Innovative Rack & Gear News – Hard Rack Milling & Employee Spotlight

E-NEWSLETTER | OCTOBER 2020

Innovative Rack & Gear E-Newsletter - October 2020

In this edition of the Innovative Rack & Gear e-newsletter we will highlight our hard rack milling capabilities and the benefits of that process.

In addition, we will share access to the October Gear Solutions Magazine feature article spotlighting Innovative Rack & Gear.

Lastly, in our Employee Spotlight we will introduce you to our Quality Control Technician, Dan Cichon.

Sincerely,

Zen and Jerry Cichon

Innovative Rack & Gear Company

Zen (left) and Jerry (right) Cichon

Innovative Rack & Gear Company Featured in Gear Solutions Magazine

We are proud to announce that Innovative Rack & Gear Company was featured in the October edition of Gear Solutions Magazine. The company spotlight provides an overview of our operations along with a historical perspective.

CLICK HERE to read the article

Did You Know?

Innovative Rack & Gear has the unique hard rack milling capability to “hard cut” rack teeth.

Rack gears used for rack and pinion assemblies are often hardened to increase durability. In most cases, a finish grinding process is necessary for correcting the distortion of racks after heat treatment. If the hardened gear racks are finished by milling instead of grinding, it will increase productivity and cut production costs considerably.

The major benefits of a ground rack are long life, low noise, and low dusting. But grinding machines are expensive, and the process, as well as the dressing process, takes considerable time. Also, the high running costs—the actual cost of grinding and dressing wheels, and the electrical costs for coolant and a temperature-controlled room—raise the price of ground racks. Ground racks therefore become much more expensive than non-heat-treated gear racks. If high-accuracy hardened gear racks become available at a much lower price, it is expected that more users would start to use them.

CLICK HERE to learn more and to download “Hard Fact of Hard Rack Milling”

Employee Spotlight

Dan Cichon

Quality Control Technician

What is your current job function and responsibilities at Innovative Rack & Gear?

“I currently work as Quality Control Technician and I am also in charge of our social media and marketing efforts. Recently I have been trying to dip my foot into sales as well.”

Tell us about your background and experience/career journey at Innovative Rack & Gear.

“Innovative Rack & Gear was started by my Father and his brother, so I have been around the company since I was very young. My earliest memories of working at IRGCO would probably be stoning/deburring material before it was put into the machines for production. By the time I was in high school I would be running production on some of the machines. During college I made a transition to working in the office and doing light bookkeeping for the company as well. After a few years away, I returned to IRGCO in the spring of 2017, around the same time we purchased a CMM. I began learning how to program the CMM and took on the role of being a Quality Control Technician. Looking for more ways to assist the company, I have recently gotten involved with creating a presence online through our LinkedIn page and through our quarterly newsletters.”

What do you like best about working at Innovative Rack & Gear?

“There are many things that I enjoy about working here at Innovative Rack & Gear, but probably what I like the best is seeing a product go from raw material to a finished piece ready for assembly. It is interesting to see all of the steps and processes that go into creating a finished product and verifying along the way that these steps are indeed being done correctly.”

Share your perspective on the evolution of the company over your time at Innovative Rack & Gear.

“I have seen the company grow from a small operation with only 3 employees to where it is today with over 20 on staff. I think the biggest evolutions have been over the last 5 years in terms of how Innovative Rack & Gear operates. The company has become more efficient and has seen changes in the way we communicate with one another and track progress on jobs. The company has also implemented a full-time quality department that is constantly verifying the work that we are doing.”

What makes Innovative Rack & Gear unique?

“I think the company is unique in how it positions itself within the Industry. There are a lot of gear companies out there, but not many that truly specialize in gear racks.”

What are your personal interests?

“In my free time I enjoy traveling to new places, spending time with friends, and watching sports.

Innovative Rack & Gear, Co.

365 Balm Court

Wood Dale, IL 60191

Phone: 630-766-2652

Fax: 630-766-3245

www.gearacks.com