The new Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Artificial Intelligence at UW-Stout will engage engineering faculty and engineering graduate students on industrial projects. / UW-Stout
The Center for Advanced Manufacturing-AI aims to leverage academic expertise to solve problems and collaborate on opportunities
Small and medium-sized businesses in Wisconsin and Minnesota have a new resource – and a new ally – in their quest for growth and success.
THE Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Artificial Intelligence — CAM-AI — was created at UW-Stout to leverage the broad range of academic expertise to solve technical problems and conduct research to support private industry.
CAM-AI will partner with UW-Stout Manufacturing Awareness Centerone of two centers in Wisconsin affiliated with the National Institute of Standards and Technology/Manufacturing Extension Partnership — NIST/MEP national network. The centers provide comprehensive, proven solutions through consulting, training and workforce development.
“CAM-AI will help Wisconsin manufacturers by giving them access to expertise and equipment not typically available to small and medium-sized businesses. Our goal is to collaborate with our industrial partners to help them be even more competitive in a constantly evolving technological market,” said Chancellor Katherine Frank.
The center will serve as a bridge between MOC and university departments to bring applied research; modern technical methods; and laboratory, manufacturing and testing services directly to private industry.
The objectives of CAM-AI include:
- Collaborate with MOC to provide timely expertise in academic applied research
- Provide direct assistance to resolve urgent industry issues
- Providing services, such as additive manufacturing and testing
- Engage in regional and national initiatives that support advanced manufacturing and AI.
Manufacturing is one of Wisconsin’s largest workforce sectors, with more than 8,900 companies employing more than 490,000 people.
More than a dozen UW-Stout labs, including robotics, plastics, packaging, cybersecurity and the Fabrication Lab, were available to address manufacturers’ challenges .
UW-Stout the teachers have expertise in automation, AI/machine learningrobotics, additive manufacturing, plastics engineering, packaging, industrial design, manufacturing and material properties and testing. In 2023, UW-Stout added a first-of-its-kind bachelor’s degree program, leadership in automation.
“Modern manufacturing requires not only all areas of engineering, but also expertise in computer science, cybersecurity, mathematics and basic sciences,” said David Ding, director of the School of Engineering and associate dean of the Faculty of Engineering. College of Sciences, Technologies, Engineering, Mathematics and Management.
Ding will be the director of the center. He also serves on Gov. Tony Evers’ Workforce and Artificial Intelligence Task Force.
UW-Stout is Wisconsin’s polytechnic university focused on applied learning, business and industry collaboration, and career outcomes.
“UW-Stout’s ability to provide expertise in these areas to solve practical problems is what sets us apart as a polytechnic university, and CAM-AI will be the entity through which this expertise can be brought to bear. available to the industry,” said Seth Hudson, executive director. from UW-Stout Office of Corporate Relations and Economic Engagement.
Center plans to leverage UW-Stout talent Master of Science in Manufacturing Engineering program, with students working on CAM-AI projects under faculty supervision.
Key elements of CAM-AI’s success will be rapid response, coordination among UW-Stout entities that engage directly with industry, and an industry-centric approach that no job is too small, a Hudson said. He noted that CAM-AI will not compete with private industry, but will allow industry partners to access work that is not suitable for the private sector space.
Written by Jerry Poling