The planning of renovations to laboratories can be time consuming, expensive and disruptive to end users. Most academic institutions and corporate research organizations respond to the legitimate demands of individual researchers to make improvements. Qualified laboratory design architects and engineers need to provide valuable advice on casework to achieve good performance and flexibility for the future.
Sometimes because of capital budget constraints or convenience, facilities engineers only treat the symptoms. They sometimes lose sight of the causes that can adversely affect the health of all occupants. For example, poor ventilation and chemical leaks/spills can corrode metal laboratory casework. Rusty hinges and hardware can create safety issues. Cabinet shelves and doors can fall and create additional chaos. Once chemicals have corroded metal casework shelves, they are almost impossible to keep clean and can create hazardous conditions.
To minimize the above issues, ASST has now partnered with TMI Systems as a dealer for their line of casework. Based in North Dakota, TMI is a leader in high quality plastic laminate modular casework fabrication. Their modular casework products feature rail-mounted overhead cabinets and forward-thinking reconfigurable base cabinets. Laboratory planners and engineers can now specify casework that can achieve good performance and flexibility for the future. With Autodesk 3D BIM software, design professionals are able to more thoroughly document planning decisions in drawings used in the approval process. With cutting edge computer 3D renderings, end users can understand the proposed designs even better. With the new TMI/ASST alliance, design professionals are providing solutions that can truly evolve with end user needs.
Let us assist you with your next lab casework project! Whatever you need, ASST can build it to your exact specifications, in a safe manner, and to the quality standards you expect. Contact us now online or call us at 717-630-1251.
In both healthcare and education projects, flexibility is a prime concern. Design professionals are often being asked to utilize casework products that incorporate modular features. Features that allow casework to be reconfigured to meet the evolving needs of healthcare and educational end users. Design professionals need a reliable casework resource to address these design challenges.
Most casework today is manufactured for a permanent installation. Even with an AWI Premium or Custom grade casework, cabinets are not usually designed to be reconfigured. This puts a huge constraint on the design professional who needs to provide for future end user flexibility. Reinstalling casework that is not meant to be reconfigured can cause product damage and may even void the casework warranty.
To minimize the above issues, ASST has now partnered with TMI Systems as a dealer for their line of casework. Based in North Dakota, TMI is a leader in quality plastic laminate and wood modular casework fabrication. Their modular casework products feature rail-mounted overhead cabinets and forward-thinking reconfigurable base cabinets. With the new TMI/ASST alliance, design professionals can now provide solutions that truly evolve with end user needs. With newly created Autodesk BIM models for all cabinet types, all of the specifier tools are available to facilitate the design process. Because of ASST’s depth of experience, we can provide a wealth of knowledge for your next casework project. We can share creative ideas and best practices on incorporating solid surface into your next project. Whether you are looking for solid surface vanities or plastic laminate casework, ASST can help. We can provide you with the project inspiration and technical details to make your project a success!
Let us assist you with your next casework project! Whatever you need, ASST can build it to your exact specifications, in a safe manner, and to the quality standards you expect. Contact us now online or call us at 717-630-1251.
Solid surface is beginning to be specified by more design professionals for interior classroom educational environments. Durable exterior materials for schools are usually brick masonry. Today, we see an evolving similar logic with solid surface interior surfaces. Durable solid surface is gaining strong momentum in educational interior applications because of it’s demonstrated lasting value. School districts are seeing the wisdom of utilizing solid surface on the interior to future proof their buildings.
Design professionals struggle with balancing surface material design, budget and performance characteristics. Class A fire rated solid surface materials are ideal for educational classroom environments. Both the antimicrobial properties and ease of cleaning outperform lesser quality surfacing materials. Unfortunately, solid surface can be easily value engineered out of a project. It can be substituted by plastic laminate which has a shorter lifespan and lacks any antimicrobial properties. Many solid surface fabricators are unable to provide project information on lifecycle costing to help design professionals make a strong case for keeping their solid surface educational project specifications intact.
ASST is able to assist design professionals with information on project lifecycle durability and performance. Our educational project history can provide an experienced voice for a wide variety of applications. From vertical surfaces to casework and countertops ASST can help. For twenty years, we have provided design professionals with relevant information to support your vision. We invite you to contact us for your next education project!
Future proof your next solid surface educational project with ASST! 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.
These custom thermoformed Corian benches will be heading to Florida soon.
At ASST we are Going Beyond the surface level.
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.
Sustainable and responsibly resourced materials are a requirement for most projects today. With LEED points a frequent requisite, the core materials specified need to be green. Design professionals have to comply with a variety of environmental requirements. Carbon emissions, regionally sourced materials and recycled content are all of foremost concern when specifying casework.
With a plethora of regulatory certifications required for wood products, it can be difficult to discern what information is most relevant. Some casework manufacturers are intentionally vague on the origins of their core materials to disguise their source. Design professionals today rarely have the time to investigate and confirm these materials with the certifications needed for a project.
In response to provide our customers with great service, ASST has developed a dealership alliance with TMI Systems to help with overcoming these challenges. TMI has been in business since 1969 and their trusted commitment to sustainable design is unmatched in the casework industry. Core material options are available with 20% recycled content as well as low emitting adhesives and composite woods. These are only a few of the benefits to this new dealership alliance. Combined with ASST’s industry leadership with solid surface fabrication, design professionals now have a comprehensive resource to obtain a CSI DIV 6 &12 specification solution. Whether it is for healthcare, education, corporate or retail our team can ASsiST you with your sustainable project goals. Who says it’s not easy being green?
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.
Assembling diverse subcontractor resources for design projects can be a challenge for both Design Professionals and the General Contractors. A reliable single subcontractor source that can coordinate a variety of specified finish materials for casework, solid surface and more under one contract.
Both Architects and Designers and General Contractors need to work in concert to eliminate overlapping trades and define a clear scope of work with a minimum number of qualified subcontractors. The end goal is specifying superior low risk subcontractors that will combine Construction Specification Institute (CSI) Division scopes and build Owner value. Anything less will contribute to project scope confusion, miscommunication and costly change orders.
To address this issue, ASST has found value in providing a more comprehensive solution. A “one-stop” casework/millwork custom solution incorporating a wide variety of finish materials. 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. We believe the fit and finish of the final product is enhanced when building the internal framing structures ourselves. Our innovative team of estimators, planners and project managers collaborate and deliver project results in a way few competitors can.
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. 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.
Just anyone can build casework right? Well, in a word no. At least not for healthcare and educational project applications. The quality has to be excellent and the service extraordinary. Rigorous requirements for LEED ® certification and FSC materials are further limiting the options available in the marketplace. General Contractors are also under pressure to bring to the table excellent casework subcontractors that prequalify well and limit risk to themselves and the Owner.
There are numerous ways of constructing casework but few can withstand the rigors of a healthcare or educational environment. Typical problems can include the use on non-moisture resistant MDF or particle board. Some fabricators do not follow AWI quality casework standards in their construction means and methods. They instead substitute with low cost materials and finishes that do not meet the Architect’s specification.
To address this issue, ASST has found value in providing a more proactive comprehensive solution. A “one stop” solid surface/ casework/millwork custom solution incorporating a wide variety of finish materials. 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!
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.
We know that maintaining a competitive edge in the marketplace with superior low risk subcontractors is of paramount importance to General Contractors. Since 1998, ASST has been providing casework solutions in a variety of materials. With an excellent risk assessment and value, ASST brings to the table proven experience in healthcare, education, corporate and retail projects.
Today, General Contractors need a reliable single subcontractor source. A source combining Construction Specification Institute (CSI) scopes that drive efficiency and build Owner value. Experienced Project Managers need to coordinate the trades to eliminate unnecessary mobilizations, prevent scheduling conflicts, and avoid gaps and overlaps in each trade contractors’ scope of work. Having numerous subcontractors in similar overlapping trades is a sure “recipe for disaster” contributing to both project scope confusion and costly change orders.
To address this critical management issue, ASST has found value in providing a more proactive comprehensive solution. A “one-stop” casework/millwork custom solution incorporating a wide variety of finish materials. 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. We believe the fit and finish of the final product is enhanced when building the internal framing structures ourselves. Our innovative team of estimators, planners and project managers collaborate and deliver project results in a way few competitors can.
Contact us today to see how we can ASsiST you with a comprehensive casework solution for your next project.
