Advanced Manufacturing Centers
Solutions and Innovations
The Centralina region is home to a multitude of Advanced Manufacturing Centers dedicated to providing research, consultations, services and solutions to help companies thrive.
Industrial Extension Services @ NC State University
Headquartered at North Carolina State University, the Industrial Extension Services (IES) was the first of its kind in the United States, and was established in 1955 to help North Carolina industries grow and prosper. IES provides education and technical assistance to businesses and industries to help them stay abreast of the latest technologies and best manufacturing practices. The end result is increased operational efficiency, productivity, quality and profits. Assistance ranges from business solutions and environmental and safety management to lean enterprise and on-site peak performance training.
Central Regional Contact information:
Counties: Anson, Cabarrus, Rowan, Stanly, and Union
704-369-9019
Counties: Gaston and Mecklenburg
800-603-5635 Ext 4141
Counties: Alexander, Catawba, Cleveland, Iredell and Lincoln
828-327-4550
Email: ies_services@ncsu.edu
North Carolina Small Business and Technology Development Center
By providing management counseling and education services to small and mid-sized businesses, the North Carolina Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC) helps small business owners and start-ups meet the challenges of today’s business environment, manage that ever-changing world, and plan for the future of their business.
8701 Mallard Creek Road
Charlotte, NC 28262
Email: info@sbtdc.org
Polymers Center of Excellence
Polymers Center of Excellence provides specialized training and local expertise for companies that manufacture products from plastics and rubber for various industries, including automotive, furniture and medical. Services include in-plant engineering out reach assistance, education, training, process and product development, and engineering reference services.
8900 Research Drive
Charlotte, NC 28262
Email: Contact-us@polymers-center.org
The Charlotte Visualization Center
The Charlotte Visualization Center is a regional Visualization and Analytics Center for the National Visualization Center located at Pacific Northwest National Labs and is funded by the Department of Homeland Security. The Center focuses on analysis and decision-making processes.
Dr. William Ribarsky, Director
Woodward Hall
9201 University City Blvd.
Charlotte, NC 28223
Email: ribarsky@uncc.edu
Phone: 704-687-8444
Gaston College East Campus and Textile Technology Center
Forming research partnerships with industry and the community college system, the Gaston College East Campus and Textile Technology Center is dedicated to developing a world-class workforce for the North Carolina textile industry through new and sample product development, product testing, training and consulting. Six on-site laboratories are stocked with modern textile equipment including a “mini-manufacturing site” yarn production lab, a knitting and weaving lab, a dyeing and finishing mini-plant, and labs for chemical and physical testing.
7220 Wilkinson Blvd
Belmont, NC 28012
704-825-3737
Institute for Manufacturing Productivity
A cooperative effort between York Technical College, Okuma, Charmilles, and other manufacturing partners, the Institute for Manufacturing Productivity (IMP) is a 20,000 square-foot training facility located on the York Tech campus that trains local industry in identifying in-house manufacturing, processes and operational improvements. Manufactures that have been assisted by the IMP include General Motors, Harley Davidson, Ingersol-Rand, John Deer and Siemens.
York Technical College’s new 17,00 square-foot training center, called 3D Systems University, operates in partnership with 3D Systems Corporation to train customers from around the world in the use of the company’s innovative products, services and technologies. The training center also serves as a showcase for the digital manufacturing technologies and as a place to demonstrate how 3D Systems’ technologies are changing the world of manufacturing in almost every industry.
William W. Beaver, P.E. - Associate Dean
Email: bbeaver@yorktech.com
The Center for Precision Metrology @ University of North Carolina at Charlotte
The Center for Precision Metrology is an interdisciplinary association of researchers and industry partners that collaborate on the research, development and integration of precision metrology as applied to manufacturing. The nationally recognized program focuses on intelligent manufacturing, precise machinery measurements, metrology instrumentation, nanotechnology, and subatomic measurement.
Dr. Robert Hocken, Director
Dr. Scott Smith, Associate Director
Duke Centennial Hall - Room 108
9201 University City Blvd.
Charlotte, NC 28223
Phone: 704-687-8220
Regional Analytical Chemistry Laboratory @ University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Staff at the Regional Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (RACL) provides state-of-the-art analytical chemistry and technical consulting services to industries in the region using the lab’s nobler magnetic resonance spectrometer, chromatograph/mass spectrometer, and a variety of equipment for the separation an isolation of organic and inorganic compounds. Industries served include synthetic fibers and textiles, surfactants, dyes, polymers, plastics, adhesives and coatings, and engineering resins.
Dr. Craig Ogle, Director
Dr. John Pickett, Research Scientist
Robert Cope, Research Assistant
Burson Building, Room 221
9201 University City Blvd.
Charlotte, NC 28223
Phone: 704-687-3151
Central Piedmont Community College
Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC), a multi-campus facility serving Mecklenburg County, has a new facility in Charlotte using Integrated Systems Technology (IST) to train displaced workers for new jobs that require setting up, operating, and maintaining a variety of high-tech manufacturing systems. The program includes both instructor-led classes and hand-on training in electronics, hydraulics and pneumatics, piping systems, electrical sensors and basic mechanical devices.
P.O. Box 35009
Charlotte, NC 28235
704-330-2722
Laboratory of Information Integration, Security and Privacy @ University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Designated by the NSA as a Center of Academic Excellence in information assurance education, the Laboratory of Information Integration, Security and Privacy (LIISP); the center provides innovative educational programs, research and development in the areas of information integration, security, and privacy.
Dr. Gail-Joon Ahn, Director
Woodward Hall 310F
9201 University City Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28223
Email: gahn@uncc.edu
The Center for Lean Logistics and Engineering Systems @ University of North Carolina at Charlotte
The Center for Lean Logistics and Engineering Systems provides custom training solutions that can significantly affect a company's performance. The center’s expertise is in lean system design, planning and analysis, and quality management. The center is striving to be the premier logistics and engineered systems design, analysis and implementation portal for supply chain, logistics, and engineering professionals from the industry, the government agencies, and the academia.
Dr. S. Gary Teng, Director
Dr. Ertunga C. Ozelkan, Associate Director
9201 University City Blvd.
Charlotte, NC 28223
Email: clles@email.uncc.edu
Fax: 704-687-3616
The North Carolina Motorsports and Automotive Research Center
The North Carolina Motorsports and Automotive Research Center (NCMARC) supports the motorsports and automotive industries by providing education, workforce training and research infrastructure in such areas as computational fluid dynamics, instrumentation development, dynamic analyses and simulation. Additional research includes the investigation of economic development strategies and recommendation to promote and expand the motorsports industry in the region.
Dr. James F. Cuttino, Director
9201 University City Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28223
704-687-8325
Email: jcuttino@uncc.edu
Center for Optoelectronics and Optical Communications @ University of North Carolina at Charlotte
General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman and Digital Optics are among the companies forming research partnerships with the Center for Optoelectronics and Optical Communications. The Center’s Technical focus is in advancing the intergradient of optical and electronic functionality for photonic devices and systems, creating better sensors and communications modules as well as developing methods for their low-cost manufacturing.
Dr. Michael Fiddy, Director
Dr. Eric Johnson, Associate Director
Grigg Hall
9201 University City Blvd.
Charlotte, NC 28223
Email: opticscenter@uncc.edu
Phone: 704-687-8117
Fax: 704-687-8241
South Piedmont Community College – Advanced Manufacturing Center
South Piedmont Community College 3500 square foot Advanced Manufacturing Center features two Hass CNC lathes, two Hass CNC Mills, three Welding stations, three manual mills, three manual lathes, six CNC mill/lathes simulators and a computer lab. Foundation course will include Applied Math, Measurement, Safety and Shop operation, Job Skills, Bronze WorkKey CRC, and Blueprint Reading. Career Building Courses include Metal / Metallurgy, Quality Control, Welding, Manual Mill, Manual Lathe, CNC Programming-Simulation, CNC Mill/Lathe Operation and Solid Works.
Stuart Wosilowski, Development and Continuing Education
4209 Old Charlotte Highway
Monroe, NC 28110
Phone: 704-290-5240
Fax: 704-290-5220
Catawba Valley Community College - Manufacturing Solutions Center
The Manufacturing Solutions Center (MSC) is experienced in a multitude of different areas and performs product testing for over 200 different manufacturers, retailers and brands. The MSC Testing Center invites customer interaction and has earned developed a reputation for strict confidentiality along with fast, accurate results using industry approved methods. They are a corporate member of AATCC, and a member of ASTM. Some of the standard test method publications used:
- AATCC
- ASTM
- ISO
- SAE
- DIN
- BS
- FTC
- CPSC
Contact: Jodi Lynch
828-327-7000 ext. 4115