Key Takeaways:
- The Auburn Research and Technology Foundation has started construction on a new $22 million, 100,000-square-foot RFID Lab facility set to be completed by summer 2027.
- The upcoming lab will serve as the cornerstone of a 45-acre research hub dedicated to advanced manufacturing, focusing on RFID, automation, AI, robotics, and supply chain advancements.
One of the leading RFID research universities in the country is growing.
Officials from the Auburn Research and Technology Foundation (ARTF), the City of Auburn along with its Industrial Development Board (IDB), and Auburn University recently came together at the Auburn Research Park (The Park) to celebrate the start of construction for a state-of-the-art laboratory and to officially announce the launch of a 45-acre advanced manufacturing research district.
Slated for completion in summer 2027, the $22 million, 100,000 square-foot facility will be home to the Auburn University Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Lab.
Auburn’s Justin Patton on RFID Lab Expansion
For over two decades, the RFID Lab has been dedicated to progressing and applying RFID and other cutting-edge supply chain technologies in the industry field, covering retail, aviation, aerospace, and manufacturing. The new facility represents a transformational space crafted to fulfill the increasing needs of RFID innovation, research, and industry partnership, stated Justin Patton, executive director of the RFID Lab.
“With the evolving technology landscape, this expanded facility enables us to scale our operations, simulate intricate supply chain settings, and better assist our partners by speeding up adoption,” remarked Patton in a statement. “This dynamic learning environment will function as a professional development platform for our students. They will get practical experience with real-world systems and collaborate with industry leaders.”
The Need for the New RFID Lab
As a division of the Harbert College of Business, the Auburn University RFID Lab is a research organization focused on the business rationale and technical execution of RFID and other emerging technologies in retail, aviation, aerospace, supply chain, and manufacturing. Since starting operations at Auburn in 2014, the RFID Lab has expanded to include more than 100 students and faculty and over 35 research and development sponsors, such as Delta, Boeing, Nike, Walmart, UPS, and McDonald’s.
The new RFID Lab was designed by Goodwyn Mills and Cawood (GMC), among the largest architectural and engineering firms in the Southeast. Bailey-Harris Construction, a leading Alabama-based general contractor and construction management firm, is building the facility.
“The lab has expanded five times its size over the past five years, and as we broaden our focus from RFID to include many other sensor technologies utilized in the supply chain and advanced manufacturing,” Patton said. “This new facility provides us the means to scale up our operations with our industry partners to ensure that Auburn students shape the future of how global supply chains will function.”
The Advanced Manufacturing Research District
The RFID Lab stands as the first of several planned facilities for The Park’s newly established advanced manufacturing research district. Unparalleled in the nation, this specialized research district focused on advanced manufacturing will foster an environment where both public and private sectors can collaborate and even co-locate their research and development efforts with Auburn experts and students across various manufacturing technologies, encouraging shared discovery and innovation.
These technologies include automation, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), digital engineering, lean manufacturing, advanced machining, additive manufacturing, and mass timber production. Fostering economic growth through the reshoring of manufacturing and expansion of knowledge-based jobs is a common objective for Auburn University and the City of Auburn, as stated by officials at the announcement.
The advanced manufacturing research district will merge university units alongside industry partners working collectively to move innovative technologies from the laboratory to the marketplace.
The Impact on Manufacturing Sectors
The district will serve as a venue for research, technology development, and rapid prototyping, mentioned Steve Taylor, ARTF president and senior vice president for research and economic development at Auburn University. Shared spaces and equipment lower costs and enable researchers and businesses to iterate rapidly as they progress from proof-of-concept to market introduction.
“The RFID Lab is an excellent instance of the types of Auburn research programs we are attracting to our new advanced manufacturing research district in The Park,” said Taylor. “The RFID Lab will have Auburn University faculty experts and students working directly with industry to create and implement groundbreaking supply chain technology.
“Now, supported by the unique partnership between the university and the city, additional research centers are ready to establish themselves in The Park and create an even greater effect on our manufacturing sectors.”
