Industry 4.0 Integration Lab Archives

March 27, 2025

ATDM Students Tackle Real-World Projects

Inside the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) Industry 4.0 Integration Lab, students from the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program and their instructor examine the robots, fixtures, work areas and CNC machines. They take detailed measurements and ask questions.

Butch Kendrick, IALR’s Director of Digital Manufacturing, has explained several “problems” he’s encountered in the lab. He asks these students to develop creative solutions using additive manufacturing to design and print different fixtures; the goal is to better support the Industry 4.0 Integration Lab’s mission of demonstrating and teaching Industry 4.0 concepts.

During the four-month program that prepares adult learners to work in the Maritime Industrial Base (MIB), ATDM students don’t just learn theory; they tackle real-world problems.

“Working on real projects while in the ATDM program significantly enhances the students’ readiness and confidence as they enter the workforce.” – Cheryl Terry, Director of ATDM Training and Technology, IALR

ATDM: Rapid Training for Meaningful Careers

The Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing program at IALR is a hands-on training initiative designed to address the MIB workforce needs.

Currently, ATDM offers tracks in welding, additive manufacturing, CNC machining, quality control inspection (metrology) and non-destructive testing (NDT). Students benefit from tuition-free training, supportive services and guaranteed opportunities to earn industry-recognized certifications.

ATDM’s emphasis on real-world, hands-on learning ensures that students gain practical skills directly applicable to manufacturing challenges.

“We get so much more buy-in from our students when they work on real-world situations. They get more gratification from fixing problems than just doing their homework.” – Tim Holland, ATDM Additive Manufacturing Instructor, IALR

Student-Driven Fixture Design Project

To date, every cohort of additive manufacturing students has worked on a project in the Industry 4.0 Integration Lab. One of the first cohorts actually 3D printed the head of Rosie, one of the lab robots. The robot was designed to look like Bender from Futurama and eventually got the name Rosie from a Facebook naming poll.

Aaron Jacob Garcia with Rosie

“I make sure that the students understand the purpose of what they’re doing and how it all connects,” Kendrick said. “Once we do the initial session with them, the lab is open to them coming back and taking measurements and doing whatever they need to do.”

This cohort tackled four projects, including refining an existing fixture to ensure better robotic interaction and stability. Students fully managed their designs, from taking precise measurements to ensuring the fixture would securely interface with multiple table configurations.

“There is a problem, and they have to figure out how to fix it, but there’s no instruction list on how to do it,” Holland said.

Recent graduate Aaron Jacob Garcia said the experience taught him about the potential of additive manufacturing, the need for detailed, reliable measurements and the importance of understanding the end use.

“I learned that sometimes you have to make changes to make a part work for what it will be used for,” he said.

The Natural Partnership with Industry 4.0 Integration Lab

Allowing additive manufacturing students the opportunity to contribute to the Industry 4.0 Integration Lab is mutually beneficial.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for students to come out of the classroom into a real-life situation that isn’t too high pressure,” said Kendrick. “It gives them a chance to take what they’ve learned, mix it with their imagination and see what they can come up with.”

The Industry 4.0 Integration Lab provides an autonomous manufacturing environment featuring advanced robotics, automation and digital technologies. This focus makes it an ideal platform for training future manufacturing professionals, demonstrating real-world Industry 4.0 principles, and creating tangible outcomes for students and industry partners.

The Lab is housed within the Center for Manufacturing Advancement (CMA) on the IALR campus. The CMA equips manufacturers to be globally competitive by supporting the seamless integration of emerging technology into manufacturing processes.

“Allowing students to participate in these types of real-world, hands-on projects is mutually beneficial for everybody involved and furthers the mission of both the ATDM program and the CMA.” – Jason Wells, Executive Vice President, Manufacturing Advancement, IALR

May 1, 2024

Robotic Simulation Software Training Hosted at CMA

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) hosted a three-day robotic simulation class on April 16-18, providing regional community college and high school instructors with needed training for FANUC ROBOGUIDE simulation software. This was the first external training opportunity provided in the Center for Manufacturing Advancement (CMA).

A total of 15 instructors participated in the three-day course, which was taught by Butch Kendrick, IALR’s Director of Digital Manufacturing, at the CMA and sponsored by Amtek Company – the FANUC educational representative for Virginia and several other southern states.

“This workshop helped these instructors understand the possibilities and capabilities of this software and how to better integrate that knowledge into their courses. We are happy to utilize the CMA as a hub for technical training and information for industry and educators alike.” – Butch Kendrick, Director of Digital Manufacturing, IALR

Participants came from a variety of educational institutions, including Patrick & Henry Community College, New River Community College, the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center, the Pittsylvania County Career and Technical Center and a technical college in West Virginia. The hands-on, three-day workshop allowed participants to learn the operations and functionality of the FANUC ROBOGUIDE software. Fanuc is a leading supplier of robotics and automation solutions for industry.

This workshop was designed specifically for teachers working to obtain their FANUC Certified Robot Operator I certification.

“We wanted to hold a local class for our teachers in Virginia and West Virginia to highlight how to use the ROBOGUIDE software, prepping them for the certification exam and helping them better teach this program in their classrooms.” – Gary Daniels, Sales Consultant Amtek Company

Percy Pass, Instructor of the Automation and Robotics Course at the Pittsylvania County Career and Technical Center, has 10 of these robots in his classroom, and this training will help him and his students have a better experience working with them.

“This will allow the students to become familiar with the controls and overall operations of the robot, both the physical version and the simulator.” – Percy Pass, Instructor, Pittsylvania County Career and Technical Center

While no future workshops are currently on the schedule, staff in the CMA plan to offer additional training opportunities and operational workshops on the operation of different robots.

Housed on the campus of IALR, the CMA serves as the destination of choice for innovative manufacturers ready to optimize their operations and scale. The CMA features an Industry 4.0 Integration Lab focused on automation and robotics, a CNC Machining Innovation Lab that helps businesses to evaluate processes and incorporate efficiencies, and a Metrology Lab with integrated inspection capabilities required to validate product quality. The CMA is also home to the Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence.

January 29, 2024

Inside IALR Podcast: Industry 4.0: Robots, Automation and Efficiency

What is Industry 4.0? It involves interconnected machines and data analysis capabilities, and it’s what allows three robots to utilize two CNC machines and several other tools and processes to convert a piece of raw material into a finished packaged product without any human involvement inside IALR’s Industry 4.0 Integration Lab.

The “Inside IALR” team is on location inside the Center for Manufacturing Advancement (CMA) with Butch Kendrick, Director of Digital Manufacturing, to outline the goals and capabilities of the Industry 4.0 Integration Lab (0:33), discuss the main principles of Industry 4.0 (1:47), and explain the processes and technologies inside the lab (12:03). Butch describes some of the challenges in designing and implementing the Industry 4.0 Integration lab (17:38) and highlights additional technologies and processes that he hopes to add to the lab in the future (21:13).

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December 1, 2023

CNC Machining Innovation Lab to Support the U.S. Navy and Industry

A specialized camera that shoots up to 400,000 frames per second, allowing true slow-motion views of the manufacturing process.

Cutting-edge sensors that measure factors like cutting force and harmonic vibrations.

Infrared cameras that show temperature patterns throughout an operation.

These are just a few of the specialized pieces of equipment within the Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machining Innovation Lab, which is housed inside the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research’s (IALR) Center for Manufacturing Advancement (CMA). The CNC Machining Innovation Lab also plays a crucial role in the U.S. Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE), also housed within the CMA.

Featuring state-of-the-art equipment and cutting-edge technology, the CNC Machining Innovation Lab will support private industry through testing services and process optimization and help the AM CoE develop world-leading additive manufacturing “recipes” for the development of parts needed by the U.S. military.

“The vision of the CNC Machining Innovation Lab is twofold. We support the AM CoE, but we also have a vision to support industry. We’re trying to develop partnerships to help industry drive innovation and productivity with increased profitability in a rapidly changing environment.” — Kevin Thompson, Operations Manager for the Center for Manufacturing Advancement, IALR

Industry Innovation and Support: CNC Machining

Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machining is a manufacturing process where computer-controlled machines create precise and intricate parts and components. Commonplace in industries such as aerospace, electronics and healthcare, this is a subtractive manufacturing process – meaning that an existing block or item is whittled down or shaped.

The CNC Machining Innovation Lab partners with public and private manufacturers of all sizes to modernize their processes, identify and integrate emerging technologies and provide data-driven process development and optimization. Some of the capabilities include process development, process optimization, CNC programming, the integration of emerging technology, automation integration, turn-key solutions and application engineering support.

“Companies don’t have the capacity to be able to stop and try a new process. They have to find external ways of doing that, and that’s a huge role we can play. Companies can present a challenge to us and continue to produce goods while we develop a solution that suits their needs.” — Jeremiah Williams, CNC Technologist, IALR

The CNC Machining Innovation Lab boasts a broad inventory of specialized equipment, including sensors to measure factors like cutting force, slow-motion cameras to track chip formation, infrared cameras to analyze the impact of heat and much more, all with the goal of “trying to optimize processes for customers,” Thompson explains. IALR is even allowing other companies to test and utilize specialized sensors inside of the CNC Lab machines for data collection.

“Our job is not to compete with industry. Our job is to support industry.” – Kevin Thompson, Operations Manager for the Center for Manufacturing Advancement, IALR

Businesses can:

Test various processing configurations to determine the most effective design.
Review and improve existing manufacturing processes without disrupting operations at existing facilities.
Replicate processing anomalies or other challenges in a controlled environment.

The CNC Machining Innovation Lab is ISO 9001:2015 compliant, reassuring customers and partners alike that we have an internationally validated system in place to address and prevent quality issues.

The CNC Machining Innovation Lab is located across from the CMA’s state-of-the-art Metrology Lab that features one of the largest Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMM) on the East Coast with 3D scanning capability along with optical measurement systems, hardness and roundness testers and support equipment. Through a partnership with Mitutoyo and Master Gage & Tool, IALR offers the services of the Metrology Lab to regional businesses and partners who may not otherwise have access to such capabilities.

“The Metrology Lab is ideal for emerging or developing businesses to have access to this capability while building justification for their own capital investment.” – Kevin Thompson, Operations Manager for the Center for Manufacturing Advancement, IALR

“Everything we do at IALR involves partnerships and is driven by the needs of industry. Through the CNC Machining Innovation Lab and the Metrology Lab, IALR is simultaneously contributing to our nation’s defense and supporting current, new and prospective companies in Southern Virginia with needed services.” – Telly Tucker, IALR President

The CMA also includes a dynamic Industry 4.0 Integration Lab that serves as a demonstration site, showing manufacturing companies what is possible. Companies that are interested in partnering with IALR in the CNC Machining Innovation Lab or in the CMA should contact the IALR team.

Supporting the Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence

The submarine industrial base (SIB) is a system of thousands of companies that produce parts and equipment used in the production and maintenance of submarines for the U.S. Navy. IALR has partnered with the U.S. Navy – along with many other public and private organizations – in a two-pronged approach to support the SIB, the development of new submarines, and the maintenance of the existing fleet: the federal Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program and the U.S. Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE).

ATDM increases the pool of skilled labor in areas like additive manufacturing, CNC machining, welding, metrology and non-destructive testing – trades that are needed by the SIB. On the other hand, the AM CoE is focused on implementing additive technologies and processes that will allow for more efficient development of parts. Don Hairston, General Manager of Austal USA Advanced Technologies, used the analogy of making cookies during a recent presentation at the ATDM AM CoE Summit at IALR. When making cookies and especially in manufacturing parts for the U.S. Navy, each of these variables must be accounted for and done correctly for successful production: raw materials, equipment, manufacturing know-how, post-processing and finishing and quality control.

In the simplest terms, “scaling the supply chain” is one of the primary goals of the AM CoE, Hairston explained.

The AM CoE will scale and mature additive technologies that enable innovative production of submarine components to bolster naval shipbuilding and repair supply chains. Involving nine different partners, the AM CoE will increase overall manufacturing capacity and close the supply-demand gap in critical markets like castings, forgings, fittings and fasteners.

The AM CoE team will develop new technical data packages (TDP), which are essentially comprehensive “recipes” for how to utilize additive manufacturing techniques to manufacture particular components. The workflow inside the AM CoE will typically go something like this:

A team from Phillips Corporation converts 2D drawings into computerized 3D models.
IALR will provide post-processing operations, including CNC machining, saw cutting, and processing of test samples
Once all the partners sign off on the approved design, the team from Phillips Corporation will print the part.
The team from the Metrology Lab, which is operated and staffed by applications engineers from Mitutoyo and Master Gage and Tool, will complete the initial inspection. 
Industrial Inspection Analysis (IIA) provides non-destructive testing at the end of the process.

As part of the Navy’s AM CoE, the CNC Machining Innovation Lab will be utilized after the initial printing of a part, verifying that the design used for additive manufacturing can successfully be machined. Simultaneously, the IALR team will also explore and implement advanced strategies that better align with today’s manufacturing equipment and methods.

“Basically, what we will do is verify that the part that has been printed can be successfully and correctly machined without any issues.” – Jeremiah Williams, CNC Technologist

Additive manufacturing, which can also be referred to as 3D printing, is a subset of manufacturing where an object is built “from the ground up” based on a 3D model. It may seem odd that a subtractive manufacturing method would play such an integral role in the Navy’s additive manufacturing operations. While 3D printing and additive manufacturing are the primary focus of the AM CoE, subtractive methods are still essential in creating and verifying any part.

“With the current technology and dimensional requirements of the parts, you can’t simply print and install a component. You’re going to have to print it and then do some final subtractive work before the part can be utilized.” – Jeremiah Williams, CNC Technologist

Once perfected and tested, the TDPs will be shared with Navy suppliers, providing them with the “recipe” they need to produce the part correctly and efficiently. As of mid-October, the AM CoE has released 28 TDPs to the companies that will be manufacturing the parts.

Partners of the Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence include:

Austal USA	Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM)	FasTech, LLC
Industrial Inspection & Analysis	Institute for Advanced Learning and Research	Master Gage & Tool Co.
Mitutoyo	Phillips Corporation	The SPECTRUM Group

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