Indiana University is partnering with the Chicago-based Digital Lab for Manufacturing to create a laboratory that aims to be an advanced source for digital manufacturing and design.
The Digital Lab for Manufacturing is part of President Obama’s plan to further develop manufacturing technologies for the Department of Defense.
The Digital Lab will utilize IU’s research supercomputer unveiled last year. Several of IU’s research labs, including the Visualization Lab, Engineering Design Research Laboratory, and Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing Lab will provide expertise to the Chicago initiative.
Principal Project Analyst at IU’s Project Visualization Lab Chris Eller says IU’s expertise in cloud computing and use of group computing will be invaluable to the process.
“I think what IU can bring to this is a deep bench of research, as well as artistic creativity and looking at new ways to harness the possibilities that a digital lab for manufacturing can bring into this state,” says Eller.
Executive Director of the Pervasive Technology Institute Craig Stewart says advances in digital manufacturing could revitalize American manufacturing.
“One of the newer and more easily recognized aspects of digital manufacturing are these 3-D printers, where you can essentially design something and in just a few minutes get a plastic printout in three dimensions of something you designed,” says Stewart.
IU’s involvement with the Digital Lab will be a multi-year project.