We’re answering the call to create an economically and environmentally resilient future for our nation through additive manufacturing and innovative, sustainable materials technologies.
We have developed a set of strategies and activities meant to mobilize ecosystem resources and support company development and growth. Projects include:
We design, refine, & test technologies, processes & products to improve manufacturers’ efficiency, technology readiness, and product quality.
We accelerate the commercialization timeline of AM2 and related technologies to strengthen manufacturers’ global
competitiveness.
We strengthen the manufacturing workforce pipeline by creating curriculum and quality work-based learning from middle school through adult education.
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Volvo Trucks has long been a transportation leader in advanced manufacturing and additive materials. Stationed in Greensboro, Volvo’s CampX program is fostering the next round of innovation in transportation by creating a collaborative environment where startups, industry partners, and Volvo’s teams work together, providing access to resources, expertise, and mentorship. Businesses develop and test emerging technologies like electromobility, connectivity, and autonomous driving. CampX accelerates the commercialization of new solutions that address key industry challenges through agile development practices, innovation challenges, and events.
GENEDGE’s Reconfigure Virginia’s Manufacturers for Modernization Program (Re-VAMMP) aims to boost the adoption of metal additive manufacturing (AM) among small and medium-sized machine shops in Virginia’s defense industrial base. Partnered with Virginia Tech and supported by the U.S. Department of Defense, the program addresses supply-chain bottlenecks and reliance on legacy systems that hinder innovation. Through education workshops and technical assistance, Re-VAMMP focuses on reducing production costs for manufacturers and securing the defense supply chain.
GO TEC (Great Opportunities in Technology and Engineering Careers) aims to build an education pipeline of in-demand skills, like those in additive manufacturing and advanced materials, by providing hands-on training and career exploration opportunities in various STEM fields to middle school students. The curriculum includes modules in fields such as electrical engineering, additive technologies, IT coding, welding, and fields important to additive manufacturing and advanced materials. Students participate in hands-on learning experiences, often using advanced equipment like virtual reality welding simulators, CNC machines, 3D printers, and laser cutters. GO TEC has programs in 25 middle schools across Virginia. The program plans to reach 50 schools by 2025, covering Southwest Virginia, Central Virginia, and the greater Hampton Roads area.
Led by the Virginia Manufacturers Association, the Manufacturing Skills Institute (MSI) offers industry-approved certifications and real-world experience that prepares individuals for successful careers in advanced manufacturing. These certifications are developed with industry experts and employers to ensure they align with current market demands and provide participants with relevant skills and knowledge. MSI certifications are accessible through various formats, including online courses and partnerships with educational institutions, making them available to a wide audience. The MSI program is already working with several community colleges and high schools in the AM2 Tech Hub footprint, as well as connecting workers with 20+ regional manufacturers.
In Spring 2024, the Economic Development Studio at Virginia Tech—made up of eight graduate students—considered strategies to build a robust additive manufacturing and advanced materials ecosystem by integrating technology-based economic development with approaches to inclusive development. During this semester-long course, students reviewed economic development strategies, interviewed local stakeholders, and identified local and national cases with promising inclusive practices. Students found that the AM2 Tech Hub should work with its ecosystem of partners to:
For more information, contact Sarah Lyon-Hill, sarahlh@vt.edu.
The AM2 Tech Hub team hosted a webinar in July, which examined the broad spectrum of “advanced materials”. Key panelists were Dr. Robert Moore, the Director of the Macromolecules Innovation Institute at Virginia Tech; Vince Hatcher, the Director of Operations for the Americas at Hollingsworth & Vose; and Dominic Allen, the Chief Commercial Officer at IperionX.
Source: Virginia Tech
A consortium led by the New River Valley Regional Commission has been selected for a highly competitive $500,000 federal Tech Hubs Strategy Development Grant . . .
Source: Cardinal News
Cardinal News recently reported that a consortium based in the New River Valley, in partnership with Danville and Southern Virginia organizations, plans to. . .
Source: Virginia’s New River Valley
WSLS Channel 10 recently reported that Governor Youngkin announced $1.9 million in GO Virginia grants for eight different programs. These projects help . . .
Source: GO Virginia Region 2
NRV Materials and Machinery Cluster Scale-Up will convene regional partners and develop a 10-year roadmap for supporting materials and machinery scale-up in the New River Valley . . .
Source: Cardinal News
The United States Navy is expanding its presence in Danville.
An existing Navy pilot program focuses on developing a new workforce for shipbuilding at Danville’s Institute. . .
Source: MELD Manufacturing
MELD Manufacturing announces that it has been awarded a $975 million contract by the United States Air Force to support the Rapid Sustainment Office (RSO) in optimizing the operational readiness of deployed assets . . .
Source: Office of the Governor
Governor Glenn Youngkin announced that TECHnista, LLC, an education consulting company specializing in curriculum development for K-12 programs in defense and advanced manufacturing industries, will invest $1,559,646 to establish its National Training and Technology Center . . .
How can we best collaborate to support and grow advanced
manufacturing in Virginia and the United States at large?
Led by Virginia Tech, Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, and GENEDGE, AM2 Studios streamlines regional manufacturers’ access to equipment and expertise to solve industry problems related to but also outside the scope of AM2 technologies.
Roanoke-Blacksburg Innovation Alliance leads a team of innovation partners to increase the speed to market of products for new and existing regional manufacturers, supporting the space-up of manufacturers.
With dozens of talent partners, the AM2 Career Network addresses the dire need to create a seamless pipeline of reliable and adaptive manufacturing technical talent.
