Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series of articles focused on the Georgia Department of Economic Development Centers of Innovation, which has six centers located throughout the state: Aerospace, Agribusiness, Energy Technology, Information Technology, Logistics, and Manufacturing.

In an increasingly competitive global environment, Georgia’s manufacturing industry is using cutting-edge technology to develop new products for commercialization and increase the number of manufacturing-related jobs throughout the state. 

The Center of Innovation for Manufacturing, a program of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, is using university-led research to help the manufacturing industry throughout Georgia develop new products and processes. Strategically located on the Georgia Tech campus, the Center helps businesses discover new opportunities, compete in a global economy, and achieve maximum growth.

“We analyze the challenges that a manufacturer is facing and then turn to the solution providers, who are the people with the expertise and availability to address these issues and solve problems,” said John Zegers, director of the Center of Innovation for Manufacturing. “I am in the connection business where my team addresses manufacturing challenges by getting the right people together that can solve the problem.”

The Center works in partnership with the Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute (GTMI) and they work collaboratively to develop solutions facing manufacturers and budding industrial entrepreneurs; as well as create pathways to help the state’s industry grow and become more competitive.  

Due to its location, the Center discovers student-led enterprises that need additional support in getting their product commercialized. “Many of these students have developed a product as part of a class project or on their own. We have a lot of entrepreneurs and inventors in this group.” Zegers said.

Zegers says that often students are close to bringing their product to commercialization—which is the ultimate goal—but they still have some hurdles to overcome. “This is where we can help, by assisting them past their current obstacles.”

In 2014, Chibueze Ihenacho and Yegor Podgorsky, Georgia Tech biomedical engineering students, developed a hemorrhage control system to increase the survival rate of traumatic battlefield injuries. 

Zegers explains that often a traditional tourniquet-style system is not sufficient or quick enough to stop blood flow, especially to a major artery. 

“In battle, if a military person receives an injury that impacts an artery, time is of the essence to stop the blood flow and keep the person alive.” Zegers said. “Having a device that can achieve these results in only a few seconds is vital to saving a life.” 

The Center of Innovation for Manufacturing enabled a partnership with Atlanta-based T3 Labs that allowed the team to do additional testing to refine their product. 

“They were able to test the device in comparison to the one currently being used. The results proved the success of their product and were what we expected and more,” said Zegers. 

With the goal of taking product development to commercialization, Ihenacho and Podgorsky established ARMR System LLC, a company that continues to collaborate with multiple agencies in marketing the device for use by military and first responders.   

In addition to helping students with business startups and product development, the Center helps existing industries create new products, and refine their manufacturing process, all leading to increased production or improved manufacturing processes.  

When Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corporation in Newnan, Ga., needed assistance in developing a lighter weight material—one that can maintain its strength properties, as well as appearance level and standards of its current product line—they turned to the Center of Innovation for Manufacturing to refine their material development.  

The Center identified and connected Yamaha to a Georgia Tech researcher with experience in developing nanomaterials. The connection not only met the production needs of Yamaha, but it also benefited Georgia Tech engineering students with applied manufacturing research experience. In conclusion, this project provided Georgia Tech with new material testing equipment that Yamaha can now use to refine their materials for future product development. In addition, this equipment has also garnered interest many other major manufacturers. 

“The relationships we have established over the years are invaluable,” said Zegers. “Not just knowing the right person to solve the problem but being able to work with manufacturers and having them respond to you because they know you, and they know the value of your work."  

Georgia’s manufacturing industry represents more than 480,000 employees and accounts for 92 percent of the state’s export. 

“We are here to promote the manufacturing industry, and we have the resources and workforce to help startup companies and help existing companies improve their production or develop new products.”