Comments Off on A.S.S.T. Celebrates 20 Year Anniversary
We started this journey in a warehouse in Hanover, Pennsylvania, doing small solid surface countertop projects. Today, we are located in a 70,000 SF facility with state-of-the-art equipment and ship our unique fabrication work across the country and around the globe. The fabrication industry has changed dramatically since we started. ASST has consistently worked hard to stay ahead of the competition with the latest technologies and proprietary methods. We are fortunate to work with some of the top Contractors and Architectural Professionals in the country. Our employees are our most valuable asset and we would not be where we are today without them.
We look forward to Going Beyond™ for the next twenty!
Over the next three months we will be rewinding the past with some highlights of our history to date. Below are the first five years:
Comments Off on Solid Surface Casework Construction – How to “Skin a Box” with Solid Surface
Solid surface countertops and vertical surfaces continue to be popular when durability and maintenance are a high priority. It is only natural that design professionals and end users alike now want that durability in casework. Healthcare and public spaces require solid surface fixtures that can withstand the rigors of heavy use.
Design professionals have found though that specifying casework with solid surface can be a budget balancing act. Solid surface seems to be a “value engineering” item even on large healthcare projects. Although solid surface countertops may remain on a project, the end result unfortunately is that the actual cabinet is changed to a plastic laminate surface.
Thankfully solid surface manufacturers today are continuing to innovate. For example, Avonite ® Surfaces manufacturers an 1/8” “skin” material that can be wrapped around casework boxes made with FSC certified wood fiber materials. Suitable for only vertical applications, these “skins” provide enhanced performance and help with infection control when used in healthcare settings. We have found value in providing a more innovative comprehensive solution for our customers. ASST has now partnered with TMI Systems Corporation as a dealer for their line of casework. Based in North Dakota, TMI is a leader in quality casework fabrication. They are an excellent reputable resource and ASST looks forward to working with them on many future projects. With this new alliance, ASST can perform work with wood veneers, plastic laminate, Trespa®, stone, metal, glass as well as all brands of solid surface and resin plastic materials. Our innovative team of estimators, planners and project managers collaborate and deliver project results in a way few competitors can. We look forward to working with you on your next project!
First impressions always count. Be sure to call us for your next solid surface casework project! Whatever you need, ASST can build it to the exact specifications, in a safe manner and to the finest quality standards you expect. Contact us now online or call us at 717-630-1251.
Comments Off on The Bleeding Edge of Solid Surface Design and Fabrication – How Being an Innovative Company has Advantages
We have all heard the similar phrase “leading edge” or “cutting edge.” What does “bleeding edge” imply? The risk and uncertainty of being an innovator can certainly have it’s downside. Conversely the reward can be found in the competitive advantages gained in the marketplace. This has certainly been true in the world of design and construction. Architects who embrace 3D BIM modeling early are seeing their practices grow. Solid surface fabricators who also invested in 5 axis CNC machining technologies are also experiencing growth. BIM software and 5 axis CNC machining technologies together help to drive efficiency and accuracy when utilized as part of a well planned project SOP process. Together with a great technical team, the sky’s the limit to what can actually be achieved.
Design professionals are embracing 3D technologies at a rapid pace and are requiring building professionals to do the same. Unfortunately some solid surface fabricators have been slow to adapt to these changes. 5 axis CNC machining requires programming software such as Solidworks®. Fabricators who have ignored these opportunities have forfeited greater business advancement.
There is a degree of risk in being an innovator on the bleeding edge. ASST values and embraces technological change in order to serve our customers effectively. As an early adopter of CNC machining technologies, ASST today has two 3 axis CNC machines as well as a 5 axis CNC. These investments have proven wise in the project opportunities they have brought and the professionals who have sought to work with us. Our employees have a depth of knowledge with programming software and CNC machining solid surface. The quest to look for better ways to serve our customers will always continue!
First impressions always count. Be sure to call us for your next bleeding edge project! Whatever you need, ASST can build it to the exact specifications, in a safe manner and to the finest quality standards you expect.Contact us now online or call us at 717-630-1251.
Comments Off on Interior Surfaces and Lighting – Enhance Interior Design with Solid Surface and Lighting
Lighting and wall surfaces make a huge impact on interior spaces and can support a brand message. Design professionals are becoming increasingly involved in strategies that incorporate branding. Durable solid surface materials can be thermoformed, CNC machined, and backlighted to create a variety of dramatic effects. Translucent solid surface can be backlighted with LED panels and light controllers. A programmed display of color images promoting a brand can be run continuously in a loop. The opportunities are endless for stunning aesthetics.
Design professionals are responsible for how interior spaces look. Often how lighting is implemented to achieve an aesthetic is confusing, especially backlighting. Backlighting evenly is one of the real challenges of achieving a branded aesthetic. The distance behind a solid surface panel is critical to prevent hotspots and shadow lines. Requesting a mockup from the fabricator is in most cases required to evaluate the correct distance. Undesirable shadows can also be cast around CNC machined logo corners, and curved areas if not properly masked from behind. LED lighting is the best choice for most backlighted applications and reduces maintenance and power consumption. Contracting fabricators with firsthand knowledge and experience with backlighting architectural surfaces is essential to achieving desirable branded looks for the client image.
ASST has the depth of knowledge and experience to address the technical challenges. Our team of expert project managers and technical staff have a unique perspective having worked on hundreds of backlighted projects. We can share past relevant project experiences and case studies guiding you through the entire process. We love assisting customers and making their vision real!
First impressions always count. Be sure to call us for your next backlighted solid surface project! Whatever you need, ASST can build it to the exact specifications, in a safe manner and to the finest quality standards you expect.Contact us now online or call us at 717-630-1251.
Comments Off on Future Proofing with Solid Surface – Why Solid Surface is the Choice for the Long Term
Durability and value are words that continue to resonate with design professionals and customers alike. Future proofing is a recent buzz phrase that describes a product, service or technological system that will not need to be significantly updated in the future. This is extremely relevant for healthcare design in particular. The selection of materials for healthcare projects are a large part of the future success of a building as it ages.
One of the past truths about healthcare design was that hospital buildings had a lifespan of 50 years. This means that after about 50 years, the cost of ongoing renovation to a facility equals or surpasses the cost of a full replacement building. Hospital construction can take more than 10 years from planning and design to construction and occupancy. Design professionals’ material choices can be proven to be incorrect even before the first patient ever arrives.
Past experience has shown that the long term life cycle benefits of solid surface provide a better value over other materials. ASST has worked on numerous large healthcare system projects throughout the United States. We can share experiences and knowledge to assist professionals during the design development phase. The goal of healthcare is to heal and to encourage smarter choices for the creation of supportive healing environments.
ASST is uniquely positioned to fulfill all aspects of your project. Whatever you need, ASST can build it to the exact specifications, in a safe manner and to the finest quality standards you expect. Even our EMR safety rating is outstanding at .793! We look forward to Going Beyond to address your exciting project challenges. Contact us now online or call us at 717-630-1251.
Comments Off on Solid Surface & Bamboo – Sustainable Design Combinations
A new design trend we are currently seeing in our fabrication facility involves combining wood with solid surface. Design professionals are continually looking for new ways to provide their clients with unique branded environments. Bamboo is a favorite mostly because of its status as one of the leading renewable wood materials available today. Moreover, its flexibility makes it ideal to combine with curved thermoformed solid surface fabrications. Many solid surface brands today also offer recycled content options in their sample boxes.
Incorporating natural and man-made materials together requires some knowledge of advanced assembly techniques. Many solid surface fabricators may not have experience integrating solid surface and wood materials successfully. Wood can perform differently than solid surface. Although they both cut with the same types of tools, precautions should be taken when doing the final assembly. Temperature and humidity fluctuations can also cause headaches with swelling and splitting.
Experience is a great teacher. ASST has found that allowances should be made for expansion and contraction to prevent cracking/joint separation. The above detail image is of a new information desk we recently fabricated for a retail complex in Miami. The design team has a culture of sustainability in all of their projects and wanted contrasting materials with stained bamboo and white solid surface. A CNC machined logo provides a distinctive final touch. We always enjoy a challenge here at ASST and have the experience of working with whatever our customers bring to us to fabricate!
ASST is uniquely positioned to fulfill all aspects of your project. Whatever you need, ASST can build it to the exact specifications, in a safe manner and to the finest quality standards you expect. Even our EMR safety rating is outstanding at .793! We look forward to Going Beyond to address your exciting project challenges. Contact us now online or call us at 717-630-1251.
When the leading manufacturers of solid surface design a trade show display to showcase their product they call on ASST to fabricate. At ASST we are GOING BEYOND.
Comments Off on Solid Surface Parallign Seam Clamp
Did you ever wonder how fabricators get large solid surface seams together quickly and aligned perfect? Most solid surface fabricators use a Parallign Seam Clamp. The vacuum pods pull down with approximately 275 lbs of pressure per pod and a spring loaded cam pulls the seam together.
Solid surface countertops and vertical surfaces continue to be popular when durability and maintenance are a high priority. It is only natural that design professionals and end users alike now want that durability in casework. Healthcare and public spaces require solid surface fixtures that can withstand the rigors of heavy use.
We have all heard the similar phrase “leading edge” or “cutting edge.” What does “bleeding edge” imply? The risk and uncertainty of being an innovator can certainly have it’s downside. Conversely the reward can be found in the competitive advantages gained in the marketplace. This has certainly been true in the world of design and construction. Architects who embrace 3D BIM modeling early are seeing their practices grow. Solid surface fabricators who also invested in 5 axis CNC machining technologies are also experiencing growth. BIM software and 5 axis CNC machining technologies together help to drive efficiency and accuracy when utilized as part of a well planned project SOP process. Together with a great technical team, the sky’s the limit to what can actually be achieved.
Lighting and wall surfaces make a huge impact on interior spaces and can support a brand message. Design professionals are becoming increasingly involved in strategies that incorporate branding. Durable solid surface materials can be thermoformed, CNC machined, and backlighted to create a variety of dramatic effects. Translucent solid surface can be backlighted with LED panels and light controllers. A programmed display of color images promoting a brand can be run continuously in a loop. The opportunities are endless for stunning aesthetics.
Durability and value are words that continue to resonate with design professionals and customers alike. Future proofing is a recent buzz phrase that describes a product, service or technological system that will not need to be significantly updated in the future. This is extremely relevant for healthcare design in particular. The selection of materials for healthcare projects are a large part of the future success of a building as it ages.
A new design trend we are currently seeing in our fabrication facility involves combining wood with solid surface. Design professionals are continually looking for new ways to provide their clients with unique branded environments. Bamboo is a favorite mostly because of its status as one of the leading renewable wood materials available today. Moreover, its flexibility makes it ideal to combine with curved thermoformed solid surface fabrications. Many solid surface brands today also offer recycled content options in their sample boxes.
