ICAMS to launch statewide satellite model to expand advanced manufacturing access across Alabama
Industrial and Systems Engineering
By Dustin Duncan
Auburn Engineering’s Interdisciplinary Center for Advanced Manufacturing Systems, or ICAMS, is expanding its mission to bring advanced manufacturing technologies closer to small- and medium-sized manufacturers across Alabama.
On Auburn’s campus, ICAMS operates as a demonstration and research facility where connected machines stream live data, sensors detect equipment issues before failure and engineers model production systems virtually.
But, as director Greg Harris notes, demonstration alone is no longer enough.
“We can inform companies,” Harris said. “But that’s not the same as touching them.”
That reality drives a new $8.3 million proposal to expand ICAMS’ reach through a “satellite ICAMS” model embedded within the Alabama Community College System.
Rather than building new facilities, the plan equips existing programs with sensor packages and connected systems, allowing local manufacturers to see advanced technologies in action close to home.
“A manufacturer isn’t going to shut down operations for a multi-day trip to Auburn,” said Greg Purdy, associate professor of industrial and systems engineering and principal investigator. “But they may visit a community college 20 minutes away.”
The model also creates a feedback loop: data generated in community college labs will flow back to ICAMS, where researchers can develop predictive models and decision-support tools.
The proposal emphasizes workforce development and practical adoption, including expanded Industry 4.0 curriculum, internship pathways and training that helps workers integrate new technologies into existing operations.