# Zane Hengsperger (Founder/CEO, Nox Metals)

- Show: [Just Gonna Send It](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it)
- Published: 2026-03-25
- Length: 54m
- Episode: 13
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-03-25-zane-hengsperger-founder-ceo-nox-metals

## Summary

Zane Hengsperger, founder and CEO of Nox Metals, explains how he transitioned from a software career to building a modern metal service center in Detroit. He details the process of acquiring a massive high-speed saw, managing the high costs of rigging and installation, and leveraging software to automate quoting and nesting for American manufacturers. Hengsperger discusses his journey through Y Combinator, the importance of building a strong network, and his strategy for scaling operations to serve the aerospace and defense sectors in California.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-03-25-zane-hengsperger-founder-ceo-nox-metals#t=0) Introduction: Zane Hengsperger and Nox Metals
- [4:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-03-25-zane-hengsperger-founder-ceo-nox-metals#t=254) Early Life: Filmmaking and Machine Shop Exposure
- [12:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-03-25-zane-hengsperger-founder-ceo-nox-metals#t=754) College, Uber, and First Software Venture
- [25:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-03-25-zane-hengsperger-founder-ceo-nox-metals#t=1533) Acquiring Delta and Identifying the Metal Gap
- [30:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-03-25-zane-hengsperger-founder-ceo-nox-metals#t=1859) Y Combinator Acceptance and Funding
- [37:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-03-25-zane-hengsperger-founder-ceo-nox-metals#t=2226) Sourcing and Rigging the Massive Saw
- [45:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-03-25-zane-hengsperger-founder-ceo-nox-metals#t=2736) Shop Operations and Blade Management
- [47:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-03-25-zane-hengsperger-founder-ceo-nox-metals#t=2868) Software Innovation and California Expansion

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Nox Metals (company)
- SendCutSend (company)
- Delta (company)
- Y Combinator (other)
- Uber (company)
- McMaster (other)
- Haas (other)
- Zoometry (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [An Interview with Luke Iseman of yCombinator](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-09-24-an-interview-with-luke-iseman-of-ycombinator) (The Amp Hour)
- [Ep. 8 - Ryan from V1 Engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2023-11-09-ep-8-ryan-from-v1-engineering) (Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast)
- [S6E47 Brogan Miller | Being a Doula for Hardware Startups, Manufacturing in Asia, and How to Start Networking](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-11-21-s6e47-brogan-miller-being-a-doula-for-hardware-startups-manufacturing-in-asia-an) (Being an Engineer)
- [From Fashion to Metal AM: Scaling Additive Manufacturing into Production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2026-03-25-from-fashion-to-metal-am-scaling-additive-manufacturing-into-production) (Additive Snack)
- [Episode 2 - The Hardware Story of Ethereal Machines w/ Kaushik Mudda | Building a Deep tech Mfg company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-story/2024-10-02-episode-2-the-hardware-story-of-ethereal-machines-w-kaushik-mudda-building-a-dee) (The Hardware Story)

## Citing this page

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