CCAT expands Advanced Manufacturing Center

Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology Inc. (CCAT), East Hartford, Conn., has expanded its Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMC) to include a machining applications laboratory.

At the AMC, new technologies are evaluated, proven, and transferred to production. The center allows for development and improvement of manufacturing processes without affecting ongoing production. This capability helps manufacturers improve their competitiveness without risking production disruption. CCAT's services were initially subsidized by a government grant but are today paid for by commercial customers.

The new lab joins the laser applications lab and the modeling and simulation lab. In conjunction with the modeling and simulation lab, the machining applications lab uses off-the-shelf software and advanced machining techniques to help companies optimize their processes.

The laser applications lab develops advanced laser materials processing techniques for hole drilling, hole shaping, machining, welding, and coating removal, in addition to additive manufacturing (building up metal surfaces) for the repair of worn or damaged parts. The modeling and simulation lab includes an optics lab for noncontact inspection and reverse engineering services. It also provides value stream mapping/discrete factory modeling, supply chain modeling/risk analysis, and sustainable manufacturing development.