New collaboration brings together academia and industry to accelerate additive manufacturing innovation, workforce development and digital manufacturing across Michigan
TROY/ROCHESTER, Mich., Aug. 3, 2026 — Oakland University and Automation Alley today announced the launch of the Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence, a new collaboration that brings together the University’s engineering research, student talent and Automation Alley’s industry network to accelerate advanced manufacturing innovation. The Center will become the new home of Automation Alley’s Project DIAMOnD Digital Transformation Center—a hands-on facility where manufacturers can test new technologies, develop additive manufacturing applications and receive technical support and training to accelerate digital transformation.
The Center is a collaboration between Oakland University, through its School of Engineering and Computer Science, and Automation Alley, Michigan’s Digital Transformation Insight Center. Located in an industry-facing facility that bridges academia and manufacturing, the Center is designed to foster collaboration among researchers, students and manufacturers so that research moves more quickly into real-world applications while industry challenges help shape future innovation.
Automation Alley’s Project DIAMOnD (Distributed Independent Agile Manufacturing On Demand) is one of the nation’s largest distributed additive manufacturing networks, connecting more than 500 manufacturers and more than 475 operational industrial 3D printers across Michigan. Since its launch, the network has produced more than 50,000 parts while helping manufacturers strengthen domestic supply chains, adopt additive manufacturing and improve production resilience. Relocating its Digital Transformation Center to the new facility brings this statewide manufacturing network together with Oakland University’s research capabilities in one collaborative environment.
Beyond serving as the home of the Digital Transformation Center, the Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence will support applied research, workforce development and industry collaboration. The Center will work alongside the Project DIAMOnD Community to advance next-generation additive manufacturing technologies and help manufacturers scale production from prototype to commercial manufacturing. Researchers, students and industry partners will also collaborate to develop Smart Product Recipes—standardized digital manufacturing instructions that enable consistent production across Project DIAMOnD’s distributed network. Together, these efforts will accelerate metal additive manufacturing, strengthen manufacturing resilience and provide students with hands-on experience solving real industry challenges.
Statements from the Partners
“This collaboration gives our faculty and students a place to work shoulder to shoulder with industry on problems that matter,” said Dr. Louay Chamra, Dean of the Oakland University School of Engineering and Computer Science. “The location, between the campus and the plant floor, is exactly where the next generation of manufacturing talent and research should be developed. We are proud to bring the University’s academic muscle and research capabilities to this effort.”
“Innovation in advanced manufacturing happens fastest when academia and industry stop working in parallel and start working together,” said Tom Kelly, Executive Director and CEO of Automation Alley. “This Center formalizes that partnership. It gives our members and the broader ecosystem a place where the capabilities of a great engineering college and the reach of the Project DIAMOnD network come together in one location, in service of manufacturing across Michigan and the nation.”
“Oakland County launched Project DIAMOnD in partnership with Automation Alley because we believed a distributed manufacturing network would make our small and medium-sized manufacturers more competitive and more resilient,” said Oakland County Executive David Coulter. “This Center is the next chapter of that work. Bringing Oakland University’s research strength together with Automation Alley’s network under one roof creates new opportunities for our manufacturers, our workforce and the students who will build the next generation of this region’s economy.”
“Moving our Digital Transformation Center into this facility is more than a change of address,” said Pavan Muzumdar, CEO of Project DIAMOnD. “It places our distributed manufacturing network next to the research that will define the next era of Smart Product Recipes and metal additive manufacturing. This is where research becomes real-world manufacturing capability, allowing us to scale what we’ve proven works.”
Looking Ahead
As the Center develops, Oakland University and Automation Alley will announce new research initiatives, workforce development programs, industry partnerships and opportunities for manufacturers to engage with the facility. The organizations expect the Center to become a hub for innovation, collaboration and advanced manufacturing throughout Michigan and beyond.
About Automation Alley
Automation Alley is Michigan’s Digital Transformation Insight Center with a global outlook and a local, membership driven foundation of more than 4,000 members. Through education, collaboration, and its Project DIAMOnD platform, Automation Alley helps manufacturers navigate the technologies transforming manufacturing and strengthen the state and national manufacturing base.
About Project DIAMOnD
Project DIAMOnD, which stands for Distributed Independent Agile Manufacturing On Demand, is a distributed additive manufacturing network operated by Automation Alley. Its network of more than 500 companies and more than 475 operational 3D printers has delivered more than 50,000 prints, demonstrating a model for resilient, on demand production at scale.
About the Oakland University and the School of Engineering and Computer Science
Oakland University is a doctoral, Carnegie Classification R2 “High Research Activity” university located in Oakland and Macomb counties, Michigan. Oakland University’s School of Engineering and Computer Science (SECS) offers instruction leading to degrees at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels. The programs are offered through five departments: Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Industrial and Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Bioengineering. The SECS features an outstanding faculty dedicated to preparing learners for the 21st-century workplace and society as well as for research in their fields of specialization.
Media Contacts
Automation Alley / Project DIAMOnD: Brent Snavely, 313-378-6082, bsnavely@franco.com
Oakland University School of Engineering and Computer Science: Brian Bierley, 248-370-4346, bierley@oakland.edu