FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 7, 2011
Media Contact: Elinor Hargreaves 860-282-4283 ehargreaves@ccat.us
East Hartford, CT: Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, Inc. (CCAT) announced today the expansion of their Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMC) to include a state of the art Machining Applications Laboratory (MAL). The announcement was marked with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony held at CCAT’s AMC facilities in East Hartford, CT.
The AMC is an environment, equipment and resources, to evaluate new technologies, prove them out, and seamlessly transfer the process to production. The AMC allows for development and improvement of manufacturing processes without impacting on-going production. This capability helps manufacturers continually improve their competitiveness without risking production disruption. CCAT’s services were initially subsidized by a government grant, but are today paid for by commercial customers.
The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony featured a reception and guided tours of the AMC facilities. Making remarks at the ceremony were Governor Dannel P. Malloy, Congressman John Larson, Congressman Joe Courtney, Congressman Chris Murphy, Mayor Marcia Leclerc, Richard Baxter, Chairman, CCAT Board of Directors, and Elliot A. Ginsberg, President & CEO of CCAT.
“I am pleased to join our Congressional and State leaders here at the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology to celebrate the expansion of the Advanced Manufacturing Center,” said Governor Malloy. “High-tech precision manufacturing is an important part of the state’s economic future and the Advanced Manufacturing Center will be a tremendous asset to the industry. The new labs housed here will help Connecticut’s manufacturers and aid the industry as they broaden and grow their operations in the state.”
“I am a lifelong resident of East Hartford, my Dad worked at Pratt & Whitney for 37 years and when I taught school here I used to take children on tours of Pratt & Whitney,” Congressman Larson said. “It was a city within a city, it had more than 30,000 people working [at Pratt] on a daily basis in three shifts. So, it’s vitally important that we have the kind technology to prosper and grow and take us into the future. News is good for Connecticut and the investment in manufacturing is working. Down in Washington we have a slogan: ‘Make it in America.’ If we ‘Make it in America’ we re-engage our manufacturing base and every individual can make it in America.”
“Connecticut has a proud manufacturing heritage, and preserving that heritage is vital to securing our long-term economic success,” said Congressman Courtney. “There is an incredible amount of manufacturing talent and skill here in Connecticut — and it is critical that we harness it to ensure that ‘Making it in America’ remains a part of our state’s economy. Facilities like CCAT’s new Advanced Technology Center will help to ensure that our manufacturing shops remain on the leading edge.”
The AMC consists of three labs; the Laser Applications Lab (LAL), the Machining Applications Lab (MAL), and the Modeling & Simulation Lab (M&SL). The LAL utilizes state of the art equipment and expert engineers to develop advanced laser materials processing techniques for hole drilling, hole shaping, machining, welding, and coating removal, in addition to additive manufacturing (building up metal surfaces) for the repair of worn or damaged parts.
The M&SL in conjunction with the MAL uses off-the-shelf software and advanced machining techniques to help companies optimize their processes, saving them time and money. The M&SL Optics Lab at the AMC offers non-contact inspection and reverse engineering services. Further, the MS&L provides value stream mapping/discrete factory modeling, supply chain modeling/risk analysis and sustainable manufacturing development.
“The Industrial Revolution in America started in Connecticut, and we continue to lead the world in key sectors. The good, well-paying jobs of the future will be in high-end manufacturing, whether in new green energy technologies, the medical device field or in something that we can’t even imagine right now. CCAT and this new Center are positioned to be on the forefront of a renaissance in American and Connecticut manufacturing,” stated Congressman Chris Murphy.
“The AMC is a direct response to the modern needs of manufacturers in the State of Connecticut and region. We are all acutely aware of the importance of sustaining and expanding the manufacturing base and the AMC will serve to provide global opportunities to this important industry,” commented Elliot A. Ginsberg, President and CEO of CCAT. “The impressive attendance today further exemplifies our collective commitment to advancing technology and manufacturing.”
In addition to conducting projects for manufacturers to solve production problems and improve operating efficiency, CCAT will be hosting workshops at the AMC to transfer knowledge and keep manufacturers apprised of new technologies and best practices. The AMC provides a unique capability to introduce & discuss a topic such as new tooling technology or programming method and then go to a machine and demonstrate how it works.