MEP Centers Receive Awards to Deploy Advanced Manufacturing Technology Services to U.S. Manufacturers

The U.S Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) has made 4 cooperative agreement awards as part of its 2020 NIST MEP Advanced Manufacturing Technology Services Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) 2020-NIST-MEP-AMTS-01. 

The following four MEP Centers will receive awards totaling $4 million to deploy advanced manufacturing technology services to U.S. manufacturers in the broad area of Industry / Manufacturing 4.0, with an emphasis on serving the technology-based needs of small U.S. manufacturers.  Implementation of these Industry / Manufacturing 4.0 technologies by small U.S. manufacturers should facilitate improved product quality and innovation, improved manufacturing process efficiency, and increased supply chain connectivity. Ultimately, this should result in small U.S. manufacturers being more competitive in the marketplace and being afforded business growth opportunities

Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (Detroit)
The MEP Center in Michigan will conduct a project, D3+ Bringing Digital Technologies to Three Essential Manufacturing Functions, to deliver Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technical assistance projects, with an emphasis on serving the technology-based needs of U.S.-based small and midsize manufacturers (SMMs) with focus on automation and robotics, Big Data, and the Internet of Things (IoT).  The project will begin May 1, 2020 through April 30, 2021 totaling $1,000,000 and will collaborate with MEP Centers in Illinois and Ohio.

Purdue University, Indiana MEP (West Lafayette)
The IN MEP will conduct a project, Implementing Small Manufacturer Assistance with Robotic Technologies (I-SMART), that is an innovative approach to providing technical assistance services to small U.S. manufacturers via project-level engagements to increase the adoption of robotics, flexible automation, and related Industry 4.0 technologies that will help address the critical shortage of skilled manufacturing labor.  The project will begin May 1, 2020 through October 30, 2021 totaling $1,000,000 and will collaborate with MEP Centers in Iowa, Ohio, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. 

University of Texas in Arlington, dba TMAC (Arlington)
TMAC, the TX MEP will conduct a project, Applied Advanced Manufacturing Technologies, that is a collaborative effort to advance the awareness, deployment and sustenance of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies.  Areas of focus include Industrial Automation, Robotics & Sensorization, Data Analytics & Business Intelligence, Additive Manufacturing, Cyber Security, Industrial 3D Simulation AR/VR applications.  The project will begin May 1, 2020 through April 30, 2022 totaling $1,000,000 and will collaborate with MEP Centers in New Mexico and Oklahoma.

The California Manufacturing Technology Center (CMTC), (Torrance)
CMTC, the California MEP will conduct a project “MEP Network Deployment of Industry 4.0 Technology Assistance Services” for small manufacturers to support the  adoption of Additive, Robotics and Smart Manufacturing.  The project will focus on end-to-end digitization of all physical assets and integration into digital ecosystems with value chain partners,” known as Industry / Manufacturing 4.0, (I-4.0).  The project will begin May 1, 2020 through October 31, 2022 totaling $1,000,000 and will collaborate with MEP Centers in Ohio and Pennsylvania.