Energy leaders from around the world attending the inaugural Global Clean Energy Action Forum will see firsthand our region's transformation into a hub of innovation and sustainability. Participants in the forum — hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy and Carnegie Mellon University on Sept. 21-23 in Pittsburgh — will receive a tour of Mill 19, a former steel mill converted into a state-of-the-art research facility focused on the future of advanced manufacturing and sustainable practices.
Built using the structure's original steel skeleton, Mill 19 now features workspaces, flexible lab bays and a conferencing and workforce training center, powered by a large array of solar panels on the roof. Tour participants will have an opportunity to see the facilities and view demonstrations related to manufacturing.
CMU's Manufacturing Futures Institute (MFI) focuses on exploring new manufacturing technologies and will showcase the robotic wire arc additive manufacturing process, which deposits weld beads, layer by layer, to create three-dimensional objects. This approach uses less energy and reduces waste and costs compared to traditional manufacturing methods. It also ensures supply chain sustainability by reducing a manufacturer's dependency on outside suppliers to provide parts and materials.
"In traditional manufacturing, you often start with a metal blank produced by casting or forging, then you machine the excess away," said Sandra DeVincent Wolf, MFI's executive director. "With additive manufacturing, you start with nothing, then create things. There is minimal waste because you are not creating scrap, and a smaller amount of energy is needed."
