Ajax is ISO 13485:2016 Registered

Ajax is ISO 13485:2016 Registered

Ajax is proud to announce that our quality management systems have demonstrated the ability to provide medical device OEMs with metal forming solutions that consistently meet or exceed quality and regulatory requirements. In recognition of this achievement, Ajax is now ISO 13485:2016 and 9001:2015 registered. Visit our medical devices page for documentation and more information.

We extend our appreciation to all Ajax colleagues who participated in this rigorous quality management systems auditing process. Way to go, Ajax team!

Ajax At MD&M West Show

Ajax At MD&M West Show

You are invited to MD&M West In Anaheim!

For the first time in our company’s history, Ajax Metal Forming Solutions will be an exhibitor at MD&M West, America’s largest medical device trade show. Meet Ajax sales engineers Don Wellman and Jayson Marcott at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California on February 6, 7, or 8. They’ll be in booth 3478 and will have plenty of metal formed part samples on hand. Stop by and say hi to the Ajax crew!

Stop by and meet the team! Or, you can always call ahead and consult with an Ajax Sales Engineer by phone.

Quality Measurement

Quality Measurement

Ajax blends traditional QA methods with new measurement technologies that customers have come to appreciate.

Part Quality Assurance | Extrusion cutaway
Forming extrusions at a high level requires a serious commitment to quality and total, in-house control over tooling and machinery.

Quality is the backbone of successful manufacturing. We know that, and our customers certainly know that.

At Ajax we understand the importance of delivering the highest possible rate of part compliance to all our customers. With our commitment to in-house control over tooling and machinery, we ensure that every part meets the highest quality standards. Our dedicated team of experienced professionals consistently goes above and beyond to exceed customer expectations.

From charting success rates to promoting qualified individuals and obtaining accreditation, we leave no stone unturned in our pursuit of excellence. With our state-of-the-art technology, like the impressive FaroArm Edge, we guarantee accurate and precise inspections, dimensional analysis, and tool certifications. Our investment in cutting-edge equipment allows us to deliver perfectly on-spec parts at a rate that exceeds many, if not all, competitive metal forming companies.

Part Quality Assurance

These days, the “quality” marketing message is so common and ubiquitous that not many people pay attention to the words anymore.  Sure, all metal forming companies claim a superior quality record. But that message won’t stick to the ear of a savvy customer unless backed by credible facts that justify the boast.

An experienced parts buyer knows to go straight to the top for answers. That means top management must demonstrate that they fully understand the part quality challenge and be all-in, all the time.  Management must live it, breathe it, and make it real through any means available.

Those means include:

  1. Charting the success/fail rate on an ongoing basis, and being open about the numbers when asked by a prospective customer.
  2. Promoting highly-qualified people to part quality tech positions, and placing a very solid pro in charge.
  3. A documented history of over-delivering on customer quality expectations.
  4. Accreditation – ISO Registration: 9001:2015 and 13485:2016.

Technology Investment

FARO offers an impressive measurement technology Ajax customers have come to appreciate. The FaroArm Edge from FARO Technologies, a leading manufacturer of 3D imaging and measurement solutions.

This computer-controlled coordinate measuring device enables the Ajax quality team to quickly and accurately perform 3D metal part inspections, tool certifications, part comparisons, dimensional analysis, even reverse engineering.

With its laser scanning head and special probe, touchscreen computer, and smart technology, this arm can efficiently scan metal-formed parts with ultra-high precision. When operated by a fully-trained and experienced quality engineer, this state-of-the-art measurement device speeds the production process, reduces the likelihood of error, and gives Ajax customers even greater assurance that the parts we deliver will be perfectly on spec, every single time.

Below is a video of this device in action:

As you can see, the Ajax quality engineer uses the laser probe at the end of the arm to click on each measurement point on the part. The arm’s computer uses special encoders to compute the exact position of the probe within 3-dimensional space. The data from each probe click is then recorded by the arm’s software, and the results are saved to a database and are viewable on the overhead computer display.

Once the scan is complete, the Ajax production team can then analyze the results using a 3D overlay of the scan on the original part file. Any unacceptable variances can be quickly identified, and any necessary corrections to tooling or processes can then be made with confidence. As always, it’s the know-how of the production team that makes this new technology so effective for Ajax customers.

Ajax customers rely on our team to make sure the metal-formed parts we deliver are perfectly on spec, every single time without exception. With the addition of this new measurement technology, and with the training and experience the Ajax workforce is known for, we’ll take our customer experience to the next level.

Innovation and Growth

Innovation and Growth

The photo on the left shows a stamping press being installed at the Ajax Minneapolis plant around 1983. The photo on the right shows another new press brake being installed yesterday, September 6, 2023, at an Ajax plant in Wilson, North Carolina. Metal forming machinery and methods have changed substantially in 40 years, but the spirit of innovation and growth remains as strong as ever at Ajax.

Metalforming Magazine Q&A With Kent Djubek

Metalforming Magazine Q&A With Kent Djubek

Metalforming Magazine asks Kent Djubek, president of Ajax Metal Forming Solutions, to share the insights gained from his 30-plus years in the metalforming business.

Djubek took the company’s reins from the Ajax family 4 years ago, having worked his way up through the ranks after starting there in 1990 working second shift “and with no prior experience running stamping presses,” he says. Now Ajax’s chief executive and with a significant ownership stake, Djubek has set a course for continued growth by spreading the company’s wings and commissioning—in early 2021—a new manufacturing facility in Raleigh, NC.

At the same time, the company, which performs progressive and deep-draw stamping, as well as sheet metal fabrication using press brakes, turret presses and laser-cutting machines, recently launched its Ajax Academy to help ensure a steady stream of skilled workers.

Metalforming Magazine Q: What’s the best management-related book, webinar or event you’ve recently enjoyed, and what were one or two of the key takeaways?

Djubek: Earlier this year we tied up our conference room for three days to broadcast the Dave Ramsey EntreLeadership Master Series training workshop. Most of our management team, around 12 people, attended some or all of the program. One of the standout speakers, for me, was Jocko Willink, whose book (“Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, Dichotomy of Leadership”) my plant manager and I both purchased after hearing him speak.

Willink really reminded all of us here that, even with the best planning things can unravel, so it’s important to plan for potential pitfalls and then learn from any our mistakes so we don’t repeat them. And, personally, I appreciate his perspective on where to place the blame when things do go wrong.

That is, when something goes wrong it’s likely due to lack of leadership rather than someone else’s shortcomings. As a leader, if you don’t set the right parameters in terms of expectations, the results likely will be less than expected.

Metalforming Magazine Q: What is the biggest challenge you face as a company leader?

Djubek: We continue to be challenged by the shortage of skilled workers, but we’re making inroads here by first striving to hire the right people—with the right attitude—and then investing in training, via our Ajax Academy. Years ago, hiring was done at a high level, but we discovered that I may not always be the right person to be hiring people that I’m not working with day in and day out.

So, now our leads and managers do all of the interviewing, and as part of that process they walk through the plant and try to get a feel for the attitudes of applicants and gauge whether or not they would be good fits for the Ajax culture.

When it comes to operator training and solving the skills shortage, Erick Ajax (former vice president, now retired and serving on the company’s board of directors) did a great job developing close relationships with the community colleges and trade schools. Building on that, recently we launched our Ajax Academy, partnering with a local technical college and then adding some of the virtual learning options through PMA’s METALFORM EDU program, as well as plenty of hands-on learning on the shop floor.

Metalforming Magazine Q: What are two or three of the most important things you look for in a mid-level manager?

Djubek: As noted earlier, it all starts with attitude, and drive. Most of our management team has been promoted from within, and here we look for self-starters—those team members who have been commended by their managers and are looking for opportunities to grow with Ajax. I look for people who want their plates filled, and over-filled, who will accept added responsibilities and push themselves. 

Metalforming Magazine: Kent Djubek and Don Wellman

Ajax Vice President of Sales Don Wellman (L) and Ajax President Kent Djubek on the plant floor.

Time For Metal Forming To Shine

Time For Metal Forming To Shine

Kent Djubek

A Message Of Inspiration From Ajax President Kent Djubek.

America has a remarkable ability to land on its feet. That will once again be the case as we fight past this current pandemic.

The management group here at Ajax remains very confident in our ability to emerge from this crisis stronger, smarter, and better prepared. Our 75 arduous but productive years have hardened us against challenges. We know we can win.

Three years ago, we teamed up with Heartland Equity Partners, a community-minded investment fund with an outstanding record of stewardship. We’re fortunate to have a leadership team this experienced and resourceful.

On the people side of the equation, there’s even more to appreciate. Our department heads are proven individuals who are committed to their assignments. Our colleagues on the plant floor are demonstrating impressive bravery as they press on despite uncertainty.

We also view this moment as a rare opportunity to form our young people into the manufacturing leaders of the future. They’ll fall back on this experience and use it to project confidence each time a storm gathers on the horizon. They’ll also learn critical steps for maintaining the wellness of a workforce as they witness everything we’re doing at both our locations to prevent spread.

Most importantly, our essential industry customers continue to demand the parts and services Ajax provides. With guidance from the National Association of Manufacturers, the Centers for Disease Control, the Precision Metalforming Association, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, we have followed guidelines perfectly and have maintained our critical supplier status.

Due to the nature of COVID-19, air handling and purification is an area of immediate need among health care providers. With decades of experience serving heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration companies, as well as medical instrument manufacturers, Ajax will continue to provide our customers with the formed parts they require to meet this demand.  Ajax is indeed part of the solution.

My belief that America has the resources and the will to endure is shared by many. Congress is taking action to pump new life into the American economy. Our manufacturing community has the perseverance to get past this character-building moment.

It’s time for the metal forming industry to shine.  All it will take is teamwork.