While millions of dollars fund university research each year from federal programs like the National Science Foundation, UB faculty and research centers also form partnerships with area companies on research and development for new and improved manufactured products.

The Center for Industrial Effectiveness works to match a company’s product development requirements with faculty members that are doing research in a related field. We work frequently with the New York State Center for Engineering Design and Industrial Innovation (NYSCEDII) on projects with area industry. NYSCEDII specializes in virtual reality systems, prototyping, finite element analysis, and complex modeling and animation.

We also facilitate access to university testing labs for companies seeking quality assurance or material analysis. Testing facilities include the South Campus Instrumentation Center, Chemistry Instrumentation Center, Composite Materials Research Laboratory, and the Institute for Lasers, Photonics and Biophotonics.

Project Examples

For Ford Gum, faculty from the Chemical Engineering Department worked to develop a reformulation of the base stock for the company’s chewing gum products. The team developed testing protocols in a series of laboratory scale tests to get the temperatures, mixing time and general procedures just right.

Testing completed for the GM Powertrain engine plant included spring testing/metallurgical analysis and force displacement studies relating to cylinder heads.

For Flexovit, a producer of industrial grinding wheels, work involved modifications to resins used in product manufacturing. The team included faculty, post-doctoral staff and graduate students from the Chemical Engineering Department.

Work for Biophan, a medical technology company, has included product development support from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Research relates to improving pacemaker components.

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