"The makerspaces will provide manufacturers and entrepreneurs throughout the Southwestern Pennsylvania region with easy access to equipment and services that may otherwise be inaccessible to them," said Jay Douglass, chief operations officer of ARM, the Pittsburgh-based Advance Robotics for Manufacturing Institute.
Receiving $1.5 million each are Penn State New Kensington's Digital Foundry at New Kensington, Westmoreland Community College's Makerspace District, Indiana University of Pennsylvania's STEAMSHOP and Community College of Allegheny County's Entrepreneurial Labs and Makerspace.
"These organizations' makerspaces were selected for funding because they already have advanced capabilities and have been making a positive impact in their communities. The ARM Institute looks forward to helping them expand their impact and connect with new audiences, including small and medium-sized manufacturers."
A robotics manufacturing innovation institute, ARM has nearly 400 members. A nonprofit, it helps industry, government and academia address needs in manufacturing.
ARM announced increased funding for the makerspaces last week. The funding is provided by the Southwestern Pennsylvania Region's Build Back Better initiative awarded through the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
Here's a look at what each school has planned for the funds:
- Sherri McCleary, executive director of the Digital Foundry at New Kensington, said their money will be used to build on existing programming and capabilities there and at the nearby Corner Launchbox.
"Funds from this grant, in combination with some matching funds from Penn State, will support the purchase of additional software, equipment and tools for producing prototype products and mechanical and electrical operating systems in the areas of robotics, artificial intelligence, smart sensing and computing and 3D printing, among other advanced manufacturing technologies," she said.
"It will also support completion of additional workshop space available for technical makers and entrepreneurs, and expand our training, mentoring and technical assistance programs for existing and startup manufacturers and makers."
- Westmoreland County Community College is developing and creating a dedicated entrepreneurial and makerspace program that will take entrepreneurs "from the garage to the marketplace" by providing an accessible manufacturing location, entrepreneurial support services and access to existing technical programming and equipment.
Based at the Advanced Technology Center in Mt. Pleasant, the services also will be available at the college's six centers in Indiana, Latrobe, Murrysville, Mt. Pleasant, New Kensington and Uniontown, said Byron Kohut, dean of the college's School of Technology.
"What we want to do is offer services to people who have great ideas but do not have the resources to take their ideas commercial," he said.
- In addition to the university in Indiana County, IUP said its grant will go toward an IUP-led STEAMSHOP robotics and electronics satellite site in Armstrong County and "Made in Johnstown" in Cambria County.
IUP's STEAMSHOP — Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics — makerspace is a universitywide effort with a goal of engaging diverse populations; improving digital literacy; and creating an integrated training and research program in design thinking, prototyping, digital fabrication, robotics and artificial intelligence.
"IUP is very proud to be part of this important regional initiative and to serve as the hub of this exciting tri-county STEAMSHOP project," IUP President Michael Driscoll said. "This project builds on our faculty and programmatic strengths and reflects our commitment to enhancing the economic vitality of our regional community."
IUP said it will use the funding to strengthen and advance existing makerspaces at the university and in Armstrong and Cambria counties.
"Each of these facilities offer equipment and services that meet the needs of their coal-impacted regions while also sharing resources and programming across the three locations to broaden impact, leverage strengths and reduce duplication of effort," said Hilliary Creely, dean of IUP's School of Graduate Studies and Research.
- The Community College of Allegheny County expects to open its new Entrepreneurial Labs & Marketplace at its West Hills Center in North Fayette this summer. The college says it will give its community and regional businesses access to advanced manufacturing, robotic and automation equipment.
A variety of machining equipment, 3D printers, collaborative robots, high-end computer workstations, soldering stations and other resources will allow community members to fabricate prototypes, products for sale and digital resources at low cost, the college said. It also is designed to provide a secure co-working location and office area for people seeking to create or scale business ideas.
"The funding of the new Entrepreneurial Labs & Makerspace will enable us to build on our existing capabilities and support a greater number of organizations and individuals," CCAC advanced technologies professor Justin Starr said.
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