Ribbon-cutting held in Rolla for Missouri Protoplex

A ribbon-cutting took place in Rolla for a new advanced manufacturing facility on Wednesday.

Missouri University of Science and Technology (S&T) hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Missouri Protoplex on April 15 at 1700 White Columns Drive.

The new 117,000-square-foot facility will serve as a statewide hub for advanced manufacturing, bringing together research, workforce development and industry collaboration in one building.

The facility will support work in areas such as additive manufacturing, advanced metallurgy, aerospace manufacturing and materials for extreme environments.

Chancellor of Missouri S&T Dr. Mo Dehghani said they are redefining what is possible for a university to accomplish with advanced manufacturing.

“This facility will be one of the most advanced and comprehensive of its kind in the nation and will position us — and our partners — at the forefront of manufacturing research and development and preparing the next generation of manufacturing professionals.” Dr. Dehghani said.

Missouri Protoplex also includes 40,000 square feet of high-bay manufacturing space and more than 60 industrial-scale pieces of equipment and manufacturing systems.

S&T had secured more than $22 million to support collaborations with its industry and research partners.

Dr. Richard Billo, director of the Missouri Protoplex and Distinguished Professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, said the facility creates an environment where S&T researchers can work closely with industry partners to address “real manufacturing challenges.”

“It allows us to accelerate the transition from new ideas to manufacturing solutions and will be especially significant for small- and mid-sized manufacturers across Missouri that may not otherwise have access to these capabilities.” Dr. Billo said.