TMA Board Member Steve Kase Welcomes 'Fab Lab' to Aurora
TMA Board Member Steve Kase Participates in Aurora “Fab Lab” Kickoff
(Park Ridge)-TMA Board Member, and Immediate Past Chairman, Steve Kase today participated in the kick off event for the Aurora visit of the Fab Lab mobile manufacturing laboratory. Joining Kase were Congressman Bill Foster (IL-11), Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner, Dr. Christine Sobek-President Waubonsee Community College, Dr. Sherry Eagle-Executive Director of the Institute for Collaboration at Aurora University, and Arlene Hawks-Executive Director of SciTech In Aurora. The Fab Lab is a state-of-the-art fabrication laboratory in which children and adults can invent, design and manufacture products ranging from tools to artwork to robot parts. The Fab Lab will be parked in front of The SciTech Museum in Aurora today through Wednesday and will be open to the public from 10:00 AM to 5:00PM.
“The Fab Lab is important in that it allows young people, our future workforce, to see how cool manufacturing can be,” stated Mr. Kase who is also CEO of ASK Products, a precision manufacturer of electrical parts located in Aurora. “Over the prior decade, when American manufacturing was on the decline, it seemed as if we weren't thought of as a great profession for the next generation of skilled workers. That has now changed and we see young people eager to learn about advanced manufacturing and the promising careers we can provide, “ he added.
In March, Congressman Foster introduced the National Fab Lab Network Act of 2013 to promote advanced manufacturing in the U.S. and invest in the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators. The legislation, which has received bipartisan support, would create a nonprofit entity to establish a National Fab Lab network throughout the United States. This chartered status would be similar to the status enjoyed by the VFW and Little League Baseball. “We are witnessing a re-birth of modern manufacturing, “stated Congressman Foster. “STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) is the wave of the future and they are all components used in advanced manufacturing. “
About TMA: 8 small manufacturing companies who thought they could better themselves by associating with one another founded TMA in 1925. Through the years, members established programs and services that would help their businesses grow and prosper, train their employees, and provide medical and retirement benefits. As a result of these efforts, TMA has grown into a 1,000 member not-for-profit organization representing almost 30,000 employees of precision manufacturing and supplier companies throughout Illinois. TMA also stands for “Technology and Manufacturing Aligned”