UML Labs

UMass Lowell, Lowell, MA

Cold Spray & Advanced Manufacturing Lab Studies: UMass Lowell is interested in expanding their manufacturing program with the addition of a Cold Spray Lab—a facility which uses particles suspended in gas projected at high velocities to adhere to metals. The equipment for this process comes with it a range of acoustic and exhaust concerns that must be carefully coordinated with the architecture. After studying a series of spaces it was determined that a high bay light manufacturing facility off-campus would be the best fit for UMass Lowell, and could promote a commercial partnership in the future.

Program for the Advanced Manufacturing Lab was developed in concert with that of the Cold Spray Lab. Building on the momentum of active learning pedagogy, the Engineering Department envisions an expansion of current maker space teaching facilities. With relocating existing student organizations from the basement level of Pasteur and Falmouth Halls, space for a new machine shop and flexible lecture room, used as a singular teaching environment, is available. Renovations on the first floor to an existing computer lab and faculty offices will provide more flexible teaching spaces and student work rooms where lessons can be applied in a hands-on way to individual projects. Updated building services including a new elevator are incorporated into the design to ensure accessibility to all new teaching spaces.

Fraunhofer Lab: This renovation created the Fraunhofer CSE Lab, a pilot program intended to extend the research done at the main facility in downtown Boston to UMass Lowell’s campus. The primary focus of this research is testing the properties of sustainable materials and building systems. This new facility will be incorporated into a larger collection of labs recently completed by UMass Lowell, and will serve the needs of the individual users as well as foster collaboration between the building’s various occupants.

Lyophilizer Lab: Renovation to existing clean room and upgrade to building systems to enable installation of Lyophilizer and CIP SKID research technologies.