Each month, TEAM TN features its partners that make this work possible. Today, we’re highlighting IACMI—The Composites Institute. We spoke with Chad Duty, Chief Executive Officer, about IACMI, its mission and why the organization joined TEAM TN.
Why is advanced mobility important to IACMI?
The substantial shift toward electrification has created new opportunities for composites. Clean sheet designs allow for the realization of all the advantages composite materials provide in terms of performance, design flexibility, and embedded functionality without competing against embedded processes and equipment for traditional materials. The ability to minimize weight with composites is a game changer for the EV industry and potentially for the state of Tennessee. IACMI’s collaboration with Volkswagen to validate substituting composites at scale and lower the weight of a liftgate by 35 percent in the Atlas SUV exemplifies the impact of composites on fuel efficiency and electric vehicle range.
Why did IACMI sign on to TEAM TN?
The disruption in the world of ground transportation, driven by electrification, autonomy, and personal mobility, has made Tennessee an ideal location for composites innovation. The investments made by multiple automobile companies, including Volkswagen, Nissan, GM, and Ford, in the state have positioned Tennessee at the forefront of this transformation.
We believe in the power of collaboration and partnership to drive innovation and accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies.
What does IACMI hope to gain through the initiative?
IACMI’s industry-driven focus on technology, commercialization, and workforce development aligns well with TEAM TN’s mission to accelerate advanced manufacturing, technical innovation, and workforce solutions for a cleaner, more sustainable, secure, and competitive U.S. economy. We see this initiative as an opportunity to showcase our capabilities in advanced composites and manufacturing and to work with partners to develop new technologies and applications.
What makes TN the right state for this kind of initiative?
Tennessee is at the forefront of a new industrial revolution, leveraging advanced materials, composites, and smart manufacturing techniques. Nowhere else in the U.S. can you find such a premier composites coalition — home to IACMI, Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility and Carbon Fiber Technology Facility, the University of Tennessee and Vanderbilt University. This coalition, coupled with world-renowned engineers and researchers, one-of-a-kind advanced materials facilities, and composite manufacturing entrepreneurs, has made Tennessee the epicenter for advanced composites and manufacturing innovation.
Anything else you would like to add?
Since its establishment by the Department of Energy in 2015, IACMI has served over 35 Tennessee-based companies and core innovation partners that are leading the way in the innovation and commercialization of composites and other advanced materials across various industries, including vehicles, aircraft, wind energy, recycling, infrastructure, and construction. This has solidified Tennessee’s position as one of the largest manufacturing regions in the United States.
We’re excited to be a part of TEAM TN and to contribute our expertise in advanced composites and manufacturing to this important initiative.