YSU Named Defense Manufacturing Partner

Tyler McVicker 
Jambar Contributor

The National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining has recently designated Youngstown State University an alliance partner, which will allow the university to be easily chosen for research and development opportunities through the NCDMM.

As an Alliance Partner, YSU now has the opportunity to provide a skill, talent or capability in support of a relevant NCDMM project,” a YSU press release on Nov. 2 stated.

“NCDMM is a non-profit organization based in Blairsville, Pennsylvania,” Mike Hripko, associate vice president for external affairs at YSU, said. “In addition to serving as the managing entity for America Makes in Youngstown, NCDMM specializes in providing unbiased, collaborative and innovative manufacturing solutions to achieve the outcomes their customers require to stay competitive and at the forefront of technological advancements. Their clients include a number of government entities, such as bases, arsenals and other military manufacturing sites.”

With this designation, YSU becomes one of the top manufacturing research universities in the United States, and, according to the press release, is one of only two universities in the world with all seven additive manufacturing technologies.

These additive manufacturing technologies include material extrusion, powder bed fusion, material jetting, sheet lamination, binder jetting, directed energy deposition and VAT photopolymerisation.

NCDMM can provide contacts for YSU to participate in the creation of manufacturing systems for military installations, such as bases and arsinels.

“As an Alliance Partner, YSU is now included as a potential solution provider for NCDMM. As NCDMM identifies manufacturing technology opportunities, especially within the federal defense network, YSU would be considered as a potential solution provider,” Hripko said. “Our prior work and performance on America Makes projects has demonstrated the skill of our faculty and students in developing innovative manufacturing solutions.”

The capacity YSU can work with the NCDMM is dependent on the specific equipment the university holds. At the current time, this will likely be a project involving additive manufacturing, YSU’s strongest asset.

“YSU is now positioned to receive grants or contracts from NCDMM to design processes, produce parts, perform engineering and scientific analysis, or otherwise support advanced manufacturing projects led by NCDMM. YSU faculty and students would perform this work,” Hripko said.