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In addition to a degree in Aerospace Engineering, earned in residence at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott AZ, Mr. Erwin served for 12 years in the US Army. This academic and professional background provide the discipline and rigor necessary to rapidly design and develop precision machined firearms components. His appreciation for weapons systems and tactics gained through multiple combat deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, including supporting Australian and U.S. Special Ops forces in Air-Assault operations, led Mr. Erwin to pursue an additional degree in Firearms Technology from the Sonoran Desert Institute (SDI), while also working full-time on the Army’s next generation Future Attack and Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program with L3Harris Technologies. As a Project Engineer with that program, Mr. Erwin utilized advanced software tools and manufacturing techniques standard to the Aerospace Industry. That experience, coupled with a passion for firearms, translated to bringing modern manufacturing and system engineering processes, using CAD, CAM, and precision CNC to bear on the gunsmithing and custom-firearms industry, vastly improving available offerings.
One of the key differentiators with IsoTac Arms is our use of Computer Numerical Control (CNC), a computerized manufacturing process that uses software to control the movements of various types of CNC equipment. With the help of this technology, IsoTac machinists use mechanical design, drawings, mathematics, and computer programming skills to produce parts. This allows us to take a piece of steel, aluminum or titanium and create a precise and aesthetically pleasing gun component (slide, frame, plate) with extreme accuracy. Using digitized data, a computer, and a computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) program together we can control, automate, and monitor the movements of the CNC tools to produce exceptional products.
IsoTac uses the versatile CNC milling machine for the majority of our projects, to produce custom-designed parts more quickly than traditional machining methods. This machine is ideal for mold work, where two or three axes of the milling table are controlled simultaneously to produce cavities and surface contours. These machine tools are excellent for producing complex aluminum, steel and/or stainless steel aerospace, military, and weapons parts.
Besides the subtractive manufacturing process of the CNC machine, IsoTac also performs additive manufacturing processes using our in-house 3D printers to create specialty items used in our designs. In this process, parts are created by laying down successive layers of material, with each layer being a thinly sliced cross-section of the object. 3D printing is the opposite of subtractive manufacturing and is a unique and relatively new process that continues to evolve.
IsoTac Arms has recently added a laser-engraving machine to our facility, to perform functions such as laser stippling. Stippling is the process of using high-powered lasers to burn or cut away material. The high power of a laser can cause small holes to be burned or cut into the surface of the pistol grip. This process allows us to apply unique textures uniquely suited to the shooter.
Cerakote is a ceramic based finish that can be applied to metals, plastics, polymers and wood. Designed to protect metal parts from rusting, chipping, and fading. Cerakote comes in various colors such as white, black, blue, green, red, yellow, silver, gold and copper. IsoTac Arms offers single and multiple layer Cerakoting options for most firearms.
IsoTac is also involved in the design and manufacture of optic plates to mount red dots or other optics on non-MOS handguns for various platforms. Several examples below.
Beretta – APX A1 was the first optics ready pistol produced by Beretta using a proprietary mounting system. The IsoTac product improves the tolerances used in the OEM mount, tightening up the gaps and poor fitment of the factory provided system.
Glock – The Glock MOS in both full size and compact. Optics plates provided from the factory are injection molded, while our plates are machined. Thread engagement is more than double the factory provided plates providing more stability and consistency.
Additional modifications are also available to maximize shooter engagement and performance, including a trigger guard undercut, relief cut and memory cut finger groove removal, and backstrap work. These ergonomic frame improvements reduce the movement needed to pull the trigger, which reduces muzzle flip, improves recoil control, and allows for quicker returns to the target and faster subsequent shots.
