ISTB12 a one-stop shop for robotics, manufacturing – ASU News

Report on the Inauguration of Arizona State University’s ISTB12 Facility

A Strategic Initiative for Advanced Manufacturing and Sustainable Development

Arizona State University (ASU) has inaugurated the Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Building 12 (ISTB12) on its Polytechnic campus, establishing a new home for the School of Manufacturing Systems and Networks. This development represents a significant investment in physical and academic infrastructure aimed at positioning Arizona as a leader in advanced manufacturing. The initiative is strategically aligned with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on innovation, quality education, economic growth, and sustainable partnerships.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

The ISTB12 facility is a cornerstone of resilient infrastructure designed to foster industrial innovation. By creating the nation’s first school dedicated exclusively to manufacturing systems, ASU is building industrial capacity and promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization. The school’s focus on digital and automated manufacturing, including robotics, AI learning, and cyber manufacturing, directly contributes to upgrading the technological capabilities of industrial sectors.

SDG 4: Quality Education and SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

ASU’s initiative directly addresses the need for quality education and lifelong learning opportunities. The university offers a comprehensive educational pathway with bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD programs in manufacturing engineering, a unique offering in the United States. The hands-on, project-based learning environment within ISTB12 prepares students with transferable, high-demand skills for the industries of the future. This focus on workforce development is critical for promoting sustained, inclusive economic growth and creating decent work for all, contributing to Arizona’s leadership in the advanced manufacturing industry.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The establishment of the ISTB12 and the School of Manufacturing Systems and Networks exemplifies a multi-stakeholder partnership. This collaboration involves:

• Academia: Arizona State University providing research and educational leadership.
• Government: The State of Arizona and the City of Mesa supporting the initiative to drive regional economic development.
• Private Sector: Companies like Honeywell and other industry partners co-locating and collaborating on research and development.

This model, institutionalized through ASU’s Innovation Zones, strengthens the means of implementation for sustainable development by mobilizing knowledge, technology, and financial resources.

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

The research infrastructure within ISTB12 includes laboratories specifically designed to advance sustainable energy solutions. The Advanced Battery Lab and the Clean Energy Systems Lab focus on developing next-generation energy storage and integrated grid-scale technologies. This work supports the global transition to affordable, reliable, and modern energy systems.

ISTB12 Facility and the Polytechnic Innovation Zone

Facility Specifications

The ISTB12 building provides a state-of-the-art environment for education and research.

• Total Area: 173,000 gross square feet
• Programmable Space: Over 128,000 square feet
• Configuration: Three floors containing office, meeting, instructional, and collaborative research spaces.
• Educational Facilities: Includes multiple instructional labs and classrooms, one of which is a 200-person multipurpose facility.

The Polytechnic Innovation Zone

ISTB12 serves as the centerpiece of the Polytechnic Innovation Zone, a 330-acre portfolio designed to co-locate private industry with university faculty, students, and research infrastructure. This model encourages collaboration, commercialization, and economic development. The zone specializes in hands-on solutions in sectors including aviation, alternate energy, digital/additive manufacturing, and health solutions, providing students with direct exposure to real-world industry challenges.

Core Research and Training Capabilities

Key Laboratory Functions

The ISTB12 facility houses a comprehensive suite of laboratories equipped for cutting-edge research and workforce training, directly supporting innovation across multiple sectors.

1. Advanced Battery Lab: Focuses on next-generation energy storage technologies (Li-ion, Na-ion) to enhance performance and safety for electric vehicles and grid storage, contributing to SDG 7.
2. Clean Energy Systems Lab: Provides a plug-and-play environment for testing integrated energy technologies at grid scale, accelerating the transition from research to real-world application.
3. High Bay Collaborative Space: Integrates industrial robots with additive and subtractive manufacturing, using AI and digital twins for applications in aerospace, nuclear, and medical industries, advancing SDG 9.
4. Robotics and Autonomous Systems Lab: A 5,500-square-foot facility for research in ground and aerial robotic systems for sectors including agriculture, defense, and manufacturing.
5. Reactive Material 3D Printing Lab: One of the largest metal 3D-printing facilities in the Southwest, supporting advancements in aerospace and medical device manufacturing.
6. Materials Testing and Characterization Lab: A shared facility with over $1 million in metrology equipment for cross-disciplinary research.
7. Class 10,000 Clean Room: A 1,200-square-foot facility supporting advanced semiconductor packaging and micro-fabrication research and training.
8. Micro-Assembly and Packaging Automation Lab: Dedicated to advanced semiconductor assembly processes, bridging the gap between wafer fabrication and functional systems.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on Arizona State University’s new School of Manufacturing Systems and Networks and the ISTB12 building connects to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by focusing on education, economic growth, innovation, and partnerships.

• SDG 4: Quality Education – The core of the article is about a new educational facility and school designed to provide high-quality, specialized training in manufacturing.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – The initiative is explicitly aimed at workforce training, job creation, and fostering economic development in Arizona’s advanced manufacturing sector.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure – The article details the construction of new infrastructure (ISTB12), the promotion of technological innovation (robotics, AI, additive manufacturing), and the strengthening of the industrial sector.
• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy – The facility includes labs dedicated to research in clean energy and advanced battery technology, contributing to sustainable energy solutions.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals – The project is a result of collaboration between the university, government (state and city), and private industry, embodying the spirit of multi-stakeholder partnerships.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, the following specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • Target 4.4: “By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.”
     
     Explanation: The article highlights that the school is “training students for the industries of tomorrow” and providing “common core skill sets that will translate to varied manufacturing processes.” It emphasizes “hands-on exploration,” “project-based learning,” and preparing students for sectors like aerospace, microelectronics, and medical devices.
   • Target 4.3: “By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university.”
     
     Explanation: The article states that ASU is the “only university in the country that has a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and a PhD in manufacturing engineering,” demonstrating its commitment to providing comprehensive and accessible tertiary education in this specialized field.

2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.2: “Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors.”
     
     Explanation: The initiative is described as a milestone in Arizona’s leadership as a “hub of advanced manufacturing technology and innovation.” The focus on robotics, AI, cyber manufacturing, and semiconductors directly addresses technological upgrading to boost economic productivity.

3. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

   • Target 9.5: “Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries… encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers…”
     
     Explanation: The article describes the ISTB12 facility as a space for “research and development, workforce training and job creation.” The creation of “Innovation Zones” is designed to “encourage collaboration, commercialization, knowledge spillover and economic development” by co-locating companies with university research infrastructure.
   • Target 9.b: “Support domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries…”
     
     Explanation: The project is a clear example of supporting domestic technology and innovation. ASU President Michael Crow is quoted as saying, “the United States needs the most advanced manufacturing school ever made,” positioning the school as a national asset for advancing manufacturing capabilities.

4. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

   • Target 7.a: “By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology… and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology.”
     
     Explanation: The article explicitly mentions the “Clean Energy Systems Lab” for developing “integrated energy technologies at grid scale” and the “Advanced Battery Lab” for advancing “next-generation energy storage technologies.” This demonstrates a direct investment in infrastructure for clean energy research.

5. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.17: “Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.”
     
     Explanation: The article provides a clear example of a multi-stakeholder partnership. ASU President Michael Crow states, “We’re going to work with the city of Mesa. We’re going to work with the leadership of the state of Arizona. We’re going to work with Honeywell and other companies.” This collaboration is central to the project’s success.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article implies several indicators that could be used to measure progress:

• Number of students enrolled and graduating: The article mentions that “nearly 33,000 students call Fulton home” and that ASU offers bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD programs in manufacturing. Tracking enrollment and graduation rates in these specific programs would be a direct indicator for Target 4.4.
• Investment in infrastructure: The article specifies the size of the new building (“173,000-gross-square-foot ISTB12 facility”) and the land available for the innovation zone (“approximately 330 acres”). These figures serve as indicators of investment in infrastructure for innovation (Target 9.5).
• Number of industry partnerships: The mention of working with “Honeywell and other companies” and the goal of the Innovation Zones to “co-locat[e] private companies” implies that the number of businesses partnering with or locating at ASU would be a key metric for measuring the success of these partnerships (Target 17.17).
• Job creation and economic impact: Governor Katie Hobbs’ statement that ASU’s efforts have “contributed to… workforce training and job creation” suggests that the number of jobs created and the overall economic growth in Arizona’s manufacturing sector are key indicators of the project’s impact (Target 8.2).
• Research and development output: The detailed description of specialized labs (e.g., Advanced Battery Lab, Robotics and Autonomous Systems Lab) implies that progress can be measured by the number of research projects, publications, patents, and commercialized technologies emerging from these facilities (Targets 7.a and 9.5).

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: news.asu.edu