(Services / GSE)Industrial designConcept → proof of conceptDFM

Ground support equipment design.

D2Bridge designs ground support and airport equipment that ramp crews can trust: rugged, simple to operate and practical to manufacture. We take ideas from first concept to a tested proof of concept, working alongside your engineers.

Discuss your equipment →
Orange and black conveyor module sliding out of a belt loader, with more modules stowed upright in its side bay
Fig. 01 LOADSTERS modules on the belt loaderSystem concept
(01)At a glanceGSE design services
Scope
Concept · Proof of concept · DFM
Equipment
Cargo · Baggage · Ramp · Airport
Fit
B737 · A320 · E-Jet holds
Recent
LOADSTERS (former Cynergixt)
Studio
Bothell, WA · Seattle area
(02)Why design mattersOn the ramp

Built for the ramp.

Ground support equipment works in rain, cold, noise and darkness, against a turnaround clock, often in the hands of new hires. It gets bumped, dropped and hosed down, and every minute an aircraft waits on the ground costs money.

That makes GSE design a human-factors problem as much as an engineering one. Controls must be obvious with gloves on, weights must suit the people who lift them, and the equipment must fit the aircraft, vehicles and procedures that already exist. We design for all of it, and we design for manufacturing from the start, so a good concept stays affordable to build.

01

Cargo & baggage handling

Conveyors, loaders and handling aids that move bags and cargo with less lifting and less strain on crews.

Handling
02

Ramp vehicles & carts

Specialty vehicles, carts and operator stations for ground crews, with clear sightlines and controls.

Vehicle
03

Controls & status

Buttons, lights and displays that read at a glance in a noisy, dark or wet environment. See HMI design.

HMI
04

Enclosures & housings

Rugged housings that protect electronics, survive daily handling and stay easy to service.

Enclosure
05

Proof of concept

Working prototypes, built and tested to prove the idea before anyone pays for tooling.

PoC
06

Crew training

Digital-twin training, so crews learn new equipment before it reaches the ramp.

VITE →
LOADSTERS (former Cynergixt)

Bags to the back of the hold, powered.

In a narrow-body cargo hold, bags arriving at the door are usually moved to the back by hand, often by handlers working on their knees. LOADSTERS asked us to change that.

We developed the product concept for portable conveyor modules that ride with the belt loader, go up through the cargo door and snap together into a powered line along the hold floor. Each module carries up to 150 lb, has simple forward, stop and reverse controls, and works with most belt loaders and with B737, A320 and E-Jet holds.

Then we designed and tested the systems proof of concept: a working prototype, wired to test electronics on the bench, that showed the idea works before production design began.

Load
Up to 150 lb per module
Aircraft
B737 · A320 · E-Jet
Controls
Forward · Stop · Reverse
Delivered
Concept · Tested proof of concept
Role
Design agency
Orange conveyor modules linked into a line on the floor of an aircraft hold, leading from the cargo door
Fig. 02 Linked into a lineAssemble
Close-up of a conveyor module's side, with yellow reverse and forward buttons either side of a red stop button
Fig. 03 Forward, stop, reverseOperate
A cargo case riding along the conveyor modules inside the hold, with suitcases arriving at the door
Fig. 04 Cargo into the holdLoad
Working conveyor prototype on a lab bench, wired to test electronics, a power supply and a multimeter
Fig. 05 Working prototypeProof-of-concept testing
(04)Beyond the rampIndustrial equipment

Tough equipment, clear design.

The same approach runs through our other equipment work. We designed a modular zero-emission backup power system with controls and status at eye level, and the enclosures and system UI for Phinergy's Aluminum-Air Generator, whose 72 kW / 1.4 MWh module was tested for data centers in October 2026.

We bring aerospace rigor to the ramp and the hangar floor: co-founder Konstantin Ziman was previously Head of Design at Eviation Aircraft. See all industries we serve.

Stage i

Understand

Time with ramp crews, the aircraft and vehicles involved, and your safety and operating rules.

Stage ii

Experience

Every step of the task mapped, from setup to stowage, to find where time, effort and strain go.

Stage iii

Form

Concepts, ergonomics and CMF for a product that is obvious to use and tough enough for daily service.

Stage iv

Realize

Proof-of-concept prototypes, testing and design for manufacturing, handed over to your engineering team.

(05)QuestionsGSE design

Common questions

More in the services FAQ

What does industrial design add to ground support equipment?

Industrial design makes equipment easier and safer to use, faster to learn and cheaper to build. For ground support equipment that means controls that work with gloves on, weights and handles that suit the crew, a good fit with existing aircraft and vehicles, and parts designed for manufacturing and maintenance.

Can you take a GSE idea to a working prototype?

Yes. For LOADSTERS (former Cynergixt) we developed the product concept, then designed and tested the systems proof of concept, a working conveyor prototype, before production design began.

Can you design equipment to fit specific aircraft?

Yes. The LOADSTERS conveyor modules were designed to work with most belt loaders and with B737, A320 and E-Jet cargo holds. We size equipment around the aircraft, vehicles and procedures you already use.

Do you handle design for manufacturing?

Yes. Design for manufacturing (DFM) is a D2Bridge specialty. We work alongside your engineers and suppliers to cut material waste and assembly time, and hand over designs ready for engineering.

Can you also help train crews on new equipment?

Yes. Our VITE digital-twin training lets crews practice setup, operation and maintenance on any device before the equipment reaches the ramp.