CCAM Hosts Technology Summit Sponsored by Siemens and the Atlantic Magazine

DISPUTANTA, VA - May 6, 2014 - Over 200 people attended a technology summit, titled "Building the Future" on Wednesday, June 4, at the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM), sponsored by Siemens and The Atlantic magazine. A series of panel discussions explored new technologies, workforce skills and policies that are strengthening the resurgence of advanced manufacturing in the Commonwealth of Virginia. 

The "questions and answers" format discussions led by Bob Cohn, Co-President and Chief Operating Officer, The Atlantic, included thoughtful insights from Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe; U.S. Representative Bobby Scott; Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade, Maurice Jones, and leaders from the Commonwealth's higher education institutions and CCAM organizing business partners.

CCAM President and Executive Director, Joseph Moody welcomed participants, including those who joined by watching a worldwide Internet broadcast on The Atlantic's website.

"It is an honor for CCAM to host this group of highly respected thought leaders in Virginia. We thank Siemens, a CCAM organizing member, for organizing this event and its dialogue about the challenges and opportunities we face to continue growing advanced manufacturing in our region." Moody said.

At the technology summit, Siemens also announced more than one billion dollars of in-kind software grants for manufacturing programs at community colleges and universities in Virginia. The grants are part of ongoing workforce development collaboration among community colleges, universities and organizations like CCAM, the Virginia Manufacturers Association and the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center (SHVEC) - an organization that provides workforce training to the rural population.

Seven academic partners throughout the state are receiving in-kind software grants to support curriculum and training programs including CCAM University member, Virginia State University.

"These grants from Siemens epitomize the collaborative partnerships that CCAM represents," said VSU President Keith T. Miller. "The research these funds will allow us to accomplish will, in turn, be returned to our CCAM partners and utilized in their processes."

As software plays an increasing role in the next era of manufacturing, students and faculty will use the software in assignments and research related to computer-aided-design, engineering simulation, industrial design, digital manufacturing and manufacturing management. The in-kind grants will also help to expand and modernize manufacturing curriculum in design and process technologies. By using the software in their course work, academic and research projects, students can develop the advanced skills sought after by the more than 77,000 customers who utilize Siemens' software and technology solutions worldwide. This includes nearly 90 companies throughout the region and Commonwealth of Virginia who rely on Siemens' PLM and CAD software including employers such as: Newport News Shipbuilding, Rolls-Royce and Orbital Sciences Corp.

CCAM is based at a state-of-the-art facility in Prince George County, Va., that provides production ready advanced manufacturing solutions to member companies across the globe.

Members guide the research, leveraging talent and resources within CCAM and Virginia's top universities through a collaborative model that enables them to pool research and development efforts to increase efficiencies.

CCAM industry and government members include Canon Virginia Inc., Chromalloy, Newport News Shipbuilding, Rolls-Royce, Sandvik Coromant, Siemens, Sulzer Metco, Aerojet Rocketdyne, Blaser Swisslube, Hermle Machine Co., Mitutoyo, Paradigm Precision, Buehler, Cool Clean Technologies, GF AgieCharmilles, Mechdyne, National Instruments, and NASA Langley Research Center. Academic partners are the University of Virginia, Virginia State University, Virginia Tech and Old Dominion University.