New manufacturing lab to open at Iowa State Research Park

Iowa State University’s Center for Industrial Research and Service and Alliant Energy will team up to open a new manufacturing lab at the ISU Research Park. 

The ISU Digital Manufacturing Lab, set to open this summer, will help Iowa manufacturers experiment with emerging technology and learn more about tools like robotics and automation.

CIRAS, founded in 1963, is an arm of both Iowa State's College of Engineering and the Office of Economic Development and Industry Relations. 

"This is what CIRAS does," Mike O’Donnell, director of the CIRAS Manufacturing Extension Partnership program, said in a news release. "We are going to be an unbiased source to help manufacturers identify the right technology for them at the right time."

Alliant Energy committed more than $100,000 toward the new lab — the largest private gift to CIRAS ever. The utility will offer advice and counsel to businesses, while also collaborating with ISU faculty and students on research opportunities and internships. 

"Affordability and success go hand-in-hand," Terry Kouba, president of Alliant Energy’s Iowa energy company, said in a company news release. "When our industrial and commercial customers are more successful, it gives us greater flexibility to control costs for all of our customers."