The Fabricator has named Ace Metal Crafts to their FAB 40 list
for 2014. In the words of Jean Pitzo, Ace CEO, “We are proud to once again be
on the list of the best stainless steel fabricators in the nation. This
is an honor we share among our employees, who put customer requirements and
quality first every day.”
Ace hosts GADgET Camp
With an eye to the future, Ace hosted the annual GADgET
camp, in partnership with Triton College. In addition to serving as a corporate
sponsor, along with FMA and Nicor, Ace hosted an educational, onsite event as
part of the two-week program. Girls, ages 12 to 16, spent a half day at Ace,
where they learned about quality, lean processes and how to brainstorm
ideas. The GADgET camp girls were split into three groups and worked with an
Ace engineer who showed them how SolidWorks is used, and how laser technology
can cut metal into different shapes and then use brake presses to form those shapes into any part they choose. Teams collaborated on a design – in
this case a cell phone holder - and took it all the way through the
manufacturing process. So when they left Ace, each girl had a product that she
had actually designed, produced and finished.
Triton’s GADgET camp recently expanded from one week to two,
so that the students could get a deeper experience. As one former student / now
mentor explained it, “This is a great chance for girls to get a taste for
engineering when they’re still young enough to be thinking about future
careers.” At GADgET camp, they get hands-on experience with handsaws, drills
and computer-aided design.
They are treated to lunch with company executives and paired
with experienced engineers. As one girl put it, “The day at Ace Metal was
great, because it gave us a real engineering experience.”
