Lake County Gazette

Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-IL), co-chair of the STEM Education Caucus, and the class of 2016 STEM Scholars visited the Digital Manufacturing Design and Innovation Institute (DMDII) – UI Labs in Chicago to give the science, technology, engineering and math students an opportunity to participate in hands-on activities using facility equipment. 

They also learned how digital manufacturing is changing industry, including the cost-saving measures provided by running digital simulations before moving on to full-scale production and how visual light-guided assembly reduces mistakes in the process.

“Visiting the Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute with our STEM Scholars was exciting and inspiring," Hultgren said. "We saw first-hand how government, industry and academia are needed to link arms in developing the next groundbreaking tools, techniques and minds to thrive in a 21st-century global economy.”

DMDII partners with academia, industry and non-profits as well as government agencies in researching and developing projects in digital manufacturing and design. Part of the educational program is to share information about this technology with students.

“Our scholars had an opportunity to see the ways in which companies like Caterpillar, Rolls-Royce and Microsoft are collaborating together with dozens of universities in a regional hub to bring these ideas to market and keep making things in America," Hultgren said. "It was a great chance to show our scholars the STEM skills that businesses need while giving them some hands-on learning on the shop floor. Their future is bright and I hope they realize how valuable they are making themselves by their dedication to solving problems and learning in our toughest fields.”