Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) of Troy, NY offers small classes, a caring faculty, and over 80 degree and certificate programs. Douglas H. Baxter, an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering Technology there, recently invited FuzeHub’s Ben Weinberg and other members of the Capital Region manufacturing community to attend student presentations about robotics, a hot topic because of its business value. 

“This was a very good experience,” Baxter later shared with Weinberg, Tom Bell from the Center for Economic Growth (CEG), and several other attendees. “The students did some fine work.”

At colleges and universities like HVCC, capstone presentations provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of a subject by solving real-world problems. HVCC students Austin Delisle, John Franklin, Mark Mootoo, and Alexander Zierer accepted this challenge and, under Baxter’s direction, did so while using a UR5 robot on loan from FuzeHub. Made by Universal Robots, the UR5 is a programmable robotic arm with a reach of 33.5 inches (850 mm) and a payload of 11 pounds (5 kg).

For the four HVCC students, the opportunity to formally present what they learned was an important part of the experience. So was the opportunity to collaborate, and to engage attendees with different backgrounds. As an Engineering Support Specialist for FuzeHub, Weinberg focuses on technologies that can predict failures in robotic cells; however, not everyone in the audience had setup and used a cobot like the UR5 before.   

“I was impressed by the student’s ingenuity and resourcefulness,” Weinberg said. “They taught themselves robot programming, designed custom tooling fixtures, and did it all with a pretty formal project plan. It was very impressive.” 

For Professor Baxter, the semester-ending capstone presentations mark the beginning of an exciting new chapter. Next year, the Mechanical Engineering Department is moving to the college’s Hass Building, where the Advanced Manufacturing Technology program has purchased several UR5 and UR10 robots. This investment will provide additional opportunities for student collaboration, and Baxter envisions combing work from student clubs in mechanical and electrical engineering.

“We are looking forward to expanding on this success next year,” Baxter said.

The Empire State Advanced Robotics Alliance (ESARA) will meet on April 30th, in conjunction with the New York Manufacturing Conference at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

The Empire State Advanced Robotics Alliance (ESARA) seeks to build a strong, well-connected robotics ecosystem in New York State. ESARA includes university researchers, robotics hardware and software suppliers, systems integrators and consultants, workforce and economic development organizations, and manufacturers who use or want to deploy robotics. Please contact Beth Bornick to learn more about ESARA.

• Methods & Tools for Successful Robotics Adoption and Expansion
• User-friendly Interfaces for Programming, Operation & Maintenance
• Bi-directional Communication on the Shop Floor
• Human-Robot Trust and Safety
• Modular Robot Designs
• Smart, Flexible Sensors and Integration
• Automated Path Planning and Robot Instruction Generation
• Advisor Robot

For more information click here.

AIM Photonics 

News: The New York State Photonics Board of Officers (NYS Photonics Board) announced in May that tool installation has begun on schedule at the American Institute for Manufacturing Integrated Photonics (AIM Photonics) Test, Assembly and Packaging (TAP) Facility in Rochester. In addition, AIM Photonics forecasts the facility renovation will be completed $3.2 million under budget, a savings of 17%. Read more here.
Training: AIM Photonics will be at SEMICON West, the premier trade show for the entire extended electronics supply chain.  From July 10-12, AIM Photonics will be exhibiting in New York State’s Technology Pavilion Booth #317 and presenting at NY Nanotech Summit and CMPUG meeting.  Register for SEMICON West here, New York Nanotech Summit here, and the CMPUG Joint User Group Meeting on Advanced Packaging Technology here.
Event: Registration is open for the AIM Photonics Summer Academy at Massachusetts Institute of Technology July 23-27. Over a week of intensive short courses, participants will learn the fundamentals of integrated photonics: materials, devices, EPDA software training and integrated photonic circuit design, chip fabrication, packaging, testing, and system applications. Read more here.
Funding Opportunities: AIM Photonics provides multiple funding opportunities through various venues; federal & state government grants, AIM Photonics project calls, Department of Defense specific project calls, National Science Foundation “Dear Colleague” opportunities, and a number of others.  Read more here.
Newsletter: Sign up for AIM Photonics’ newsletter to stay up to date here.
New York MEP Contact for this institute: Terry Clas (terence.clas@esd.ny.gov).

Reducing EMbodied-Energy And Decreasing Emissions (REMADE) Institute 

NEWS: Nabil Nasr, CEO of the REMADE Institute, was interviewed by Circular Futures for their publication “Accelerating Growth of the US Remanufacturing Industry.” The full publication can be found here.
Event: A REMADE member organization, the Automotive Parts Remanufacturers Association (APRA), will be holding its International Big R Show from August 8-10, in Atlanta, GA.  Read more here.
Funding Opportunity: The tentative date for the REMADE Institute’s 2^nd project call is July 2^nd.
Newsletter: Sign up for the REMADE Institute’s newsletter here to keep up to date.
New York MEP Contact for this institute: Michael Fornasiero (michael.fornasiero@esd.ny.gov).

Rapid Advancement in Process Intensification Deployment (RAPID) Institute 

News: RAPID released its first annual report in May, describing its accomplishments in the research and application of process intensification technologies throughout the chemical, oil and gas, and pulp and paper industries. Click here to read the report.
News: Several members at RAPID’s Technology Speed Dating event made numerous connections and business matches last month. In all, 27 members disseminated information on their process intensification (PI) technologies—from nascent concepts and technologies to more mature ones with possibilities for additional applications.  Read more here.
Webinars: On June 20^th, a webinar was held on Process Intensification Principles: Energy – Dynamic Continuous Flow Reactors for Industrial Applications; and on July 25^th a webinar will be held on Process Intensification Principles: Synergy – PI in the Functional Domain. More information on the 2018 RAPID Webinar Series, along with archived webinars, can be found here.
New York MEP Contact for this institute: Joel Maul (jmaul@itac.nyc).

Clean Energy Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute (CESMII) 

News: The Clean Energy Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute (CESMII) recently announced Howard Goldberg as the Vice President of Business Development.  Learn more about his background and work here.
News: At the end of May, CESMII announced the streamlining of its Regional Manufacturing Centers (RMCs) to 3 locations: the Southern, Northern, and Western United States. Learn more about the restructuring here. New York State is served by the Northern Regional Manufacturing Center which is led by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Learn more about the center here.
Training: On Thursday, June 28^th from 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM, join CESMII for the “Leveraging Smart Manufacturing for Digital Transformation” workshop in San Diego, CA.  This interactive hands-on workshop will provide proven methodologies and case studies to help attendees begin their own journey toward digital transformation. Learn more about the workshop here.
Event: Representatives from CESMII will be at the Mohawk Valley Manufacturing & Agriculture B2B Event on June 27-28 at Herkimer College. Learn more about the regional manufacturers and food and beverage producers that will be showcasing at the event here.
Newsletter: Sign up here for CESMII’s newsletter to stay up to date.
New York MEP Contact for this institute: Adrian Cosma (adrian@fuzehub.com).

Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute (ARM) 

News: Jay Douglass, chief operating officer of the ARM Institute, was featured in an article about the use of robotics in small manufacturing in the Youngstown, OH area. Read the full article and Jay’s insights here.
News: On June 12^th, ARM announced the awardees for the first round of research funding totaling $2.8 million in funding across four project teams, matched by approximately $4 million in cost-share commitments. Click here to learn more about that projects that range from robotic assistance in composites manufacturing and automotive assembly to robotic surface finishing and wiring harness assembly systems.
Funding Opportunity: The ARM Institute’s 2018 project call is currently open, with full proposals due August 29^th. Learn more here.
Newsletter: Sign up for the ARM Institute’s newsletter here to stay up to date.
New York MEP Contact for this institute: Jeff Moss (jeff@fuzehub.com).

America Makes – focused on additive manufacturing 

News: America Makes announced approximately $6.5 million in project call awards as part of Phase 3 of the “Maturation of Advanced Manufacturing for Low-Cost Sustainment (MAMLS)” program, funded by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Manufacturing and Industrial Base Technology Division. Read more about the seven funded projects and 24 industry-leading organizations advancing the state of additive manufacturing.
Training: A three-day Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) course is being offered by Wohlers Associates in Frisco, CO from August 8-10.  Topics covered in the training include the consolidation of many parts into one and methods to reduce material and weight, such as topology optimization and lattice/mesh structures. It includes best practices and a wealth of DfAM guidelines. Participants will gain valuable hands-on experience by designing real parts and building them on additive manufacturing equipment.  Read more and register here.
Training: A one-day Design for Additive Manufacturing Training is being offered at FATHOM in Oakland, CA on July 19^th.  FATHOM has designed a technology agnostic curriculum on the practical application of additive technologies to achieve greater results throughout the entire product development process and in to production. Learn more and register here.
Event: The Advanced Materials for Additive Manufacturing Conference will be on July 11^th at Cleveland State University in Cleveland, OH.  More information about this event coordinated by the Northeast Ohio Additive Manufacturing Cluster is available here.
Event: The 29^th Annual International Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium will be held in Austin, TX on August 13-15, 2018.  Last year’s event saw 654 researchers from 20 countries in attendance. Learn more and register here.
Funding Opportunity: As part of the America Makes @Program, members offer free or discounted services or products to the membership. To learn more about existing offers available to America Makes members, visit the Service Vouchers page here.
Newsletter: Sign up for the America Makes newsletter here to stay up to date.
New York MEP Contact for this institute: Michael Fornasiero (michael.fornasiero@esd.ny.gov).

1. Identifying and Packing Objects
2. Unloading and Unpacking Objects
3. Transport and Delivery through Complex, Crowded Floor Spaces
4. Inspection of Non-standard Materials
5. Tracking and Traceability of Components
6. Surface Treatments
7. Manipulating Compliant Materials
8. Software Enabler: Interoperability (among different robotic soft/hardware frameworks.

In related news, the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute (ARM) has announced the awardees of its first round of project funding to strengthen U.S. manufacturing. FuzeHub is proud to be part of the team that comprises the Robot Assistant for Composites Manufacturing project. Read the announcement in the official press release.

NIST, a premier scientific institution, serves as the national measurement institute for the United States. NIST runs a number of laboratories to assist in its mission to promote innovation and industrial competitiveness. These labs focus on research in the areas of engineering, material measurement, physical measurement, nanotechnology, communications technology, and information technology. NIST also maintains joint institutes and centers of excellence in the areas of quantum information, bioscience research, materials design, cybersecurity, and others.

Recognizing the opportunity to connect small manufacturers to these resources, NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP)—the national network that includes the New York MEP system—has created the MEP-Assisted Technology and Technical Resource (MATTR) program. The MATTR program provides a mechanism for manufacturers with specific needs or questions concerning products or processes to be connected through the MEP centers to the technical expertise, laboratory facilities, and other resources of the NIST Laboratories. It also allows NIST lab staff to inquire of the MEP system if there are needs in the manufacturing arena that NIST should address.

At this time, a manufacturer can receive many kinds of technical assistance through the MATTR program at no cost. There may be associated fees for other services like instrument calibrations, special measurements, etc.

While every technical problem a small manufacturer encounters may not have a solution within the NIST Labs, the program has resulted in numerous success stories. Technical assistance has been rendered to clients of MEPs in Wisconsin, California, Utah, Missouri, and Pennsylvania, in areas such as nanotechnology, thin film measurement technology, and exposure to the NIST library of patents and products that can be licensed.

The process begins with an inquiry from a manufacturer like you. Get in touch with us at FuzeHub and let us know about a current technical challenge or opportunity in your business so that we can refer you to the MATTR program. FuzeHub’s consultation and referral process involves no cost to your company.