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Ramaswamy Nagarajan, who helps lead the research at the center,
said the point is to develop next-generation products like wearable
electronics, temperature-resistant fabrics and wound-healing
medical textiles, along with the automated production processes to
make it practical to manufacture them in the U.S.
"The whole thing has been awesome all around," Perez said, "To
take experiments or results you get and then practically apply it to a
product that's being sold and marketed all around the world."
Stephen Burbine, a 23-year-old graduate student who's also working
at the center in Lowell, said he's been doing hands-on
manufacturing tasks, creating new kinds of materials to be used to
make flexible antennas or clothing with sensors. Burbine said he's
looking forward to a career as a plastics engineer, and he's found
working at the center, with its industry partners and state-of-the-art
equipment, a worthwhile and challenging experience.
"Doing research is great," he said. "You really have to be on your
game."
For Stuart Daudlin, a 22-year-old who graduated from the
University of Michigan with a degree in engineering physics earlier
this year, taking part in a Manufacturing USA program this
summer was a step toward his goal of working in manufacturing.
"I was always interested in building new things – Legos as a kid," he
said. "I like to build things and see how they can affect other people
and society."
Fabric Discovery Center
Location: Lowell
College affiliation: UMass Lowell
Founded: 2018
Purpose: To engage companies, researchers
and students in the design and pilot
manufacturing of high-tech fabrics and wearable
electronics
P H O T O / M A T T H E W W R I G H T
P H O T O / M A T T H E W W R I G H T
Peter Perez uses the Fabric Discovery Center to try and solve solar
panel problems.
Siddhant Iyer works on plastics engineering and junior organic photovoltaics for wire coatings.
