Drew Devitt

Background

About Drew Devitt

Drew Devitt started off in the machine-tool trades learning the art of way scrapping while in high school and college. After college (history of economics) he went on to work for the family business selling a moldable bearing material that is used to create way surfaces by machine-tool builders and rebuilders. 30 years of experience selling to and working with the US machine-tool builders has given Drew an extensive experience in heavy precision machine-tool design and erection. During the late 1980s and early 1990s many machine-tool builders began to employ rolling element linear guide ways, in response Drew developed innovative hydrostatic bearing systems in co-operation with MIT. The collaboration resulted in a number of patents, but little acceptance of hydrostatics in the machine-tool industry. Fortunately, Drew had also been developing porous air bearings. He found success selling air bearings to coordinate measuring machine manufacturers first, then the machine tool, medical, motor sports, semiconductor, Flat Panel Display Screens and now even equipment for manufacturing flexible electronics. Today, New Way Air Bearings is the world leader in air bearings sales and the number one search result for “Air Bearings”. The last several years Drew has been applying porous gas bearing technology to bearings and seals for the rotating equipment and turbo industries. He sees promise in eliminating oil from large turbines, motors, generators and compressors. Drew holds over a dozen patents and is a regular author of technical papers and magazine features. One of his hobbies is renewable energy, having written novel articles on wind energy for Power Magazine and on energy storage in Renewable Energy World. See American Offshore Energy below.