EIGERLAB

What is an EIGERlab?EIGERlab is a centrally located, state of the art, mixed-use

incubator facility serving the region with leading edge business and engineering support services. Whether you are a startup or an existing company interested in expansion EIGERlab is our one stop shop for business growth.

Entrepreneurship

Innovation

Growth of wealth and primary jobs

Education

Regional focus

Regional Collaboration

BusinessRAEDC

EducationRVC

GovernmentSBA | EDA

EIGERlab Business Units

Incubator

Soft Landings

Accelerator

Workforce Development

Product Development | Prototyping

Incubator Services

Lease space at low cost rates Includes furniture, utilities, meeting rooms, Internet, copy/fax

Participate in focus groups | Launch & Learns One stop business service center

SBDC | PTAC | ITC | Export Center | SCORE Links to qualified investors, mentors and advisors Design and analysis engineering services Prototyping services Commercialization Assistance

Soft Landings

In 2012, EIGERlab will initiate an NBIA “International Soft Landings” program.

Target foreign-owned companies with interest in growing a US market presence.

Rockford has sister city status in these countries:

Sweden | China | Italy | Romania | Ukraine Germany | France | Hungary

Programming combines virtual and onsite services specifically targeted at Aerospace, IT, CleanTech, and Consumer Goods commercialization.

○ Boot camp Retreats○ Investor Presentation Prep and Introductions○ Mentor Identification and Assistance○ Advisory Board Development○ Peerspectives Roundtables

Targeted Accelerators

TechWorks

Our 2,000 square foot facility in Rockford, IL dedicated to training and improving individual advanced CNCmachining skills.

Fast-Track Training | A 150 hour, six week, NIMS Credentialed training program for workforce development○ Job Readiness | Safety | Tooling | Blueprint Reading | Shop

Math | Metrology | Hands-on CNC machine operations○ WorkKeys Assessment | NIMS Credential

Customized, onsite CNC machine training that includes blueprint reading, GD&T, shop math, CNC lathe & mill operation

State of Ingenuity (SOI)EIGERlab is a lead partner in a Regional initiative that

combines:Two States

Six Counties

Six academic institutions

Nine partners

Thirteen projects

Goal = Maximize current business and educational support services to identify, assist and grow entrepreneurial and innovative companies in the Region

What is Rapid Prototyping/ Additive Manufacturing?

EIGERlab’s Rapid Prototyping/ Additive Manufacturing facility takes virtual designs from computer aided design (CAD) systems, transforms them into thin horizontal cross sections and creates each cross section in physical space, one after the next until the model is finished.

Paradigm Shift

Rapid Prototyping technology has changed the Product Design and Development Process

Old Process…engineering design to shop floor to engineering analysis to shopfloor using subtractive manufacturing = Weeks/ Months

New Process…3D CAD to RP supplier to analysis = Hours/Days

Rapid Prototyping Capabilities Fusion Deposition Modeling (FDM) is an additive manufacturing technology

commonly used for modeling, prototyping, and production applications.

Stereo lithography (SLA) is an additive manufacturing technology for producing models, prototypes, patterns, and in some cases, production parts.

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) is an additive manufacturing technique that uses a high power laser to fuse small particles of plastic, metal, ceramic or glass powders into a mass that has a desired three-dimensional shape.

Polyjet uses ink-jet technology combined with UV curable materials to quickly and economically produce highly detailed and accurate physical prototypes

Z-Print creates prototypes by solidifying layers of deposited powder using a liquid binder with full color capabilities.

Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) is an additive manufacturing technique that uses a high power laser to fuse small particles of plastic, metal, ceramic or glass powders into a mass that has a desired three-dimensional shape.

3D PROTOTYPINGFrom virtual to reality

Fused Deposition Modeling

Stereolithography

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

Z Print

Poly Jet

3D Scanning

Other Prototyping Capabilities

CastingUrethane, Bronze, Aluminum & Stainless Steel

Thermoforming Injection Molding Mold Making

Prototyping Success StoriesJugbuddy

It was one year ago that Foster had Stan McCord from Rock Valley College (RVC) make up an initial prototype half the size of the actual model. Foster then connected with Pam Schallhorn from the IL Small Business Development Center (SBDC) of RVC, located at the EIGERlab (E-L) where he received assistance with his business. At the E-L, he was also able to have a 3-D drawing made of his invention and a prototype.

The Jugbuddy is a freestanding funnel which virtually eliminates spills and frustration because it overcomes the natural limitations of standard funnels.

Prototyping Success StoriesSmart Hook

Dian Valentine was reading the newspaper and read about a

Patent Workshop being held through the IL SBDC of RVC

located at the E-L. Valentine took her first step by attending the

workshop, pitched her idea and ended up meeting Gil Krahn,

the project designer for her first invention, The Smart Hook.

Valentine then had her first prototype made at the EIGERlab in

June 2009. “Without the resources of the IL SBDC at RVC and

the networking connections I made at the EIGERlab, I wouldn’t

have known what to do next,” states Valentine.

The Smart Hook is a bag/purse secure latch and hanger made

to attach to the handle of any bag with a decorative flair.

Prototyping Success Stories

Users of EIGERlab’s Rapid Prototyping capabilities see it impact their business growth. Jeff Sorensen, President of Inhibitor, states “I was able to concept with my customer on Monday, design and build a sample in two days, return to the customer with a sample on Friday and win an order for 30,000 pieces.”

Prototyping Success StoriesAVA Power

Installed their first wind generator in Durand, IL onSeptember 15, 2010.

Prototyping Success StoriesChris Hardwick, the Head of Mechanical Design at B/E Aerospace Environmental Systems stated: “All in all, the EIGERlab RP capabilities helped reduce B/E’s design cycle from 1 year to approximately 6 months, with functional, loadable hardware for evaluation at each step of the process.”

Dr. Harry Spell

The Michelangelo Project

Prototyping Success Stories