Of all the things said about BRIDG, I have not heard anyone say it will be easy. However, our team sure makes it look that way! While that comment applies to the many challenges we faced starting this complex entity, the visual I immediately associate with is one of our tools being passed through the side of the building. While our team knew well ahead of time that this critical tool was just too long to fit in the freight elevator, I was shocked when they told me they would need to temporarily disassemble one of the massive fresh air intakes and have a crane lift this fragile $2 million, 13,700-pound, 20 foot long piece of equipment up 40
feet into the air and pass it through the air intake opening. The engineering and logistics management plan, implemented by the BRIDG team in preparation for the installation, left me speechless as the tool slid seamlessly through the opening and into place, just as planned – making the complex task look easy. Congratulations to the entire tool installation team on this and the many other well-executed tasks associated with installing complex machinery used to produce future nanoscale devices.
In addition to initiating tools installation, this past month brought more great news. In late October, BRIDG board members, Don Fisher and Dave Saathoff, along with Osceola County Commission Chairman Brandon Arrington and several members of the Kissimmee/Osceola County Chamber of Commerce, joined Dan Holladay and me for a comprehensive tour of SUNY Poly’s Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering. The tour concluded with the ceremonial signing of a memorandum of agreement between BRIDG and SUNY Poly. Our approach to leveraging this partnership will be to take a closer look at the limited areas where we have a common focus with the idea to take a divide and conquer strategy to the challenges associated with those areas. In other words, minimize the duplication of effort and maximize the advancement of technology through the elimination of barriers. With BRIDG concentrating on helping companies rapidly move forward through product development and into low-rate production and SUNY Poly focused on supporting high volume manufacturers as they strive to achieve greater efficiencies and higher volume, there are areas where we will naturally complement each other. The combination of our strengths will help improve the value proposition that we bring to BRIDG partners, and future tenants of NeoCity, while filling gaps in new product development for SUNY Poly’s industry partners. Together, we can be more competitive for larger federal opportunities and better meet the ongoing needs of key industries, such as the growing Aerospace and Defense industry.
Partnerships remain at the heart of our continued success. We are proud to add this capability to our core partnerships with the University of Central Florida and other great universities across the region that contribute unique strengths and differentiating values to industry partners. As always, we invite you to invent the future with us here in Central Florida and beyond!
Chester Kennedy
CEO
|
|
SUNY Polytechnic Institute, BRIDG Sign Agreement Paving the Way to Partner on Advancing Next-Generation Technologies
|
|
The State University of New York Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly), a globally recognized leader in technological innovation, research and development, is the newest BRIDG partner. A signing of a Memorandum of Understanding sets the stage for SUNY Poly and BRIDG to explore working together to accelerate bringing emerging technologies to market more efficiently as well as sharing design, packaging and business development capabilities.
“SUNY Poly is globally recognized as a leader in technology innovation, research and development. Our partnership with their research foundation will accelerate our efforts to diversify Osceola County’s economic environment with high-tech investment and jobs,” said Osceola County Commission Chairman Brandon Arrington.
“The agreement with SUNY Poly allows access to a very broad set of capabilities, enabling BRIDG to focus its strategy on areas that add unique value,” said Chester Kennedy, CEO for BRIDG. “Having this partnership also contributes significantly toward the overall ecosphere of innovation in smart sensors technology available at NeoCity and in Albany through solid links to the full supply chain and instant pathways for development-to-commercialization of technologies and applications.”
“In addition to SUNY Poly’s focus on providing a hands-on college education to its students, SUNY Poly is proud to work with organizations like BRIDG to advance opportunities that can lead to further research, development, and commercialization of the technologies that increasingly play a role in moving our complex society forward,” said SUNY Poly Interim President Dr. Bahgat Sammakia. “We look forward to exploring these opportunities to leverage SUNY Poly’s unique resources and facilities to work together for our mutual benefit.”
|
|
Tools Installation has Officially Begun!
|
|
We are excited to announce that the first set of tools have been delivered and are in the process of being installed. These tools will enable us to provide prototyping, testing, and low-volume, high-mix production of advanced sensors, imagers and photonic devices. This is a major milestone, and we are happy to share it with you!
|
|
Florida Institute of Technology
|
|
While BRIDG focuses on hardware device manufacturing processes critical to smart sensors innovation requiring the high-end equipment and cleanroom technology for semiconductor fabrication, our partners at the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT)
Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Innovative Design (CAMID)
concentrate on the other side of the manufacturing process. This includes using digital information captured by sensors to predict potential failures in devices, improving overall design. After the virtual “Digital Twin” passes all tests, the physical prototype can be manufactured via additive manufacturing. CAMID allows small-to-medium sized manufacturers to test a variety of additive manufacturing tools before deciding on the best equipment for their needs.
BRIDG and CAMID complement one another, creating an ecosystem that allows for jobs creation and manufacturers of all sizes to thrive. Having these manufacturing and development capabilities, in relative proximity, serves as a job magnet for research and talent development for Florida. Thank you for the hospitality during the tour of FIT’s Harris Student Design Center and visit to Larsen Motorsports, which operates onsite.
|
|
COMMITMENT TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
|
|
Supporting School District of Osceola County – STEM Lesson at Pleasant Hill Elementary
|
|
Last month, BRIDG staff presented a STEM lesson at Pleasant Hill Elementary School. The lesson not only focused on teaching about conductivity and electricity but provided students the opportunity to work alongside engineers. BRIDG was happy to support the School District of Osceola County’s Career and Technical Education program and be part of the event’s success!
|
|
RECENT EVENTS / OTHER NEWS
|
|
Defense Innovation Technology Acceleration Challenges Summit (DITAC)
|
|
MACF Annual President's Dinner and Awards of Excellence
|
|
BRIDG was proud to support
Manufacturers Association of Central Florida (MACF)
during its Annual President's Dinner and Awards of Excellence last month. We joined several companies in showcasing the many levels of manufacturing support available in Central Florida. Congratulations to the award recipients and Bill Yeargin, President & CEO of Correct Craft, for the keynote presentation. We completely agree with Bill’s insights stating Nanotechnology and the Internet of Things are Mega Trends with significant global impacts. For photos of the event,
click here.
|
|
Informative CEO Lunch & Learn with SpaceCoast Business
|
|
Fifty business leaders from a variety of industries attended a CEO Lunch & Learn held at the Eau Gallie Yacht Club in Indian Harbor Beach, FL on October 11. Chester Kennedy shared his insights on the manufacturing development process of advanced technologies and the impact of BRIDG’s unique collaborative model. Attendees learned how BRIDG’s state-of-the-art facilities are a resource to provide unrivaled economies of scale needed for cost-effective manufacturing.
|
|
ACE 8 Conference - December 3-9
|
North-Central Florida was selected to host the
Americas Competitiveness Exchange on Innovation & Entrepreneurship (ACE)
Conference, which brings together decision-makers from across North and South America to explore global partnerships and economic development opportunities that strengthen innovation and entrepreneurship. In addition to tours at UCF and Lockheed Martin, delegates will visit BRIDG for a panel discussion focusing on the collaborative and regional efforts that brought about NeoCity.
|
|
Defense Manufacturing Conference - December 4-7
|
|
BRIDG is located at NeoCity in Osceola County, Florida.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
