These forms were shaped using our 5Axis CNC machine. They will be used to thermoform twists in solid surface material.
At ASST we are Going Beyond
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.
Translucent materials are continuing to be highly popular with design professionals. Technological advances in LED lighting and CNC machining have been instrumental in this trend. Intricate patterns filled with liquid resin materials have many applications for both signage and artwork.
Design professionals are frequently unaware of how to specify resin inlay work. As an innovative technique, fabricating resin inlays can be challenging to achieve satisfactory results. Project specifications many times do not adequately identify fabricators who have experience in this specialty area. Without credible experience, resin inlay projects can have disastrous results. Bubbling and cracking of resin are all potential outcomes for those without experience in this highly specialized area.
ASST’s team of technical experts are able to assist you with these complicated fabrications. With our experience, we have found that utilizing UV resistant resins that are self-leveling and non-yellowing are crucial to achieving a quality end result. We have experimented with many different products and can assist you with a solution that exceeds your expectations!
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. We look forward to Going Beyond to address your exciting project challenges. Contact us now online or call us at 717-630-1251.
Solid surface is more traditionally utilized for countertops and interior vertical applications. In Europe and in Asia however, solid surface exterior wall panels and fixtures have been steadily gaining acceptance. Today, General Contractors and Architects in the United States are just beginning to discover the advantages of using solid surface for exterior applications.
With any new architectural application, questions of durability become a concern. Concerns regarding lightfastness and thermal expansion require knowledgeable answers. Many fabrication shops in the United States have never used solid surface for exterior projects. Fabrication knowledge and experience are rare in this new “exterior territory” for solid surface.
To resolve these concerns, we have positioned our business to ASsiST customers with the technical challenges of an exterior project. Our depth of experience with exterior site furniture as well as exterior wall panels is invaluable as we work through the details to make your project happen. 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. 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.
About fifty years ago, DuPont invented a surfacing material called Corian® . In the early years it was primarily marketed as the newest durable material for residential kitchen countertops and then for vanity tops and shower pans. Since then, applications for solid surface have expanded to include vertical surfaces as well. Design Professionals, Manufacturers and Fabricators have pushed for vertical wall cladding solutions to expand solid surface’s use beyond “typical horizontal countertops.”
Building Owners with high traffic corridors had only a few choices for durable wall protection solutions in the early years before solid surface. Design Professionals were limited to recommending materials such as vinyl wallcovering, marble, granite, concrete and plastic laminate. The shortcomings of these materials were many ranging from cracking and delaminating to requiring total replacement when damaged.
It was not until the late 1990’s that vertical solid surface wall cladding started to become popular. ASST and other leading fabricators and manufacturers helped to push applications beyond the horizontal countertop. ASST created SCULPTCOR® Textured Surfaces in the early 2000’s to provide better design solutions for interior as well as exterior cladding. Architects and Interior Designers have helped to continue to push applications. Technological advances in CNC machining and thermoforming have also helped solid surface wall cladding move to more mainstream applications such as airports and other high traffic public spaces. Today, solid surface wall cladding is widely utilized by Design Professionals across a variety of end user markets from K-12 and Collegiate Education to Corporate Space and Healthcare environments.
ASST is uniquely positioned to fulfill all aspects of your project. Whatever you need, ASST can build it to the exact specifications you require in a safe manner and to the finest quality standards you expect. We look forward to Going Beyond™ to address your exciting project challenges. Contact us now online or call us at 717-630-1251.
Bathroom facilities in historic dormitory buildings are typically in need of renovation because of code violations and outdated fixtures. Harvard’s Old Quincy (pictured here) was recently renewed to match today’s standards and needs by the Philadelphia Architectural firm Kieran Timberlake. Renovating to preserve the historic character of a building while providing a higher performance design with more function and storage continues to be popular with Design Professionals on college campuses.
With bathrooms, a moist environment is tricky for creating a functional design. Anything wood will swell and eventually deteriorate. Early dormitory buildings like Old Quincy historically utilized polished marble for bathroom areas which would easily stain and eventually crack and spall. Any type of storage in bathroom areas was also not a priority back in 1930 when Old Quincy was first built.
A solution to this problem is not only utilizing solid surface for the vanity tops and shower areas but also for built-in storage as well. Kieran Timberlake designed the renovations to Quincy Hall and ASST was selected to fabricate the custom white solid surface storage bins in the bathrooms. Used for student toiletry items, holes drilled through the door faces are used as a finger pull. Students will likely find the new bathroom storage and overall improved “Old Quincy” a welcome place to call home on the Crimson campus.
ASST is uniquely positioned to fulfill all aspects of your project. Whatever you need, ASST can build it to the exact specifications you require in a safe manner and to the finest quality standards you expect. We look forward to Going Beyond™ to address your exciting project challenges. Contact us now online or call us at 717-630-1251.
Architects and Designers are continuing to create innovative geometric forms to satisfy their Client’s branding requirements. While companies today have a need to project an image of innovation and quality, this creates the problem of how to fabricate molds in a quick and cost effective manner. Curved solid surface cladding requires molds to form the heated solid surface to the geometry specified on the architectural drawings.
Creating wooden molds by carving them with power hand tools was initially the way it was done. The problem was how to reduce the exorbitant labor costs for creating these molds by hand. Also, using solid hardwood is expensive and was required depending upon the mold design.
With ASST’s 5-Axis CNC, we have addressed these problems. Labor costs have been reduced for the customer and new innovative sustainable molding materials can be utilized with this technology. We are also constantly looking for the next generation of materials to create our molds for better durability and machining accuracy.
We have found that the only limits to 5-Axis CNC capability is the designer’s imagination and CNC Engineer’s abilities. The evolution of 5-Axis CNC machining will eventually usher us into a world of instantaneous object creation further expanding the boundaries of innovative designs with solid surface. ASST looks forward to the challenges and opportunities this will present!
ASST is uniquely positioned to fulfill all aspects of your project. Whatever you need, ASST can build it to the exact specifications you require and the finest quality standards you expect. Contact us now online or call us at 717-630-1251.
Designing restroom spaces that are both attractive and durable is a challenge. Properly designed public restroom facilities can enhance the experience for those who use and maintain their appearance. Restrooms in public spaces must meet the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). Studies have shown that proper design and planning reduces both queuing issues and facility vandalism.
Traditional plastic laminate vanity countertops and drop-in china sink bowls provide an opportunity for moisture to destroy a particle board substrate. This creates an optimal environment for bacterial growth. We have all witnessed restroom countertops with laminate surfaces that have swelled from exposure to water.
To address this common problem, ASST developed a wall hung solid surface vanity system. The 30” wide modular units utilize a sturdy aluminum and polyethylene support structure with a removable solid surface front panel. The front panel is removable allowing for easy access to plumbing. The Modular Vanity system™ is available in 30” wide increments and includes a solid surface top, backsplashes, side panels and your choice of an integral mounted sink. The system is available in all solid surface sheet products such as Corian, Avonite and Staron. Without wood that can rot and grow mold, the system is perfectly designed to handle rigorous public restroom environments.
Get a solid surface vanity counter solution that will last for your next project. Call us today for a project specific price quote at 717-630-1251 x305.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) approximately one in 25 hospital patients acquire at least one infection during their stay. These findings are alarming and have triggered an urgency to address the issues surrounding patient acquired infections. Facilities managers and infection control practitioners (ICPs) are aware of how bacteria and mold grow in and on horizontal and vertical surfaces. It wasn’t until recently that sinks, countertops and wall cladding were studied as potential sites for the spread of disease.
Plastic laminate finishes on healthcare casework and wall cladding have seams and exposed edges that can harbor bacteria. Laminate is actually compressed paper; while it is dense and may appear to be non-absorbent, it is porous and will absorb moisture over time. If caulking around a sink or other seam location deteriorates, water will penetrate into the laminate and the substrate below. The substrate is usually wood or particle board. Wet wood will harbor bacteria, especially Aspergillus fungi.
A solution to these problems can be found by utilizing solid surface which inherently inhibits bacterial growth. By creating a seamless, nonporous surface where pathogens can’t grow, solid surface can help with control issues and maintenance. Solid surfaces such as Corian, Avonite, LG or Krion can survive the impacts, nicks and cuts that ruin most wall surfaces. It is renewable, repairable and reusable. If the solid surface is damaged it can be repaired onsite, saving labor costs and resources. While warranties may vary from manufacturers, some will guarantee the material for as long a ten years.
Solid surfaces have proven superior performance in healthcare applications such as wall cladding, casework, countertops and more. Let us ASsiST you protecting the health of others with our custom solid surface fabrication. Contact us today for a quote.
Solid Surface design and fabrication has changed dramatically within the last 25+ years. Architects and Designers today are creating radical designs that include a wide variety of complex geometric forms. Have you ever had an idea for a 3D design in solid surface but decided not to go ahead with it because it was too complex?
The problem has been how to take a 3D design drawing and translate it to a solid surface 3D form. In the past, creating molds and parts with hand and/or power tools would have been cost prohibitive to fabricate. Today, 5-axis machining solves all of these issues, reduces lead times and increases efficiency.
So what is 5-axis CNC machining? The term refers to the ability of the machine to move the bit in five different axes at the same time. 5-axis machines can rotate on additional axes which allows the bit to cut the materials from all directions with no limits. Software programs are utilized to create the 3D models necessary for the CNC machine to cut the required parts.
ASST has an amazing 5-axis CNC router with a 5’x10’ table. Our talented team uses this technology to create 3 dimensional molds for thermoforming solid surface and cutting repetitive complex 3D parts with solid surface materials. Reintroducing thermoformed parts to the 5-axis and final sizing allows very complex shapes to be recreated. This is done at a level of precision that is uncommon in commercial construction. The project process is completed with final hand assembly, finishing and/or shipping and installation to the designer’s desired specification.
Take off the constraints of solid surface in two dimensions. We Go Beyond Surface Level Solutions even in our manufacturing processes. Contact ASST for all of your 3 dimensional solid surface needs.
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