ARM Institute, DoD sign $35.5M continuation agreement

The Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Institute recently announced a continuation of its public-private cooperative agreement with the Department of Defense (DoD) Manufacturing Technology Program.

The $35.4 million agreement will continue ARM Institute’s funding as a national Manufacturing Innovation Institute for through 2028, with an option to renew the contract again for another five years. If the DoD accepts the further renewal offer, ARM Institute's total possible primary investment increases to $70.4M over 10 years.

The Institute’s original agreement with the DoD provided funding through January 2023. Following a successful review by the DoD Joint Defense Manufacturing Council (JDMC) in 2022, the DoD began working on the terms to extend the agreement.

“The ARM Institute would like to thank the Department of Defense and, in particular, our government program manager Dr. Greg Hudas for working diligently to secure our continued agreement,” said Ira Moskowitz, ARM Institute CEO.

Carnegie Mellon meets DoD need for robotics Manufacturing Innovation Institute

The ARM Institute is a DoD Manufacturing Innovation Institute and a member of the Manufacturing USA Network. Providing resouces for U.S. manufacturers that utilize advanced robotics and AI, the Institute connects more than 400 member organizations across industry, government, and academia.

Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, ARM Institute was created in 2017 when Carnegie Mellon University won an award from the Department of Defense to create a robotics-focused Manufacturing Innovation Institute. The ARM Institute now operates as a separate non-profit organization, but collaborates with the university closely, including in the Institute’s shared Mill 19 facility.

The ARM Institute has funded more than 150 robotics and workforce projects, collaborated with the Department of Defense on targeted directed projects, built an internal team of nearly 40 experts, built out robotics capabilities at the Institute’s Pittsburgh facility, and created RoboticsCareer.org, its national workforce resource.

“Over the past seven years, the ARM Institute-Department of Defense public-private partnership has made important progress in strengthening U.S. manufacturing through advanced robotics, related AI technologies, and workforce development,” stated Dr. Greg Hudas, Department of Defense program manager for the ARM Institute.

The renewed agreement with the Department of Defense will support the ARM Institute’s operations and member services, provide funding for ARM Institute members projects, support RoboticsCareer.org, and enable new ARM Institute initiatives.