Case Study: McLaren Engineering Group maps the Erie Canal with Xometry CNC Machined Parts

How McLaren Engineering Group used Xometry’s CNC machining service to create adjustable brackets for a multi-beam sonar system surveying New York’s waterways

McLaren Engineering Group, a multidisciplinary engineering and survey firm with a marine division, needed to map underwater topography and inspect infrastructure along New York’s Erie Canal system. To do so, the team needed to mount a multi-beam sonar system onto a small Jon boat for access to shallow, narrow areas, but the original hardware was too large and not suited to the vessel. They turned to Xometry’s CNC machining service for a better mounting solution.

Xometry produced precisely machined aluminum brackets and spacer blocks based on McLaren’s CAD files, enabling the sonar system to be securely mounted and kept level on the Jon boat and other vessels in the fleet. The custom parts fit as designed, helped the team stay within budget, and delivered a major cost reduction: McLaren said the original bracket would have cost about $1,000, while the Xometry-made flat plate cost just $150.

McLaren Engineering Group

Taylor Zimmerman

Staff Engineer