| Area: |
|
7,500 sq. ft. |
| Established: |
|
August 2000 |
| Grants: |
|
Buhl Foundation, Benedum Foundation, Heinz Endowments, Society of Manufacturing Engineers Education Foundation, National Science Foundation, Mitutoyo Corporation, LB International, Microsoft Business Solutions |
| Vendor Partners: |
|
Fanuc Robotics, 3D Systems (Rapid Prototyping), Haas (CNC Machines), Bosch (Conveyor), Allen Bradley/Rockwell Software (Programmable Logic Controller hardware and software) |
Various industrial research and development activities within the School of Engineering, Mathematics and Science are channeled through Center for Applied Research in Engineering and Science (CARES). Engineering laboratory capabilities include state-of-theart equipment organized on 7,500 square feet of space known as the The Learning Factory.
The Learning Factory supports educational programs within the School, serves as a test bed for research and development activities, supports outreach and recruitment activities, and provides an environment for lifelong learning. This is achieved through the integration of computation, production, verification equipment, enterprise planning and control systems, and software into a full-fledged production system.
This scaled, industrial-grade facility allows users to take a product from concept to reality in a manner consistent with modern technology-driven enterprise practices. Selected components include metrology, materials testing, rapid prototyping, CNC machining and turning, robotic assembly, powder metallurgy, automatic ID, packaging, injection molding and machine tool monitoring.