QC Manufacturing Institute launched to focus on R&D in defense and manufacturing industries

A collaboration between Western Illinois University, the University of Illinois and Iowa State University will focus on research and development in the defense and manufacturing sectors.

The Quad Cities Manufacturing Institute (QCMI) launched on Friday, August 23 as a catalyst for defense and manufacturing sectors across the Midwest. QCMI will focus on research, development and workforce development in advanced manufacturing and materials.

“Iowa State University is proud to be part of this groundbreaking partnership to establish the Quad Cities Manufacturing Institute,” said Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen. “This initiative will bring to bear our strengths as a land-grant university – fostering collaboration, conducting advanced research and developing innovations that support the local workforce and drive economic growth.”

QCMI plans to develop collaborations with the U.S. Army Rock Island Arsenal, businesses in the Quad Cities area, the participating universities and community colleges. The group will add a facility on WIU’s riverfront campus in Moline to its space at the Rock Island Arsenal.

“The University of Illinois System drives economic opportunity throughout the state by engaging in partnerships with the private sector and like-minded institutions of higher education,” said system president Tim Killeen. “The Quad Cities Manufacturing Institute is a powerful example, working with our partners from Western Illinois University and Iowa State University to seize a significant opportunity and leveraging our expertise to help deliver results that build a better future for all of us.”

The institute’s focus will be on cutting-edge research and development in advanced and additive manufacturing and materials. QCMI will work with defense and industry partners to transition breakthroughs into the public realm while training a skilled workforce.

“The launch of the Quad Cities Manufacturing Institute marks a pivotal moment in Western Illinois University’s commitment to innovation and workforce development,” said WIU interim president Kristi Mindrup. “This collaboration between educational institutions and industry will drive technological advancements and nurture a highly skilled workforce for the Quad Cities region and beyond.”

The institute is conducting materials research for the defense department. Researchers led by William P. King, the Ralph A. Andersen Endowed Chair in the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Peter Collins, the Stanley Chair in Interdisciplinary Engineering at Iowa State, are developing new materials to protect military troops, equipment and facilities. These materials are stronger and lighter than conventional materials and provide more protection.

The researchers are developing new technologies to design these materials and manufacture them at scale. These materials could be manufactured at the Rock Island Arsenal in the future or by area businesses for use in defense and non-defense applications. University researchers will work with the institute’s existing network of schools and industries to move the state of the art in manufacturing and materials forward while helping to maintain and develop a world-class workforce.

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