Jacksonville State University boosts AM training with Additive Minds Academy Ignite Program
Jacksonville State University (Jax State), Alabama, USA, has partnered with EOS North America’s Additive Minds applied engineering group to expand its curriculum through the Additive Minds Academy Ignite Program. This collaboration is expected to provide Jax State students with access to industrial-grade AM training and resources as part of the university’s growing focus on advanced manufacturing technologies.
As part of this initiative, Jax State has also acquired its second EOS M 290 Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) Additive Manufacturing machine to provide students with hands-on experience using production AM technology.
The Additive Minds Academy Ignite Program is designed to accelerate AM education and workforce development by offering scalable, structured online and hybrid learning solutions. It supports educational institutions in teaching the fundamentals and applications of industrial AM, including machine operation, safety, Design for AM (DfAM), production strategies, and more.
“We’re excited to deepen our commitment to Additive Manufacturing education through the Ignite Program,” said Matt Rosser, Director of the Center for Manufacturing Support at Jax State. “By combining EOS’s industrial training resources with our expanding AM lab and faculty expertise, we’re preparing students for real-world careers in advanced manufacturing and giving them the skills they need to succeed in this rapidly growing field. With the addition of our second EOS M 290, our AM assets now total more than $3 million, underscoring our commitment to being a leader in advanced manufacturing innovation and workforce development.”
Jax State joins the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Columbia Gorge Community College as the first to adopt the newly launched Ignite Program. It is also used by Launch Canada, a national nonprofit that supports aerospace innovation and hosts Canada’s largest student rocketry competition, where students train in Design for Additive Manufacturing through the Ignite programming.
The Ignite Program offers two tiers based on a university’s access to EOS machines:
- AM Fundamentals provides access to online courses such as:
- Getting Started with Industrial 3D Printing
- Design for Additive Manufacturing
- Material Science
- System Process Control
- Certification Partner provides access to the above AM Fundamentals content and:
- EOSPRINT 2 Introduction
- Process Science & Engineering Certificate Program
- Local EOSPRINT SW licenses
- System Operation Certification enablement
- Partner Operator Certification for students upon completion of training
“The Ignite Program was built to bridge the gap between industrial needs and education,” said Fabian Alefeld, Global Director of Business Development and Additive Minds Academy at EOS. “By collaborating with innovative institutions like Jax State, we’re empowering the next generation of engineers with the skills and confidence to contribute meaningfully to the future of Additive Manufacturing.”
More about the Additive Minds Academy Ignite Program is available here.
