Andy Tran

Andy joined Omnica as a machinist in 2007 while serving in the US Navy Reserves where he specialized as a mechanic. He quickly developed his machining skills while working along side his father (Trung) in the machine shop and our senior mechanical engineer, Andy Scherer. In 2010, he was deployed to Afghanistan to serve in the US Navy Reserves and worked with the Navy Corps of Engineers. He was swiftly promoted during his first month of training while preparing for deployment and we believe that the professional experience and training he received at Omnica gave him the edge that influenced his success and safe return from the Middle East in 2012. We eagerly welcomed him back after that tour of duty and he has since become the manager of the machine shop while overseeing operations and maintenance and procuring new sophisticated machine tools (Hass machining center and the like). Outside of work, he is active with his wife and new daughter, consults on automotive issues, and enjoys taking his fishing boat out of Long Beach harbor.

Mike Ammerman

Mike came to Omnica in 2001 with over 20 years of experience in model making and prototyping for the Industrial Design industry. He had previously been with Herbst Lazar Bell, Moll Industries, Compression Engineering, Patton Design, Model Technics and Design West (where he was VP of their Model Development division).

Mike has built a wide range of models ranging from full-size replicas of Soviet army tanks to tiny cast gears for miniaturized mechanisms. He is an expert in the art of silicone molding and urethane casting, machining metals and plastics, and prototype assembly. He can swiftly incorporate iterative changes as designs evolve or can produce multiple options for selecting different design solutions. He has mastered a full range of rapid prototyping tools and equipment such as 3D additive printers, cnc machining, investment casting, 3D wax printing, Laser etching/cutting, CAM water jet cutting, etc.

Mike’s CAD design skills have resulted in product design, tooling and production assembly fixtures, low volume, low pressure molds, proof-of-concept assemblies.

Mike is a long-standing member of the Association of Professional Model Makers.