24 MiMfg Magazine May 2017
MFG Work
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Robotics Set to Roam Motor City in 2018
Robots will take center stage in 2018 . Governor Snyder announced the FIRST Robotics Global Championship will be held in Detroit in 2018 , marking the first time the automotive and engineering hub will host the event .
FIRST ( For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology ) is an international , K-12 nonprofit that sparks interest and participation in science and technology among young people . More than 400,000 students take part in the program worldwide each year . With manufacturing continuing to struggle to find , attract , train and retain talent , the program is viewed as a gateway for future manufacturers to discover their own love for creativity and technology .
FIRST alumni are twice as likely to major in science or engineering , and more than 75 percent are in a STEM job or education program .
“ The career paths of young people can change when they get the chance to see what manufacturing is all about ,” says Chuck Hadden , MMA president & CEO . “ That can happen when they build a robot , collaborate with teammates on a goal and bring an idea to life . FIRST Robotics is building memories that these young men and women — future manufacturers — will remember and take with them for a lifetime .”
The 2018 FIRST Championship will include :
• 25 states and 35 countries
• 200 + Fortune 500 sponsors
• A potential impact of $ 30 million for the host city ’ s economy
• $ 30 million in college scholarships available to participating high school students
FIRST Robotics District Competition in March 2010 at Skyline High School in Ann Arbor .
Governor Snyder and General Motors CEO Mary Barra will be honorary co-chairs of the FIRST Championship Detroit Host Committee . The City of Detroit alone has more than 60 FIRST teams .
Toyota Says to U of M : Let ’ s Build a Better Battery
Toyota announced a $ 35 million , multi-university partnership designed to study methods for enhancing batteries for electric vehicles . The University of Michigan will be among the five universities to start the partnership .
Researchers at each university will work parallel paths toward identifying new materials for use in future systems while enhancing the tools and processes currently used to find ways to speed up future design and development . The University of Michigan will receive a $ 2.4 million investment from the Toyota Research Institute toward developing computer simulation tools to predict automotive battery performance .
The project will be overseen by the Michigan Institute for Computational Discovery and Engineering . Researchers will combine mathematical models of the atomic nature and physics of materials with artificial intelligence .
The Toyota Research Institute was established in 2015 to conduct research into auto safety for autonomous cars , increase access to mobility for those who otherwise cannot drive and help translate outdoor mobility technology into products for indoor mobility .
LorAnn Oils Reinvests in Lansing
LorAnn Oils Inc ., a Lansing-based manufacturer and distributor of premium flavorings and oils , announced plans to invest $ 1.5 million in the expansion of their Lansing location .
The expansion includes plans to build two single-story additions at its existing location and on a newly acquired 0.75-acre parcel west of its location .
“ We ’ ve simply outgrown our current facilities and this addition allows us to continue to operate in Lansing without moving ,” said John Grettenberger , CEO of LorAnn Oils .
The investment will also create nine new jobs .