DCED tech grants go to 8 Lehigh Valley companies

Eight projects in the Lehigh Valley were among 43 in the state to receive grants in through Gov. Tom Wolf’s $2.8 million Manufacturing PA Initiative.

The projects, part of Manufacturing PA’s fellowship program, “will spur new technologies and processes in the manufacturing sector,” according to a release from the Department of Community and Economic Development.

The fellowship program pairs graduate and undergraduate students from colleges in Pennsylvania with local manufacturers. The students then pursue research projects to develop new technologies and advance innovation. The approved projects are in several sectors manufacturing sectors, from advanced medical, to energy, to consumer goods.

Recipients included the following:

• eCO2dye, Allentown, and Drexel University received a $54,827 grant to demonstrate a new method of using sc-CO2 to dissolve and disperse dyes.
• Norotek LLC, of Emmaus, and Lehigh University, received $69,875 for “Pennsylvania Based Development of Smart and Adaptive Extrusion Manufacturing at Noortek LLC.” The prototype systems to be developed, tested, and validated during the project will enable increased production throughput while minimizing capital expenses, die change-over time and other associated operational costs.
• EnerSys, Reading, and Temple University, received $69,977 for “INVEST: Intelligent, Networkable, and Versatile Energy Storage Technology” to develop next-generation energy storage technologies.
• Adhezion Biomedical, Wyomissing, and Lehigh University, received $70,000 for “Fabrication of High Strength and Biocompatible/Bioabsorbable Surgical Skin Adhesives for Wound Closure.”
• Coexist, LLC, of Blandon, Berks County, and Thomas Jefferson University, received $69,212 for “Hemp Reinforced Bio-Plastic for 3D Printing.” Thomas Jefferson University will work with Coexist to develop a line of hemp-reinforced polymer 3D printing filaments that are biodegradable, sustainable, and have superior mechanical and physical properties.
• Whitehall, Pa., Moon Township, Pa., and Lehigh University received $69,881 for “Development of Refractories for Renewable Energy Applications.” The successful completion of this project will lead to the development of new refractory-castable formations specifically designed for solar thermal applications.
• Solarflux Energy Technologies, Inc., Bethlehem, and Lehigh University received $69,909 for “Manufacture of Membrane Modules for Cleaning PA Fracking Flow-back Water Using Membrane Distillation Process.” The proposed work will manufacture Membrane Modules that will be used for solar-assisted MD to clean Fracking wastewater.
• Mack Trucks, Inc., Macungie, and Penn State University, received $70,000 for “Human Error Reduction in Mack Truck Operations.” The research team seeks to better understand errors currently attributed to lack of attention and forgetfulness.

The fellowship program was developed through collaboration with research institutions, manufacturers and industrial resource centers across the commonwealth.