Penn State Harrisburg, Trans-Air Manufacturing partner to perfect technologies

Dallastown-based Trans-Air Manufacturing, a climate control systems manufacturer, has partnered with Penn State Harrisburg to reduce the noise caused by the systems.

The partnership is made possible by a $70,000 Manufacturing PA grant.

Manufacturing PA pairs faculty and students with manufacturers to develop new technologies and advance innovation.

Issam Abu-Mahfouz, associate professor of mechanical engineering, will lead two undergraduate students and one graduate student. The group will measure sound levels to discover the cause of HVAC noise and work on design changes to minimize the noise.

Eddystone-based Aero Aggregates, a company using recycled container glass to make ultra-lightweight foamed glass aggregates, will pair with students to address glass recycling issues in Pennsylvania and develop a new marketplace for concrete block products. The partnership is made possible by a $44,000 Manufacturing PA grant.

Grady Mathews, assistant professor of civil engineering, and a group of students will test concrete blocks for their strength, durability, sound absorption, and fire resistance.

This builds on a project conducted in 2020 when the partners received another Manufacturing PA grant that focused on using the ultra-light aggregate in concrete blocks.

Mathews will take students to Aero Aggregates’ facility for more perspective on the work, and the company’s technical director has visited the Harrisburg campus.