NASA chief, other officials tour Washougal’s United Precision Corp.

Manufacturer’s work called ‘critical’ to agency’s missions

Quality manager Stephen Kerr, left, speaks with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, second from left, and others during a tour of United Precision Corp., a Washougal-based aerospace manufacturer, on Sept. 3. (Amanda Cowan/The Columbian)

Visitors look over parts created for a spaceship at United Precision Corp. in Washougal on Thursday morning. NASA recognized the company’s contribution to the space program during the visit. (Amanda Cowan/The Columbian)

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman speaks with fellow representatives from NASA and members of United Precision Corp., a Washougal-based aerospace manufacturer, on Thursday morning. The visit recognized the company’s contributions to the space program. (Amanda Cowan/The Columbian)

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, center, looks over parts for a spaceship with fellow representatives from NASA and members of United Precision Corp., a Washougal-based aerospace manufacturer, on Thursday morning.

Representatives from NASA visited United Precision Corp., a Washougal-based aerospace manufacturer, on Thursday morning.

Visitors look over parts created for a spaceship at United Precision Corp. in Washougal on Thursday morning.

David Hawrylo of United Precision Corp. shows parts created for a spaceship to representatives from NASA in Washougal on Sept. 3. NASA recognized the manufacturer’s contribution to the space program during the visit. At top, visitors look over parts created for a spaceship at United Precision Corp. (Amanda Cowan/The Columbian)

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman couldn’t spot the bad seal. And that was precisely the point.

During a tour of United Precision Corp. last week, the company’s quality manager, Stephen Kerr, challenged the United States’ top space official to distinguish between two nearly identical space seals, demonstrating how the Washougal manufacturer uses advanced inspection technology, machine learning and artificial intelligence to find defects that can be difficult to detect with the human eye.

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