The answer is the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM).
In 2011 research began for this joint venture between industry and academia. By the summer of 2013 the physical building was completed. And just this week the organization, which bridges the gap between research and commercialization, added its 17th industry member.
National Instruments joined companies including Cannon, Siemens, Newport News Shipbuilding, Rolls Royce and GF AgieCharmilles who benefit from the R&D efforts that are undertaken at the facility. (For a complete look at the organization read, “Want to Grow Your Company? Find Access to R&D”)
Educational institutes such as and NASA Langley Research Center and CCAM academic members including Virginia State University, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech and Old Dominion University join with industry partners in a collaborative model that enables them to pool research and development efforts to increase efficiencies.
The formula is working.
“We expect our momentum to continue,” said Mike Beffel, CCAM’s interim exec director. “The manufacturing sector is recognizing that CCAM’s value proposition can have a tremendous impact on both the effectiveness and efficiency of R&D efforts.”
The focus of the research efforts is on surface engineering and manufacturing systems. All members have access to the results of generic research – funded and guided by the membership to address the needs of a broad spectrum of industry members, while organizing Members and Tier 1 Members can also perform directed research.
