About Us
Mission & Purpose
The Jax State Center for Manufacturing Support (CMS) exists to advance engineering practices in regional industries while providing real-world learning experiences for students. Our mission is to:
- Strengthen competitiveness of manufacturers through innovation in automation, robotics, additive manufacturing, and advanced machining.
- Provide applied research, consultation, and technical assistance to industry partners.
- Deliver hands-on training and certifications that prepare students and professionals for the future of work in advanced manufacturing.
- Create a bridge between academia, industry, and the community, fostering collaboration that drives economic development across the Southeast.
We are committed to serving as a hub for innovation, knowledge transfer, and workforce development in modern manufacturing.
What Makes CMS Different
At Jax State’s Center for Manufacturing Support we take a different approach from many university-based manufacturing centers. While others often focus their grant-funded investments on highly specialized, experimental technologies still years away from widespread industry adoption, CMS is committed to investing only in proven, advanced manufacturing systems that directly benefit U.S. manufacturers today.
Our guiding principles:
- Proven Technologies: Every piece of equipment in our labs has demonstrated value in real-world manufacturing environments. We focus on tools that regional manufacturers can adopt to gain a competitive edge.
- Applied Research: Instead of chasing novelty for its own sake, our research emphasizes pushing existing technologies further — finding practical, innovative ways to use advanced systems to solve industry problems and improve efficiency.
- Sustainable Investments: We carefully evaluate the reputation, stability, and long-term support of every equipment manufacturer we partner with. This ensures that the technology we bring to our labs, and offer to our industry partners, will remain supported, viable, and scalable.
- Industry First Mindset: Our labs are designed not as showcases for futuristic concepts, but as working environments where manufacturers can test, validate, and apply technology that improves their competitiveness in the global market.
In short, CMS is built around reliability, relevance, and real-world impact. We invest wisely, research practically, and operate with a clear mission: helping U.S. manufacturers innovate, grow, and succeed.