About Us

Manufacturers are faced with constant pressure to cut costs, improve operations, and offer new products and services in response to ever-changing customer demands and preferences. To remain competitive firms must continually develop and implement new processes, methods, and technologies. The mission of the Center for High Performance Manufacturing (CHPM) is to help manufacturing firms (especially those in Virginia) become high-performance manufacturers via research and development of enabling tools and technologies and their successful transfer and implementation.

The research, development, and educational activities of the CHPM are coordinated through its major areas of specialization which include:

• Human Factors
• Manufacturing Ergonomics
• Innovation-Based Manufacturing
• Production and Information Systems
• Flexible Automation and Lean Manufacturing
• Manufacturing Logistics and Supply Chain Management
• Rapid Manufacturing and Low-Cost Composite Manufacturing

The CHPM acts as a portal through which inquiries are funneled pertaining to manufacturing research and development. Among the resources of the CHPM are its faculty, its laboratories, and its larger university community. Through the collaborative efforts of over twenty associated faculty members the Center provides a wide range of research and development support to manufacturing companies.

Our goal is to provide Leadership to solve the challenges of manufacturing firms; Sponsorship to swiftly and appropriately respond to industry inquiries and proposal requests; and Stewardship to direct and coordinate resources for the support and development of interdisciplinary manufacturing education, research and services.

Center for High Performance Manufacturing (CHPM) Brochure (PDF | 942KB)