Penn State’s North Central PA LaunchBox reignites region

North Central PA LaunchBox unveiled a state-of-the-art makerspace and Idea Lab, to add to its existing business services.

Powered by Penn State DuBois, the North Central PA LaunchBox will provide students, entrepreneurs, and existing companies with a new lab containing 3D printers, 3D scanning hardware and software, and a vinyl printer and laminator to support vinyl adhesives, banner and other materials, in addition to no-cost classes on how to use the equipment.

A public-private partnership facility, North Central PA LaunchBox works with entrepreneurs, students, faculty and staff members to provide a spectrum of resources to businesses. From patent assistance to business startup to site selection and manufacturing improvements, North Central PA LaunchBox has helped 450 individuals since its opening in November 2019, helping startups and small manufacturers create new products, processes or applications. Twelve companies have graduated from its programs.

“We are helping today’s students become the vital workforce for tomorrow,” North Central PA North Central PA LaunchBox Director Bradley Lashinsky said. “We are helping local companies transition from old manufacturing processes to advanced automation, as well as helping to reignite the downtown areas with boutique businesses that are the fabric of their communities.”

North Central PA LaunchBox works to advance technologies for regional powder metal manufacturers, as well. It facilitates programming for industrial research and development, and technical training for employers to modernize their understanding of automation and workforce development.

The collaborative supports innovations like an equipotential grounding system for mobile operations to protect personnel and equipment from static and stray electricity, and an artificial intelligence vision system to inspect parts produced by powder metal manufacturers.