USA_Build with USA :: News

USA’s Work Shines at the Kimmel Center

Melissa — Tue, 10 May 2011 18:31:57 +0000

USA recently completed an eight-foot, outdoor, LED cube display, installed at the Kimmel Center to kick off the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts. The Cube, as we affectionately call it, was conceptualized by Red Tettemer and Edwards Technologies, Inc. as advertising for the festival and was brought to life by USA to remain a permanent fixture at the Kimmel Center. Our scope of work included management, design, engineering, fabrication of the steel framework, integration of the LED display components and installation. USA started the project by taking a careful site survey of the dedicated space for dimensions and wind load assessment at the corner of Spruce and Broad Street, just down the street from City Hall. We took the lead role in providing the project team with drawings, material specifications, outdoor site conditions, engineering calculations and stamps to certify that control documents met all safety standards and the piece would be structurally sound.

The LED walls are made with 72 interlinked LED panels that are each one foot square. The panels had a very tight tolerance and a long lead time, so our 3,000 pounds of steel fabrication had to be fabricated to exact and square dimensions without having the LED panels in hand. USA’s certified welders worked to build and check the framework step by step, creating solid and square connections that were critical to incorporate the other components seamlessly.

When it came to installation, USA worked with George Young Company (they moved the Liberty Bell too) for hoisting the cube from our truck to its final destination. We mapped out the installation plan together with careful planning to process and safety. Installation started at 5am on a Saturday morning and the Cube was complete and running before noon that same day. Just in time for a celebratory team lunch in the heart of downtown Philadelphia!

Check it out – new photos of our recently completed project at Stepping Stones Museum for Children

Melissa — Tue, 10 May 2011 18:27:21 +0000

Working with Stepping Stones Museum in Norwalk, and Workshop Design in Kansas City, USA prototyped and design engineered the Energy Lab^® exhibit in 2009; completing fabrication and installation as turnkey primary contractor in November 2010!

USA started off by prototyping the exhibit concepts with particular attention to the use of environmentally friendly materials, function, durability, and ADA standards. This created a solid foundation for understanding the designs and allowed us to move quickly as a team through production drawings and fabrication. The USA team also managed, design engineered, built and installed all of the main exhibit structures, water and interactive components. The completed space is now home to approximately 20 custom fitted pieces focusing on the concept of Energy in three distinct theme areas of solar, wind and water.

Activity at each area is interconnected using balls that travel throughout the entire space from one exhibit area to another. Kids can start their ball path on a solar powered lift and follow it along the connected exhibits through water raceways, ball launchers, air powered ball mazes, a water wheel and a six-foot tall water vortex. This exciting new area is a high impact environment that encourages children to play and learn about the energy around them!

Photo Credits: Greenhouse Media and Thomas McGovern

USA at the 2010 MAAM Conference in Philadelphia

Melissa — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 19:04:47 +0000

Thank you to MAAM for holding this year’s show in our hometown!

It’s been a very busy fall at USA. As the leaves change so do the projects!

We are very excited to share with you all the latest news, including information about our exhibit design, prototyping, fabrication and much more.

Be sure to stop by Booth #2 for a closer look at what the Philadelphia locals have to offer!

Visit USA in Booth #610 at ASTC in Honolulu, Hawaii

Melissa — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 20:35:03 +0000

Thanks, ASTC! For hosting in Hawaii this year!

The Association of Science-Technology Centers annual conference in being held at the Hawaii Convention Center, 1801 Kalakaua Avenue in Honolulu this fall. Exhibit Hall hours are Saturday, October 2 and Sunday, October 3, 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

We’re really looking forward to seeing all of our old friends from the community and making some new contacts in Hawaii. Find our more about all of USA’s interactive exhibit services, including model design and fabrication; exhibit design and fabrication; prototyping; and our exhibit maintenance and service contracts, at Booth #610.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Employee Profile: Anwar Neal

Maureen — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 20:35:14 +0000

True to his “I can do anything”-attitude, Anwar wears his favorite t-shirt which states: “I am the solution.” This t-shirt comes from the Stepping Stones Museum for Children’s Conservation Quest traveling exhibit, a series of exhibits geared towards educating children about the daily choices they can make to conserve energy.

If you visit our facility or have work delivered or installed by USA, the chances are pretty good that you will have the pleasure of meeting Anwar Neal. Since coming to USA, Anwar has quickly found a place on nearly every project that comes through our shop; and his ready smile and enthusiasm always brings the team spirit up.

Anwar Neal grew up in Yeadon not too far from USA’s location in Colwyn. In his youth, he was very active in athletics – from soccer to ice hockey to BMX biking and football. In association with these activities, Anwar travelled the US and Europe for the international high school soccer team and competitively for BMX racing.

After working in carpentry and roofing and as foreman of a lumber yard, Anwar decided to join the United States Marines Corps in 2004 at age 27, and began his training at Parris Island in South Carolina. The rigorous Marine Corps training refined Anwar’s attention to detail, personal presentation, and respectful demeanor in communicating with others. After Parris Island, Anwar went to the Aberdeen Proving Ground for manual machinist training. Anwar’s class was the first Marines Corps group to be trained on CNC equipment. Anwar completed his stateside service and training at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

After serving during OIF7, Anwar joined the USA team in January of 2007.

Anwar came to USA ready to soak up more new skills and immediately became instrumental in the organization and production of our flight simulators, gear products and Medical products. With the same curiosity and open-mindedness that he approaches everything else, Anwar is continuing his machinist training at USA, has honed his welding skills here and is currently our main in-house welder. His quickness, positive outlook, attention to detail and problem solving skills also make him a valuable player on our installation teams, in which he often participates.

Anwar is also frequently responsible for safe packing and delivery of our exhibits in our company truck, and we have seen measureable improvement in our shipping and delivery services since Anwar has joined us. Nearly every customer comments on Anwar’s helpfulness and disposition, and USA is happy to send him out as our representative in any situation.

Anwar is also the proud father of two boys, Alex (9) and Isaiah (11). Both boys are straight A students and Isaiah has already expressed an interested in the naval academy – like father, like son!