Innovative Partnerships: AI3 Links Academic Research with Industry Demands

Story by Marjorie Piechowski - from the Milwaukee Engineer Magazine To see the full version of this publication click here

When Michael Lovell became Dean of the College of Engineering & Applied Science a year ago, the first new position he requested was a Director of Corporate Relations. From his successful experience at the University of Pittsburgh, Dean Lovell knew that such a person would serve multiple purposes for the college and the local industrial community. The ideal candidate would have a strong engineering and business background, knowledge of local industry, and the communication skills and energy to increase the visibility and corporate support for the college. Lovell found such a combination of these traits in Michael Krauski, who joined the college in February 2009.

With a B.S. and M.S. in civil engineering from Marquette University and an M.B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Krauski was well prepared for this new role. After working first as an engineer for a local company and then as a software salesman to the broader engineering industry for over 25 years, Krauski knew the territory. He also liked what he saw happening in CEAS.

Just seven months after Krauski’s hiring, the college opened a new showcase facility, the Ansys Institute for Industrial Innovation, also known as AI3, a one-stop resource for interaction with industry at all levels. AI3 provides fee-for-service work, undergraduate student projects, faculty consulting, graduate student research projects, and specialized continuing education programs for industry.

The new center, equipped with state-of-the-art Ansys software, offers world-class CAE capabilities, including CAD, FEA, and simulation. AI3 is well equipped to provide rapid prototyping (Thermajet and SLA), reverse engineering (Contact and CCD Scanners), rapid manufacturing (vacuum casting, CNC machining, injection molding, electronics— PCB, microchip programming) and advanced characterization and testing (Instron, hardness, electronics, SEM, TEM).

AI3 offers multiple benefits to industry, including the ability for companies to investigate new markets or new projects without significant investment of company resources, access to potential employees already trained in their core technology, and the ability to get a completely new, out-of-the-box perspective on product development. According to Dean Lovell, AI3 helps CEAS be more responsive to industry’s engineering needs. “The Institute is the point of entry on campus for any kind of partnership that industry is seeking, from student projects to rapid prototyping,” he said.

Besides providing a single portal for industry, medical researchers, and economic development agencies to engage easily with the university and CEAS to foster economic growth and development of regional industries, AI3 also serves as a mechanism for training students in the latest new product development techniques through handson, real-world experiences.

This semester Dean Lovell is teaching an innovative engineering design class that includes students from the UWM Peck School of the Arts, a Peck faculty collaborator, and a School of Education specialist in evaluation of learning outcomes. As soon as AI3 was announced, major companies in Milwaukee jumped at the opportunity to have students tackle current industrial problems using such state-of-the-art facilities.

Six selected companies submitted seven products for research and potential development. Two projects were sponsored by GE Healthcare: design of test equipment for performance and reliability X-ray tube component testing under high g-load, and mass property measurement device. Bill Berezowitz, Vice President of Imaging Subsystems at GE Healthcare, believes that AI3 provides a fabulous way for companies to access and evaluate students on how they respond to real-world, “right-sized” problems. It also allows the students to get a feel for life outside of a text book.

Other industry projects include generator rotor coil retaining ring (RCRR) assembly and removal tooling design, sponsored by ReGENco; development of an electronically controlled valve (3/4”) for the automatic shut-off and turn-on of water service, sponsored by Badger Meter; a low-cost ground fault relay for use on a high resistance grounded system, with Eaton Corporation as the industry partner; a low-cost electric dipstick for Briggs and Stratton; new solar internally illuminated street signs for TAPCO SignLiter; and a marine radio-controlled servo for the UWM Great Lakes WATER Institute.

During a four-year period at the University of Pittsburgh, where Lovell previously taught, a similar program completed more than 500 fee-for-service projects with nearly 100 different companies. Clients reported 226 new or re-engineered products and 263 jobs created in that time. Although AI3 is just beginning, clearly its impact and innovation have already made a mark. There is a waiting list for next semester’s course and current students have received multiple job offers. AI3 has ample capacity to accommodate industry projects outside the formal course format; thus, Krauski is confident that AI3 can have a similar impact on Milwaukee’s economy.