A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on May 2 for the lab, which will provide smart manufacturing instruction to students in programs within the College of Engineering and Computing.
Miami University has officially opened its new Smart Factory Innovation and Technology (SMART-FIT) Lab with a ribbon cutting celebration having been held on May 2. The SMART-FIT Lab was established through the university’s initiative to create talent pipelines for students to find careers in the local smart manufacturing industry.
According to an article on Miami University's website, Kumar Singh, who serves as the chair of the Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering department, was quoted as saying of the new lab, “It offers a hands-on learning environment for students, a research hub for faculty, a testing ground for industry exploring automation and process innovation, and a resource for professionals looking to upskill and stay ahead in today’s rapidly evolving manufacturing landscape. It brings together students and faculty from engineering, computer science, supply chain, and entrepreneurship. Electrical and robotics engineers can work on control systems and vision technology, while chemical and biomedical engineers explore process automation and devices. Entrepreneurship and Emerging Technology in Business and Design students can prototype and test tech-enabled products using the lab’s smart equipment.”
Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering faculty members Fazeel Khan, Ph.D., Giancarlo Corti, Ph.D., Kumar Singh, Ph.D., Clayton Cooper, Ph.D., and Karl Reiff, M.Ed. collaborated with a Miami University alumnus, Scott Summerville, who is the president and CEO of Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc., to come up with the idea for the SMART-FIT Lab and what it would look like.
The SMART-FIT Lab gives students the opportunity to work on different modules, including molding, assembly, and packaging. Students will be able to observe as well as work with the modules hands-on to enhance their knowledge. The lab was partially funded via the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s Regionally Aligned Priorities in Delivering Skills (RAPIDS) and Super RAPIDS grants.
Sarah Freeman, a student who is majoring in Mechanical Engineering and Manufacturing Engineering, shared her enthusiasm for the new lab, saying, “In addition to the technical skills that working with industry-grade equipment provides, a lab like this teaches you really critical problem-solving skills for the workforce. Fundamental engineering classes are great for laying a technical foundation, but real-world problems do not have an answer key in the back of a book. This lab is one-of-a-kind, which will result in one-of-a-kind opportunities to solve exciting and challenging problems.”
For more information about Miami University, visit the school’s website.