NIAR opens HAMR, a national resource for industry and government customers

 Wichita State University’s (WSU, Kan., U.S.) National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) has officially opened its Hub for Advanced Manufacturing and Research (HAMR). The 170,000-square-foot facility is now open for industry and government research, development, training and collaboration.

Located on WSU’s Innovation Campus, HAMR unites applied research, emerging technologies, advanced materials, digital engineering, precision machining and smart automation under one roof — expanding NIAR’s global legacy in innovation and workforce development. There are more than 500 WSU student intern positions at HAMR.

HAMR’s grand opening began June 10 with an invitation-only Industry Day, drawing leaders and experts from across the nation. Representatives from Boeing, Dassault Systèmes, Deloitte, General Atomics, GKN Aerospace, John Deere, Northrop Grumman, Novacoast, Rolls Royce, Siemens, Textron Aviation, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Air Force and more attended the full-day program.

Attendees participated in keynote remarks, guided tours and hands-on demonstrations across six research zones: The Digital Twin; Sustainment & Digital Transformation; Advanced Manufacturing & Materials Research; Process Automation; The Digital Factory; and Customer Engagement: Co Create the Future.

“The opening of HAMR represents a major step forward for WSU, NIAR and the aerospace, defense and manufacturing industries,” says John Tomblin, Wichita State senior vice president for Industry and Defense Programs and NIAR executive director. “This facility was created to accelerate innovation, strengthen U.S. manufacturing competitiveness, and provide industry and government partners with the tools and talent needed to solve the challenges of tomorrow.”

On June 11, Wichita State and NIAR faculty, staff, students and their families joined an open house event exploring the new facility through self-guided tours. Community leaders and invited industry guests also participated, creating a shared celebration of progress, partnership and opportunity.

HAMR was made possible through the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge as part of South Kansas’ “Driving Adoption: Smart Manufacturing Technologies” initiative, with significant co-investment from WSU.

HAMR expands NIAR’s role as a national resource for advanced manufacturing research, digital engineering, sustainment, prototyping and production. Designed to support both commercial and defense customers, the facility provides access to a world-class manufacturing ecosystem and a next-generation workforce.