Corporate History and Critical Personnel
New Idea, Inc.
New Idea, Inc. purchased an existing company, Idea Engineering, in March 2003. This Company had a long history of excellent equipment and customer support.
Dick Brown, a retired Air Force officer and a very practical inventor, founded Idea Engineering in 1969. Over the course of years he and Bud Nohrenberg, a master machinist, developed unique machines for the amusement industry, then the awards industry, printing trades, floppy disc industry and more. The company has delivered thousands of machines all over the world.
Their products are generally oriented toward small-scale automation of processes involving flexible media such as film, string, or ribbon. We apply techniques ranging from electronics and computers to hydraulics and pneumatics, often in the same machine. During the ensuing years, the machines have involved increasing levels of computer controls, with current products being digital servo-controlled operated by Windows-based graphics programs written at Idea.
Our location in Plattsmouth Nebraska affords us privacy from interruptions while being very accessible to transportation.
In the corporate arena, New Idea is supported by sound managment a stable work force made up of a mix of young and older employees, many being with the purchased corporation for it's entire existence. New Idea will continue the reputation for quality machines, quick and efficient maintenance support, and sales follow-up being unequaled in the industry
Product Summary:
Prototype and specialty machines.
Idea Engineering was founded to develop prototype amusement machines, best typified by the helicopter game where one could "fly" a helicopter inside a box. Since then we have developed a large number of specialized equipment for processes as varied as manufacturing boxes and making Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) signs.
Awards and printing machines.
Our first ribbon assembly machines turned the awards industry upside down in 1972, and they have been in continuous development and production ever since. Approximately 120 of these highly specialized machines have been delivered and all continue in production. These led to our line of ribbon/tag stringers initially introduced in 1979. Sales on these units continue to increase as we develop our marketing. Our hot stamp machines were introduced in 1982. Now in the fourth generation, these are the fastest and most adaptable hot stamp presses for continuous media.
Engraving Equipment.
Idea Engineering started the manufacture of laser scanning engravers in 1982, and introduced servo-controlled flat bed engraving equipment in 1992. We have shipped several hundred of our scanning engravers all over the world and we find new applications almost constantly. In 1993 we developed our large format Model 202 laser engraver, which is the basis for a great deal of development work in servo controls. In 1996, Idea Engineering designed and developed our latest laser engraver, the Model 205, currently being shipped around the world.
Floppy disc equipment.
Floppy disc punches cut the "cookies" for floppy discs from continuous media at speeds up to 200 per minute. These are in high demand and represent a significant portion of our sales, largely overseas.
Design, engineering and manufacturing processes at Idea take advantage of the best available computer-aided techniques, including computer-aided design, computer-aided engineering, and computer-aided manufacturing. All drawings from the first line are laid out using Autocad. This has the benefit of providing a consistent geometric database that saves a great deal of time during the component design stages. Using our CAM capabilities we can automatically generate tool paths for machining directly from the drawings, elimination many opportunities for error. We use finite element analysis to perform stress and heat transfer studies where appropriate. In one case where weight and stiffness were quite important we performed a series of finite element design studies that led to a 40% weight reduction and a 15% stiffness increase while maintaining the same structural envelope. When performing electronic layouts a modern printed circuit board design system is used to interactively route the boards and place the components.
Corporate Executives:
- Joe Carter – Chief Executive Officer/President
- Education:
- Alaska Methodist University
- University of North Dakota
- Bellevue University
- Experience:
- Idea Engineering
- Tidy Awning & Signs Inc. - Corporate Owner
- U.S. Government Civil Service - Director Command Control
Communications and Intelligence gathering. - Twenty-Eight Years U.S. Air Force - Manager Command Control
Communications and Intelligence gathering operations.
- Education:
- Sam Brown - Board Member at Large - Engineering Consultant
- Education:
- B.S. Aero E Iowa State
- M.S. Systems Science UCLA
- Experience:
- Idea Engineering Company
- Lockheed
- NASA DFRC
- Performed research, design and development on a variety of advanced technology projects.
- Education:
- Richard Brown - Board Member at Large - Engineering Consultant
Although retired, the founder of Idea is still active in the research and design work for some of our equipment coming on line within the next 5 years.
- David Scott - Treasurer - Software Consultant
- Education:
- BS Oregon State University
Computer Science - MS California State University
Computer Science
- BS Oregon State University
- Experience:
- Self-employed consultant and software development
- Hughes Aircraft Co. Project manager, defense systems
- U.S. Air Force & U.S Army - twenty one (21) years software development, requirements and budget - Simulation and analyses, Chief of Maintenance and Squadron Commander, Communications and Electronics Units.
- Education:
- Roy C. Kessell - Secretary
Key Personnel
- Dennis Hagymasi - Production Manager
- Education:
- Rochester Institute of Technology
B.F.A.- Advertising
A.S.- Science
- Rochester Institute of Technology
- Experience:
- Idea Engineering
- Tidy Awning & Signs, Inc - Corporate Owner
- U.S. Military - Twenty years U.S. Air Force Graphic Design
- Responsible for the overall production activity to include both manufacturing and assembly. Coordinates activities through General Manager.
- Education:
