LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KRQE) – A state university got millions of dollars to take New Mexico’s manufacturing capabilities to the next level. New Mexico State University was awarded a federal grant to improve economic partnerships.
“The overall hope is for us to make advanced manufacturing an economic driver for the state,” said Jay Misra, Associate Dean of Research in the College of Engineering.
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New Mexico State University said they want to be one of the state’s leaders in the field of manufacturing technology. They say they plan to do it with the help of a $7 million grant that will create a network among universities across the state.
“This grant money is primarily to build the research foundation for this, so what we are trying to do with this money specifically is to get 3D printers in the research universities,” said Misra.
Jay Misra is the Associate Dean in the College of Engineering at NMSU. He said they noticed rural communities in New Mexico would often suffer due to delays in manufacturing supplies. That’s when they came up with the idea of putting 3D printers in different cities across the state that would be able to create needed supplies.
“Many of our communities are agricultural so you know think about farm implements, think about you going out and realizing your tractor doesn’t work because something broke down. I could actually build a part and get it welded immediately,” said Misra.
Misra said before they can get the printers into towns they will be testing it with other institutions. Including the University of New Mexico, Navajo Technical University, and the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. Misra said they are confident they can bring New Mexico on the international map with advanced manufacturing innovation.
“This is a technology that can bring everybody’s quality of life up because it affects them in different walks of their life,” said Misra.
NMSU said they currently have ten researchers but are recruiting more. If anyone is interested in applying, they can email the College of Engineering.
