March 7, 2005

University presidents: TACOM important to state, critical to Defense

ANN ARBOR, Mich.—TACOM, the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command in Warren represents “innovative research at its best,” and should be spared from closure because of the collaborative opportunities it offers the Army, industry, universities and manufacturing facilities, according to eight university presidents who are calling on the Pentagon to preserve the partnership.

The presidents of the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Wayne State University, Michigan Technological University, Western Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, Oakland University and Kettering University released a report detailing the benefits of more than 50 projects supported by TACOM.

“The opportunities for collaboration are greatly enhanced by the proximity of the research laboratories, the key industry design centers, TACOM and manufacturing facilities,’’ the report argues. “TACOM’s proximity to the Big Three automakers and research universities focusing on ground vehicle research is absolutely essential in order for TACOM to carry out its mission.”

The Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) at TACOM represents $1 billion of unique automotive laboratory infrastructure that actively supports defense-industry-academic research partnerships in Michigan and throughout the United States.

“Army-funded research is helping the Automotive Research Center (ARC) and the General Motors Collaborative Research Lab at the University of Michigan develop ‘clean diesel’ technology that combines high fuel economy with ultra low emissions, as well as hybrid alternative systems that can improve fuel economy by 75 percent, ” said ARC Director Dennis Assanis.   “This type of research benefits both commercial and military ground transportation systems.”

The synergy and leverage achieved by the military/industry/academia partnership is unprecedented: 90 percent of U.S. automotive expertise resides in Michigan and 70 percent of the ground vehicles (including tanks, trucks and Humvees) are developed under the guidance of the Warren facility. TACOM’s Michigan connection dates to World War II when Detroit’s industrial complex was crucial to victory and known as the “Arsenal of Democracy.’’

Nearly half of the 1,150 TARDEC engineers and scientists are supplied to the Warren facility by Michigan schools. TARDEC is on the TACOM grounds near the GM Tech Center.

Among the other projects being developed through the collaboration:

• Hydrogen fuel cell and hybrid technology. Several projects are underway to accelerate fuel cell research as well as hybrid, diesel and other alternatives to produce vehicles that can travel further and more efficiently on less fuel including vehicles that can operate through extreme conditions.
• Unmanned robots and vehicles. Work is underway by U-M researchers to evaluate fuel cells that could “digitize’’ the battlefield and humanitarian operations through the use of robots and remote-control guided vehicles. Oakland University researchers are also aiding efforts to provide machines with “human-like intelligence’’ to help the Army create vehicles with better navigation and control.
• Speeding up manufacturing. U-M-Dearborn researchers are helping develop processes that would use rapid prototyping techniques to manufacture new and replacement parts more quickly to save the Army and industry time and money.
• Digital human models to design future workplaces and vehicles. Work being conducted by U-M’s Human Motion Simulation Laboratory uses computer animations to allow designers to consider the different sizes, shapes, strength and mobility of people to improve designs and maximize productivity, health and safety. Don Chaffin, the lab’s director, points out: “We are now allowing a designer or engineer to predict the potential affects on a person’s safety and performance by using our enhanced human computer aided design models.’’
• Real-time biosensor water monitoring. Wayne State researchers are working with Delphi Corp. to help develop biosensor arrays that would allow military vehicles to rapidly identify bacterial pathogens and other environmental health hazards. After 18 months of development, researchers had a unit capable of developing four different hazards within 10 minutes. They are continuing further work and refinements.
• Corrosion prevention. Corrosion costs the U.S. economy $267 billion per year and costs the Defense Department $20 billion per year. Eastern Michigan University researchers are helping develop coatings and other ways to cut corrosion by a minimum of 25-30 percent.

The Pentagon is reviewing its 425 facilities to decide which to close or combine through the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. The Department of Defense is expected to propose a list of targeted bases on May 16.   Previous BRAC rounds closed 97 bases between 1988 and 1995.

For more information, contact James MacBain, director of research relations for U-M’s College of Engineering, at (734) 647-7071 or jmacbain@umich.edu

For more on TACOM, visit:

http://www.tacom.army.mil/main/mainmovie.html

For more on TARDEC, visit:

http://www.tacom.army.mil/tardec/

For more on BRAC, visit:

http://www.defenselink.mil/brac/

Contact: Joe Serwach
Phone: (734) 647-1844
E-mail: jserwach@umich.edu