Source: University of Northern Iowa

Hidden in a corner of downtown Waterloo, just a few blocks away from some of the city’s most popular entertainment attractions, sits a nondescript brick building that’s home to Cedar Valley TechWorks. Most people wouldn’t guess that the building, located 15 minutes away from the UNI campus, is not only a main hub for UNI students studying metal casting, but also a nationally recognized center for innovation in the manufacturing industry.

Indeed, the UNI Metal Casting Center (MCC) is a growing resource for the UNI community and beyond, serving students, the Cedar Valley community and the manufacturing industry at large. The MCC has grown so much, its operations have expanded into two different locations—a mini foundry focused on metal casting, located on campus in UNI’s Industrial Technology Center, and the location housed on the TechWorks Campus, which focuses more on additive manufacturing and producing molds for metal casting.

Together, the two MCC locations offer UNI students a variety of tools and training to prepare them for work in the industry. Students get hands-on experience and work closely with a variety of community partners to help develop new technologies that often become industry standard. It’s no wonder the MCC was just awarded a $1.5 million grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

Read the full story at Metal Casting Center offers a 'truly unique' experience.