NIU celebrates EIGERlab dedication

by Joe King

The little things that will be made at EIGERlab created big news in Rockford last week when the facility officially was opened and dedicated.

The lab is a research and development center devoted to advanced manufacturing. Experts from NIU and other universities, including the University of Illinois and Northwestern University, will work with local companies on one of the center’s primary goals – transforming manufacturing – moving from machines that are massive in scale to those that are micro.

These tabletop-sized “factories” will be used to produce the miniscule gears, sprockets and other parts that will be used in the next generation of machinery to make parts for fuel cells, medical implants (such as artificial hearts or even artificial spines) or in the tiny gyroscopes or switches used in miniaturized military hardware. They will do so at a fraction of the cost of current machinery.

Such devices are considered by many to be the next great revolution in manufacturing and EIGERlab is intended to put Rockford, and the entire state of Illinois, at the forefront of that revolution.

“We are here today because we want everybody to know we are the leader in advanced manufacturing,” said Congressman Don Manzullo, who helped secure much of the funding for the lab. “We’re going to stay the leader, we’re going to set the standard around the world, and people will come here from everywhere in the world to see the machines we are making here.”

Working closely with manufacturers on reaching that goal will be NIU faculty and graduate students who will have the opportunity to be intimately involved in the research and development work at the laboratory. The success of such work is expected to ultimately lead to the creation of new manufacturing jobs and companies in Rockford, a prospect that excites NIU President John Peters.

“Universities can not only create new workers, but also help create new jobs for areas like Rockford. Across our country, vibrant regional economies have strong research capacity and the ability to convert university research and expertise into successful commercial activity – EIGERlab will provide just such capacity to Rockford,” Peters told the crowd of 150 people gathered for the May 26 dedication.

One project underway at EIGERlab, the Rapid Optimization of Commercial Technology, or ROCK, has great potential to improve the Rockford economy.

The project, funded by a $2.5 million grant from the Department of Defense that is being administered by NIU, is aimed at helping the U.S. military develop better combat vehicles at a more reasonable cost.

Working with local manufacturers, faculty from the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology will identify new technologies and the best practices of the commercial and manufacturing sectors and devise ways to use them in the construction of the next generation of U.S. fighting vehicles. The hope is that the Rockford-area companies that contribute to that process will have an edge in winning the Department of Defense contracts to build those vehicles or components, attracting jobs to the region.

At the lab, NIU also will work with small and medium sized companies to introduce up-to-date manufacturing technology and techniques that will allow them to make their products faster, lighter, stronger, enhancing their ability to compete in the global marketplace.

“The College of Engineering and Engineering Technology is committed to serving the region for its education, training, development and manufacturing modernization needs,” said Promod Vohra, dean of the college. “We look forward to sharing our state-of-the-art facilities and the knowledge base of our faculty and students with all of the universities and businesses associated with the lab. We are excited to begin collaborating on research at the lab and participating in the transformation of American manufacturing.”

The EIGERlab project is unique in the nation, and one that is being closely watched.

Assistant U.S. Secretary of Commerce Brett Palmer, who participated in the opening ceremonies, praised the undertaking, hailing it as a model example of how the public and private sectors can work together to strengthen the economy.

“What we have here today is a perfect example, and I think the benchmark nationally, on how to approach manufacturing,” Palmer said.

6-1-04