By Graig Graziosi
The collaborative efforts of Youngstown State University and North Carolina State University were recognized Tuesday when Congressman Tim Ryan announced a $495,910 federal grant for their Consortium for Advanced Hybrid Manufacturing-Integrating Technologies.
Guha Manogharan, an assistant professor of mechanical and industrial engineering, explained how the CAM-IT’s goals will ultimately help evolve the manufacturing industry.
“The advanced manufacturing community in the U.S. will greatly benefit from improved processing capabilities that produce complex functional parts through this hybrid approach,” he said.
The CAM-IT will be the first group to attempt to plan the integration of both additive and subtractive methods of manufacturing into industry at large.
In very simple terms, additive manufacturing is the creation of an object layer by layer while subtractive manufacturing is more akin to sculpting. Each has their own strengths — strengths the CAM-IT plans on utilizing in what is called hybrid manufacturing.
As global industry evolves to begin to accept additive manufacturing as a major aspect of product production, CAM-IT’s goals is to ensure industry leaders have a clear guide for integrating these technologies into their operations.
Ryan, who has worked as an advocate for local economic development, sees the federal grant as more evidence of Youngstown’s redefinition as a hub of innovation.
“YSU continues to be leader in the field of advanced manufacturing and together with YBI and America Makes they have made Youngstown the focal point of this emerging and transformational technology,” Congressman Ryan said. “This grant will ensure that American manufacturing continues to be a world player by helping U.S. manufacturers develop tailored plans to integrate additive manufacturing into their production methods.”
YSU has been making headlines in the past year thanks to an increased focus on research. In May, Ganesh Kudav, professor of mechanical engineering at YSU was awarded a federal patent for his solar panel wind deflector design. This was the second patent for a YSU professor in under a year with Tom Oder receiving the school’s first in September of 2014.
Last August, YSU received a $200,640 grant from the National Science Foundation and a year prior received a grant for $470,000 dollars from the same foundation.
YSU President Jim Tressel believes the recent influx of money and accolades YSU has received due to research endeavors is a sign of what’s to come.
“It’s just another example of the great work our faculty is doing, being recognized nationally. There’s great things going on that our faculty and students get to take part in and we’re just very, very proud of everyone,” Tressel said.
The CAM-IT is a result of collaboration between YSU and NCSU, a fact Tressel did not overlook.
“Without a doubt, collaboration is key. Collaboration and research, collaboration and innovation — that is absolutely the key to the future. We’re working very hard with our regional schools and with schools all over the country to establish relationships,” Tressel said. “You’re going to see a lot more interdisciplinary collaboration as we research an ever more complex world. It’s exciting to see it happen.”
