The Edge Factor is a new 3D stereoscopic series that bring to screen an inside look at real people using extreme technology to create the world we see all around us. Come face to face with astounding engineering challenges in an incredibly exciting world that is normally invisible to the general public. Join Jeremy as he leads us into the invisible world of manufacturing, and meet the personalities that make these stories possible - diverse people with skills that rival that of a doctor or surgeon.

From extreme sports and medical miracles to incredible engineering achievements that effect our daily lives. Step inside their minds, dive into their world, learn how these people make their dreams come to life with their own hands.

* MANUFACTURING THE FUTURE : A documentary about manufacturing & its future

After 3 years of film production by the producers of Educational Television Productions of Northeast Wisconsin that included hours and hours of interview footage with experts throughout the state of Wisconsin the TV documentary MANUFACTURING THE FUTURE is finally off the production line. With over 1,983 video and audio clips this one hour documentary asks the questions on how to solve today’s manufacturing challenges if there is to be a tomorrow for this industry.

According to today’s mass media reports on the closing of factories and paper mills one would think that Wisconsin’s manufacturing is a thing of the past – or is it? The real questions are how and what’s needed to solve the future of manufacturing in Wisconsin.

The simplest answer is in its very definition: manu•fac•ture (man′yo̵̅o̅ fak′c̸hər) - The making or producing of something.

As the award-winning filmmakers, Alex Zacarias and Dean Thomas found in the making of the MANUFACTURING THE FUTURE documentary the answers are not all that simple. The question is how to solve the problems in this industry. Where are the jobs going to come from? What skills are needed by the next generation of manufacturers? How do you address the issues of clean energy?

The creative use of no narration in the program explores these hard issues by using a series of small stories that are interwoven and held together by comments shared by industry leaders and a modern day blacksmith as they share their thoughts on the future of manufacturing.

One of the programs compelling stories looks at a small business owner’s manufacturing specialty shop as he shares his personal story of fighting the conventional wisdom of education and his hopes for success for his daughter who will be next in line in running the business. Another story looks at the role of women in manufacturing since Rosie the Riveter to a present day CEO. Also, a story on the issue of sustainability and manufacturing is also explored as being vital to manufacturing’s future. One of the main themes that run throughout these stories is the role of Wisconsin’s educational institutions that have worked and continue to work with the manufacturing industry in ensuring its future.

* The MANUFACTURING THE FUTURE Program is an initiative to increase awareness about manufacturing in Wisconsin including its history, the challenges it faces today and the future for our next-generation of manufacturers. The program includes a documentary with educational components and a web site with links to resources and information about the manufacturing industry. The MANUFACTURING THE FUTURE Program will shine a light on an industry once thought of as dark and low-tech and give you a glimpse of the future of manufacturing in Wisconsin.

Iverson & Company customer Bliss Machine prominently featured in Manufacturing the Future documentary! 

Watch the Bliss segment on the IversonandCo's YouTube Site - click HERE.

Success found in Iverson & Company's CNC Technology Days model for local high schools

Iverson & Company has found success in a new model they have implemented in their office in Des Plaines, IL which they call "CNC Technology Days". Local area high schools are contacted to participate in these CNC Technology Days in which students take a field trip into Iverson & Company's demo room, where they witness the latest in CNC precesses. The students rotate between 6 stations in groups of 6-8 students per group and spend time with an engineer at each station for approx 15 min before rotating to the next station. In 90 minutes, the students learn the latest and greatest that manufacturing has to offer.  

Iverson & Company held a CNC Technology Day on March 22, 2009 for about 100 High School students from the following local Chicago land area high schools: Evanston H.S., Stevenson H.S., Wheeling H.S., Maine East H.S., and Niles North H.S.

During this event groups would travel to Iverson & Company to see the latest in CNC Technology, as a means to understanding what manufacturing is today.

Iverson & Company President Terry Iverson says "Too many parents and students don't understand the opportunities there are in manufacturing for young people. This is a bad perception about manufacturing, and we are trying to change it. Our customers are constantly looking for skilled people to fill exciting positions in a very clean high tech environment. It will take some time, but we can make a difference by letting the high school students see what manufacturing is all about, and has to offer."

Terry Iverson, Lindsay Iverson, Meghan Stiles, Alex Zacarias

Students broke into groups of 5-8 each. Each group rotated to one of six stations every 10-15 minutes. At each station a seasoned professional tending to a CNC Machine would answer questions and explain the technology to the students. Questions were encouraged although only the very brave would dare ask something. After the second or third rotation the students warmed up to the idea of interaction and learning all about CNC technology.

One station featured a special guest - Meghan Stiles from Bliss Machine in Darien, Wisconsin. Bliss is a CNC job shop that has been a Iverson & Company CNC user for a number of years. Meghan joined her parents' business when she was younger and grew up around the shop. Meghan started in programming, setting up and running the CNC Lathe (Meghan also races motorcycles professionally). Hosting the station was Lindsay Iverson of Iverson & Company. Lindsay represents the fourth generation (and first female) in the family to work full time in the family business. Lindsay joined Iverson & Company in customer service and brings marketing talents to the company.

Invited to the event was Alex Zacarias from Educational Television Productions of Northeastern Wisconsin in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He intended to include both Meghan and Lindsay in his documentary. Alex has produced a website calledwww.manufacturingthefuture.com.

At the conclusion of the event each instructor received a bag of key chains, one for each student, bearing the initials of the High School each attends. The key chains were turned on a CNC Lathe with live tooling and subspindle. The key chain also bore the host company and machine manufacturers name, performed by the lathe's C axis live tooling capability. At a later station the CNC Mill engraved the letters of each High School onto the flats of the key chain.

Some of the other stations were a Fryer Manual CNC Toolroom lathe, and a Fanuc Robot loading a CNC Lathe. Iverson & Company also had a plate engraved commemorating the Technology Day. This was machined on a CNC Vertical Machining Center. Each high school will receive a photo of the students and also instructors at the event, with the name plate attached.

At the end of the event TMA President Bruce Braker addressed the students from Maine East. He commented that the TMA offers apprentice training and programs in the manufacturing industry. When he stated that TMA resides in Park Ridge near Maine South High School, he was greeted with a good natured round of boos and hisses from the arch rival Maine East crowd. Bruce indicated that his members are always looking for bright energetic young talent for the industry and hopefully today's event raised some eyebrows of what is possible today in manufacturing!

Interested in your own High School Technology Day?

Please contact Iverson & Company to schedule your own high school technology day. Call Lindsay, 847.299.2461