Industrial assessment center wins national accolades from DOE

A Mississippi State center that provides energy expertise to state industry is being recognized by the Department of Energy as one of the top four in the nation.

The Industrial Assessment Center, a part of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, is one of only two DOE-funded centers in the eastern U.S. recognized at a recent annual meeting of directors.

The University of Massachusetts was recognized in the same region. Texas A&M and San Francisco State University were recognized in the west. All were judged on the basis of criteria that included technical accuracy of reports and endorsements from industries visited.

Each of the four is receiving an additional $30,000 for a research project of its choosing. Mississippi State will research energy efficiency in large dust collection systems such as those used in the furniture industry.

DOE funds 30 Industrial Assessment Centers around the country. They provide energy expertise, waste minimization and productivity enhancements for small- to medium-sized industries, said IAC director Keith Hodge, professor of mechanical engineering.

Now entering its fifth year, the Mississippi State IAC last week made its 100th industrial site visit, Hodge said. The center has made more than 700 recommendations for a projected savings to industry of $5 million annually.

Hodge and mechanical engineering professor Richard Forbes direct the efforts of seven undergraduate and graduate students hired part-time to work for the IAC, Hodge explained.

"This program is built around students," he said. "They make the site visits with a professor, they do the research, and they write the 50-to-70-page reports. It is an outstanding opportunity for learning."