Five Penn State Research Teams earn Manufacturing PA Innovation Grants

The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, has been awarded five grants through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Manufacturing PA initiative. The initiative awarded $2 million across 29 grants in total and will bring together government, industry and higher education in holistic collaboration to spur new technologies and processes in the manufacturing sector. Funded projects provide student engagement and faculty research opportunities with Pennsylvania manufacturers.

The approved projects are part of Manufacturing PA’s fellowship program, which unites eligible graduate and undergraduate students with local manufacturers. Once paired, the students embark on research projects to develop new technologies and advance innovation statewide.

The projects help advance innovation in several sectors of manufacturing, from medical, to energy, to consumer goods. Additional details about many of the projects approved through the program can be found on the Manufacturing PA Innovation Program website. Funded projects from Penn State include:

"Manufacturing Ultra-conductors for the Next Generation Efficient Electric Machines"

• Principal Investigator: Kofi Adu, associate professor of physics
• Industry Partner: Electric Motor & Supply Inc.
• Campus: Penn State Altoona

"Enabling PECM Process Analysis for Advanced Cathode System Design"

• Principal Investigator: Edward De Meter, professor of industrial and manufacturing engineering
• Industry Partner: Extrude Hone LLC
• Campus: Penn State University Park

"I-AIM4PA: Innovation in AI in Advanced Manufacturing for Pennsylvania"

• Principal Investigator: Guha Manogharan, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and industrial and manufacturing engineering

• Industry Partner: Verder Scientific Inc.
• Campus: Penn State University Park

"Fabrication of Cu-Ni-Si Parts by Powder Metallurgy"

• Principal Investigator: Daudi Waryoba, associate professor of engineering
• Industry Partner: Symmco Inc.
• Campus: Penn State Dubois

"Smart Manufacturing and Operator Intervention Systems for Injection Molding Processes"

• Principal Investigator: Jason Williams, assistant teaching professor of engineering, plastics engineering technology and head of Medical Plastics Center of Excellence
• Industry Partner: The Plastek Group
• Campus: Penn State Behrend