& sourcing
& sourcing
WORKSPACEQuote
logic
logic
OUTPUTDecision
view
view
FUTURE IDEASPossibilities, not existing functionality
- Estimated vs. actual analysis
- Supplier history
- Historical job search
- AI-assisted drawing review
- AI-assisted quoting
- Operational analytics
06 / 08
Have a problem like this? Let’s talk.
Small and mid-sized manufacturers often have useful information scattered across spreadsheets, ERP systems, email, shared drives, supplier records, purchasing, inspection, and the people doing the work.
The opportunity is connecting those pieces into practical tools that make costing, sourcing, reporting, and operational decisions easier.
Excel modelsManufacturing cost modelsQuote modelsSourcing researchWorkflow analysisKPI / reporting toolsData organizationPractical automation
07 / 08
Building the Business Foundation.
Formal study that complements the experience earned through manufacturing work.
B.S. in Business Administration - Finance Concentration
↗California State University, Long Beach
Master of Business Administration
↗California State University, Long Beach
08 / 08
Let’s connect thoughtfully.
Interested in aerospace manufacturing, estimating, operational systems, analytics, or the next practical experiment? I’m open to conversations as this site and the Lab evolve.
CONTACTRoberto GarciaOpen to conversations about manufacturing, systems, analytics, and practical automation.View contact details