ALBANY, N.Y. – The New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NY MEP) announced the launch of its Advanced Manufacturing Initiative, which will help small to mid-sized manufacturers tackle some of the most critical issues they will face in 2024. Through this new initiative, manufacturing companies with 500 or fewer employees will have access to resources, expertise and grant funding in four key areas — supply chain, cybersecurity, advanced materials and Industry 4.0.

The four program areas within the Advanced Manufacturing Initiative will each be overseen by a different NY MEP center. TDO will lead the supply chain program; the Advanced Institute for Manufacturing (AIM) at MVCC will take charge of the cybersecurity program; FuzeHub will guide the advanced materials program; and the Alliance for Manufacturing and Technology (AMT) will spearhead the Industry 4.0 program. 

With funding from Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR) along with NIST MEP (National Institute of Standards and Technology Manufacturing Extension Partnership), these four programs will enable manufacturers to bolster their competitiveness, realize cost savings, increase resiliency and improve efficiency. 

“Known for their resilience and commitment to innovation, New York State manufacturers consistently demonstrate advanced capabilities to adapt to market needs and capitalize on emerging opportunities,” said NYSTAR Executive Director Ben Verschueren. “By providing funding support for the NY MEP Advanced Manufacturing Initiative, NYSTAR will help ensure local manufacturers can access resources and solutions to strengthen their operations and fuel growth in the year ahead.”

New York State-based manufacturers looking to participate in one of the programs within the Advanced Manufacturing Initiative should contact their regional NY MEP center or the center leading their program of interest. 

SUPPLY CHAIN

Providing assessments to assist manufacturers in strengthening their supply chain management, this program helps companies identify best practices, prioritize improvement opportunities, reduce costs and strengthen competitiveness. The supply chain program will be overseen by TDO, the regional NY MEP center for Central New York. 

“For a manufacturer, their supply chain is vital to operations, profit, cashflow and reputation. During the pandemic, we all saw how incredibly disruptive supply chain issues can be to the manufacturing sector and our regional economies,” said James D’Agostino, MEP Center Director at TDO. “Managing the inventory of components to meet anticipated needs and containing costs allows for a predictable production process, which drives competitiveness and improves profitability.”

The confidential, manufacturer-specific recommendations offered during the assessment phase of the program will cover nine categories including: supplier pricing controls, collaborative planning with sales and operations, supply chain continuous improvement, communication with suppliers, supply chain controls, transportation and logistics, inventory management, inventory control and supply continuity planning.

Grant-funded support is available after the assessment phase for manufacturers wishing to pursue supply chain improvements.

CYBERSECURITY

The New York State Cybersecurity Manufacturing Initiatives Grant program helps address common cybersecurity needs in a practical and understandable way through in-person assessments by professionals who specialize in working with small and medium-sized manufacturers. AIM at MVCC, the Mohawk Valley’s regional center for the NY MEP, will lead the cybersecurity program. 

“Cybersecurity should be a top priority for every manufacturer. It’s critical to ensure you’re meeting government requirements, keeping your growth on track and protecting your business and client information,” said Cory Albrecht, AIM Director. “The cybersecurity framework provided through this initiative has the flexibility to be tailored to different industries in a simple, easy-to-digest format.”

This program will provide grants of $6,000 in project funding for phase one cybersecurity assessments. It also provides access to in-person events throughout the state and offers educational webinars and online training videos for companies looking to self-assess.

INDUSTRY 4.0

Understanding how to best incorporate the latest manufacturing technology can be a daunting task for companies, especially given the rapid pace of technological advancement. The New York State Industry 4.0 Advanced Manufacturing Initiative was specifically crafted to aid manufacturers in elevating their operations through technological enhancements and grant funding. AMT, the regional NY MEP center for the Southern Tier, will oversee this Industry 4.0 program. 

“Industry 4.0, put simply, is the use of advanced technologies — such as automation, data exchange, and artificial intelligence — to create smarter, more connected and efficient industrial processes,” said Carol Miller, Executive Director of AMT. “Today’s manufacturing landscape comes with challenges ranging from workforce shortages and supply chain disruptions to unyielding global competition. As technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, manufacturers find themselves in a race to adopt and leverage these innovations or risk falling behind.”

This program includes grants of up to $20,000 for direct technical assistance. Grants require a manufacturer matching minimum of 50% which can include equipment purchases and hardware costs.

Also available through this program is TechEx, a working group for manufacturers from diverse industries for collaboration, exchanging ideas and learnings, and webinars designed to enhance understanding of technology-related opportunities and capabilities.

ADVANCED MATERIALS

The Advanced Materials Technical Assistance Program provides grant funding opportunities for manufacturers to access the guidance and support they need to replace materials in their products with more sustainable options. This program will be led by FuzeHub, the statewide center for the NY MEP. 

“New regulations targeting waste reduction and encouraging the use of sustainable materials create both challenges and opportunities,” said Elena Garuc, Executive Director of FuzeHub. “As manufacturers deepen their understanding of the new requirements and potential replacement materials, they can often accelerate implementation through access to expertise and grant funding. This technical assistance program helps manufacturers address exactly those needs.”

This program combines three elements — training, a manufacturing readiness accelerator and grant funding. There will be grant awards of up to $20,000 each with a 1:1 matching requirement to support a 12-month-long project focused on adopting new, sustainable materials. 

For more information about each of the four programs within the NY MEP Advanced Manufacturing Initiative, manufacturers can visit newyorkmep.org/adv-mfg-initiative.

About the New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership

The New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NY MEP) is a network of 11 organizations that provide growth and innovation services to small and mid-sized manufacturers in every corner of the state to help them create and retain jobs, increase profits, and save time and money. Supported through a combination of federal and state funding, the NY MEP is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership and overseen by Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR). For more information on NY MEP, visit www.newyorkmep.org.

Tell us about CITEC Business Solutions and the region it serves.

We’re the MEP center for the North Country, serving New York’s seven northernmost counties. We’re close to the border, so we have a lot of Canadian companies that do their assembly work in the United States, and there are second and third-tier suppliers for those companies as well. We also have some universities here so there is some research and technical innovation going on. But the area is really rural and very sparsely populated, so companies tend to be small and also very self-sufficient. They try to find innovative ways to do things on their own with fewer resources.

One thing that distinguishes CITEC from a lot of the other MEP centers in the state is that we provide leadership training as one of our core programs. This has proven useful in today’s workforce environment, where you need leaders who understand their roles in creating a great workplace.

What is your background?

I came to CITEC In 2016 with a design, communication, and marketing background. I had a career in print production for many years and also spent several years as a communications consultant working with small businesses to develop strategic marketing plans and then execute specific projects within those plans.

What are the unique challenges of small, rural manufacturers?

I don’t know that their problems are any different than the things we’re hearing about nationwide. The workforce is huge here, just as it is everywhere, but we have even fewer people. Supply chain issues, same thing. As shipments start to come in, the smaller companies and smaller orders aren’t going to be the priority shipments. So, it is harder for our businesses to recover from these things.

How are your clients dealing with workforce issues?

Our companies are finding pretty innovative ways to attract and retain employees. For example, a few years ago, General Composites in Willsboro was not getting any applications for open positions. The president noticed people were driving by her facility on the way to Plattsburgh, 40 minutes away. She realized she could offer them shorter commutes. She put out one of those huge waving flag signs saying “hiring” and they quickly filled their open spots. She’s also innovative with training and promoting from within. She has flexible scheduling, which is a challenge in manufacturing, but she’s managed to make it work. She involves more team members in the hiring process than other companies do.
The point is this: there might not be a one-size-fits-all solution, but companies who really look at what is going on in their facility and in their communities are able to find what they need.

Are small, rural manufacturers embracing Industry 4.0?

We aren’t seeing a lot of wide-scale Industry 4.0 conversion up here. Newer, larger companies are building facilities with robotics and automation and processing a lot of data but less so the smaller, older companies. But the prices are coming down for this stuff. The technology sometimes offers really easy solutions that can integrate with equipment that people already have, like iPads and cell phones. We are seeing more of these things coming online.

Can you share one of your marketing success stories with us?

We worked with a small, family-owned machine shop in Bombay, NY, called Durban Machine North. They wanted to grow their customer base and pipeline, specifically in the Plattsburgh area, around an hour away. They didn’t have any professional marketing material, a current website, or a strategy. We worked with them to clearly define and express their value proposition, built a new website, designed a new logo, and set up a 12-month marketing work plan based solely on what the company had the capacity, and the interest, to do in-house. They did increase their sales, landing their biggest job to date, and invested in a new machine earlier than planned. With smaller companies, a well-defined plan and a motivated client who understands his or her business can lead to really solid results.

Tell us about Lithoz America and your role there

Lithoz GmbH is based in Vienna and specializes in the 3D printing of technical ceramics for engineering applications, medical applications, and so forth. Lithoz America was formed in 2017 as a U.S. subsidiary focused on the North American market.

We have several 3D printers, we do materials development and manufacturing, and we do feasibility studies to see if a product will work in ceramic 3D printing. Then, of course, we do printer sales, installation, and support. My role is business development. I focus on increasing the sales of printers within the U.S.

Share a bit about your background

I started my career on the computer-aided design side of things, helping industry customers develop their parts in the CAD/CAM system. Then I did a variety of things, from working in the Office of Technology Commercialization at RPI to running a NASA-funded outreach program helping companies commercialize new technologies and solve engineering problems.

That was similar to what I first did at FuzeHub, connecting manufacturers with resources. Then I worked on projects with two federal Manufacturing USA Institutes, in advanced robotics and smart manufacturing.

What are the benefits of using ceramics?

Ceramics are used when plastics and metal fail, such as when you need resistance to high heat or harsh chemicals. Or in a high abrasion environment, like sandblasting.

It is really about broad applicability. A ceramic surface is gas-tight and fluid-tight, so ceramics are used in, say, chemical engineering or biomedical applications where you need gas or fluid flow. Industries also are looking to ceramics for insulation. Ceramics are good insulators against both heat and electricity.

Why 3D printing?

People are just becoming aware that you can make ceramic parts with additive manufacturing. It is beneficial both in terms of speed and the ability to design and create parts you wouldn’t be able to make traditionally. Ceramics are really challenging to manufacture traditionally. It’s very hard to machine them. You can mold them but that means investing in mold tooling.

There are many different 3D printing technologies for ceramics. Our particular technology is lithography based. Lithography gives you very fine detail, which is why we’re able to focus on electronics and medical devices.

What are some real-world examples of manufacturers using 3D-printed ceramic parts?

Bosch Advanced Ceramics just published about a chemical reactor they 3D printed for BASF on their Lithoz printer —a very complex, multi-layered tube that controls fluid flow very precisely. You could never make this by conventional manufacturing.

Ceramco Inc., a ceramics shop in New Hampshire, just installed their third Lithoz printer to complement their ceramic injection molding capability, and they make components for manufacturers of all kinds of devices. Lithoz America even has an ongoing project collaborating with MITRE and MSI Transducers to develop 3D printed underwater sonar devices.

How small can these parts be?

Recently we did some parts that were about a millimeter and a half in diameter with really detailed features, but we’ve gone down as far as half-a-millimeter ceramic cylinders.

How is 3D printing related to Industry 4.0?

Additive manufacturing is an Industry 4.0 technology in that you are designing and realizing your part by digital means. There is no need for tooling or sending something out for molding or machining. Plus, being able to do customization, where every part is different based on a user’s particular needs, is also part of Industry 4.0.

Is there a strong interest in ceramics in New York?

Definitely. The whole ceramics value chain is well represented in the state, from people making powders to end-use products. The parts may be small components of a larger device, say, a medical device, but that medical device manufacturer has a ceramics shop, and you never would have known that.

Survey Participation Benefits

• Eligibility to schedule a 60-minute Industry 4.0 consultation with experts at RIT’s COE-ASM, at no-cost.
• Access to survey summary results.
• Priority access to tools and case studies developed within the project.

Risks and Other Potential Benefits: We don’t anticipate any risks. Other benefits may include engagement with COE-ASM to provide assistance with your Industry 4.0 implementation – with some funding support available for NY State companies. Visit the COE-ASM website to learn more about the available resources and support.
Need more information?
Call Ajay Khaladkar, RIT Industry 4.0 Program Manager at (585) 475-5145 or email him at apkgis@rit.edu if you have questions about the study.
Contact Heather Foti, Associate Director of the HSRO at hmfsrs@rit.edu if you have any questions or concerns about your rights as a research participant.