DETROIT — The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI) is fine tuning its research and development plans.
Speaking at the Detroit Department of Transportation headquarters Sept. 17, Vice President Joe Biden noted the institute's decision to locate an industry collaboration facility in Detroit to support production-scale composite material developments.
The institute will focus on developing fiber-enforced polymer composites for the auto industry, such as carbon- and glass-fiber.
Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, along with $15 million over five years from the Michigan Economic Development Corp., the institute will share space with a previous federally-funded consortium, Institute for Lightweight Innovations for Tomorrow (LIFT), in Detroit's Corktown, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder's office said in a news release.
“Lightweighting is critical to our future. We want to own the 21st century in innovation and composites are a big part of that goal. That's why we're making a $40 million investment in composites in the composites institute [IACMI] co-locating in a facility in Detroit,” Biden said.
The composites scale-up facility will be run by Michigan State University, which leads IACMI's vehicle technology area in Detroit.