Penn State University: ARL recognized for electronics manufacturing excellence with $50M Navy award
Penn State’s Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) has been designated as a Navy ManTech Electronics Manufacturing Center of Excellence (EMC) by the U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR). The five-year, $50 million award recognizes ARL as a Navy ManTech Center of Excellence, one of only seven such centers in the country, each focused on a specific competency.
Centers in the program serve as focal points for the development and transition of new manufacturing processes and equipment in a cooperative environment with industry, academia, and the Naval Research Enterprise. Each center must complete a rigorous proposal process and demonstrate quality standards that emphasize transitioning affordable technology to the fleet. Receiving the designation of Navy ManTech Center of Excellence recognizes ARL’s technical acumen, the skill and experience of its principal investigators, and its capabilities not only in the lab but also across the larger Penn State community.
“The EMC will leverage the skills and knowledge base of Penn State’s well-recognized electrical engineering [department] and related colleges,” said Kenneth Freyvogel, EMC technical director. “These colleges have strong competencies in electromagnetics, electronic materials and devices, integrated circuits and systems, signal processing, and power and energy systems.”
The potential for growth and the diversity of future projects serve as advantages for both ARL and the U.S. Navy. ARL has enjoyed a long-standing partnership with the Office of Naval Research, serving as a trusted agent and critical partner in the pursuit of national security missions. As part of its mission, the EMC will develop naval platform-related manufacturing technologies and transition those technologies for implementation in electronics manufacturing and other industrial facilities.
Through cutting-edge technology and research, the EMC aims to decrease costs for Navy platforms, accelerate the speed of transition to the fleet, and build a wealth of institutional knowledge that will help to increase overall operational efficiency. The EMC will draw on its expansive portfolio of electronics-related competencies and experience, including: materials and devices, integration, packaging, supply chain engineering, position and navigation systems, signal processing, sonar, radar, guidance and control systems, piezo materials and transducers, and energy storage and power systems.
ARL’s EMC joins two other Penn State-based ManTech Centers of Excellence: the Institute for Manufacturing and Sustainment Technologies and the Electro-Optics Center. All three centers operate as part of the ARL Materials and Manufacturing Office. Jason Hunnell, division head for Electro-Optics and Electronics, noted, “We’ve been supporting ONR for more than 20 years as their ManTech Center of Excellence for Electro-Optics. We’re honored to expand our services to ONR by leveraging Penn State’s extensive expertise in electronics technology areas.”
“The field of electronics is changing rapidly right now in so many ways,” added EMC Director John Mazurowski. “Putting our skills and experience to work in support of our nation is a privilege.”
About the Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State
The Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State, a University Affiliated Research Center, was established in 1945 at the request of the U.S. Navy. ARL supports national security, economic competitiveness, and quality of life through education, scientific discovery, technological demonstration, and successful transition to application. As part of ARL, the Materials and Manufacturing Office offers advanced expertise in materials design, materials processing, component design, manufacturing systems, logistics, and sustainment. The Materials and Manufacturing Office operates three Navy ManTech Centers of Excellence: the Institute for Manufacturing and Sustainment Technologies, the Electro-Optics Center, and the Electronics Manufacturing Center.
About the Navy Manufacturing Technology Program
The Navy Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Program, operated out of the Office of Naval Research, is focused on affordability improvements for specific key acquisition platforms and capability acceleration as defined in the Navy ManTech Investment Strategy. Key platforms currently targeted include: the CVN 78 Class carrier; the DDG 51 Class destroyer; FFG(X) Guided missile frigate; the VIRGINIA Class Submarine / OHIO Replacement Program; and the Joint Strike Fighter. ONR ManTech helps these Navy programs achieve their respective affordability goals by transitioning developed manufacturing technology, which, when implemented, results in needed cost reduction or cost avoidance. Capability acceleration is getting new technologies to the fleet faster. Issues addressed must be production-or manufacturing technology-related.
The work addressed in this release will be supported by the Office of Naval Research under Contract No. N00014-21-D-7003. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Office of Naval Research.