PONTIAC Regional technology alliance Automation Alley has partnered with the National Automotive Center to help Automation Alley members gain easier access to the U.S. Armys primary vehicle R&D lab.
The NAC, which is a part of the United States Army’s Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center in Warren, works to develop dual use technologies that can be used to make the next generation of Army vehicles less costly.
“Our partnership with the NAC is a tremendous step forward for this region, offering both businesses and the Army benefits including knowledge, equipment and funding exchange,” said Ken Rogers, executive director of Automation Alley. “Automation Alley members now have access to the NAC’s vehicle research facility, one of the most advanced computing and research facilities in the country.”
The partnership between the NAC and Automation Alley builds on both parties’ common interests in areas such as information technologies and services, and ground vehicle design and manufacturing, focusing on fuel efficiency, vehicle modernization, vehicle driver and crew safety, maintenance and logistics and innovative manufacturing.
“Combining the expertise and technology of the NAC and the Southeast Michigan business community brings the potential for great technological advancements,” said Doug Miller, Team Leader, Business Operations and Special Projects at the NAC. “With both parties bringing resources such as personnel, services, property and funding, we can strengthen the competitiveness of the United States through improvements and innovations.”
The Automation Alley Cooperative Research and Development Agreement provides its members with a quick way to connect to the Federal Government Laboratories that make advancements in these areas. Since the terms of the agreement are predefined in the master CRADA, Automation Alley member companies need only agree on the project definition with the NAC to begin. This eliminates lengthy approval processes and negotiation that would normally take place if the member company was approaching the NAC without Automation Alley.
Another benefit to members is the Silicon Graphics Power Challenge Supercomputer, which provides analytical support for commercial and military ground vehicle systems from concept definition through field support. The computer’s capabilities include graphics and visualization, holographic research, Linux clusters, multi-body dynamic analysis and structural analysis.
Michigan News Network, the parent company of Mitechnews.Com, is a member of Automation Alley.
