Partnering with SRNL’s Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative
“Of course, SRNL expertise and intellectual property is much broader than the work to be conducted at the AMC, but I like to think of the AMC as the front porch to the lab.” – Daren Timmons
The AMC under construction. (Photo: SRNL)
Scientists and engineers from the Savannah River National Laboratory will continue tackling applied and technical challenges when the doors of the more than 60,000-square foot Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative open in 2025. The Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative provides a platform for public-private partnerships – connecting industry, academia and government – to improve advanced manufacturing in areas such as additive manufacturing, AI-driven automation, and novel materials for fusion energy, energy resilience and nuclear applications. Leveraging SRNL’s historical expertise in separations science and materials science, and by integrating AI-driven process optimization tools, SRNL can accelerate the next generation of manufacturing technologies for energy, defense, and cleanup applications.
Regardless of the endeavor, Daren Timmons, AMC director and director of technology partnerships at SRNL, says partnerships that can be executed through Cooperative Research and Development Agreements, or a Strategic Partnership Project agreement are a key focus.
CRADAs and SPPs are just two of several ways to partner with any DOE national laboratory. Non-federal entities that are looking for a mutually beneficial collaborative research opportunity and can contribute in-kind resources, e.g. personnel, equipment, facilities, etc. may opt to enter into a CRADA agreement; while industry, nonprofit institutions, and other non-federal organizations that desire to utilize the AMC’s highly specialized facilities, equipment, or SRNL scientists and engineers by fully outsourcing a specific task or scope of work to the lab may choose an SPP. In either case, funding must be secured by the partner or in conjunction with the lab, which is critical to the start of any project. Entering into either agreement type presents an opportunity to exhibit what the AMC has to offer.
“My role is to help connect the potential partners with the right people at the laboratory,” Timmons said. “We’re trying to lower the barrier to partner with SRNL. For those who have never worked with a national lab, it is not always obvious where to begin, or even what we do and how we can be useful.”
In addition, Timmons hopes that the licensing of SRNL intellectual property becomes a more visible asset of the lab through AMC partnerships.
One of the AMC’s state-of-the-art laboratories. (Photo: SRNL)
Ready to start the journey of a partnership with SRNL’s AMC?
Daren Timmons, AMC director and director of technology partnerships, is trying to lower the barrier to partner with SRNL. The process begins with describing the potential project or need, then solidifying funding, and finally, executing a contract to start work with SRNL’s scientists and engineers.
“An established company might benefit from SRNL patented intellectual property, and we would gladly explore licensing options. Additionally, an entrepreneur could license SRNL technology and build a business around it,” he explained. “Of course, SRNL expertise and intellectual property is much broader than the work to be conducted at the AMC, but I like to think of the AMC as the front porch to the lab.”
The AMC will be open to the public with some restricted access areas, much like the academic buildings on the University of South Carolina Aiken’s campus, where the AMC is located. The public spaces will feature USC Aiken engineering classrooms, open collaboration spaces, and a conference room. Access to the AMC’s laboratories and office spaces is controlled and will require visitors to be checked in and escorted by the lab employee they are visiting. No radiologic work will be conducted at the AMC but some research at the AMC may have uses in the nuclear industry.
“We are eager to be a part of the growing areas of innovation in the community and be more easily accessible to our partners across the country,” Timmons added.
