Dimensional Innovation

Materials and Processes traveled to Overland Park to tour Dimensional Innovation last week.  This company started in 1994 and primarily did custom work for theatres.  Although they still hold on to this tradition, they have definitely broadened their area of work.  They are now primarily a custom fabrication firm.  What was really fortunate for us was that our tour guide, Stephen Bantle, was a KU alumnus! This company was absolutely incredible.  Giant pictures of finished projects bordered the tops of the factory walls, while a large number of award banners hung from the ceiling.  I believe that being surrounded by your accomplishments will fire up inspiration and confidence, so, like Dimensional Innovation, I have been doing the same.  Like many fabrication companies, they keep stock of only specific and commonly used materials, such as acrylic, plywood, aluminum, expanded pvc, etc, and order in other materials as needed.  They introduced us to a material they have been using to create countertops for homes and hospitals.  This material is called corian, and is composed of acrylic polymer and alumina trihydrate.  When heated, corian can be bent into very unique shapes.  Seams from joints become invisible with sanding and polishing.  This, along with its non-porous quality, makes it easy to clean, which is greatly approved by hospitals.  They do the majority of their work in house, but things such as large stainless steel cuts are done out of house.   Dimensional Innovation had basically any tool or hardware you would ever need, such as cnc routers, saws, paint rooms, plotter printers, etc.  When designing for a project, they create a full functioning prototype on the computer, all the way down to the nuts and bolts.  This really creates a smooth transition from the computer world to solid materials.  It seems like there are always several projects being worked on at one time at Dimensional Innovation.  They design for jobs they are given, but also work through the design process on their own ideas as well.  One they were still in the process of constructing was a baby formula dispenser.  Dimensional Innovation has created some amazing things.  Knowing that there is a KU grad employed there gives me hope that someday I will work at a company as prestigious as Dimensional Innovation.