Eaton awarded U.S. Department of Energy grant to develop digital manufacturing model for industrial lighting

October 21, 2021

• Additive manufacturing approach enables locally built, customized designs that reduce costs and supply chain complexity
• U.S. Department of Energy grant part of recent Eaton funding to increase efficiency in industry and transportation
• Eaton continues to digitalize design and manufacturing to optimize energy savings and sustainability

PITTSBURGH, PA … Power management company Eaton announced today it was awarded grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop an automated design method and local manufacturing approach for industrial lighting leveraging digitalization and additive manufacturing. Eaton is partnering with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Synopsys on the project, and development work is based in the company's research labs in Southfield, Michigan.

The automated process Eaton is developing aims to mass-produce customized industrial lighting that achieves higher energy efficiency, better lighting quality, reduces costs and compresses lead time compared to traditional manufacturing methods. This new manufacturing model has the potential to replace vast industrial lighting inventory with customized designs made locally.

"The DOE is helping accelerate innovation and commercialization of break-through manufacturing approaches essential to reducing the carbon footprint of industrial manufacturing operations," said Charon Morgan, vice president of engineering for Eaton's Crouse-Hinds, B-Line, and Oil and Gas organization in North America. "We're leveraging longstanding expertise in digitalization and additive manufacturing to develop transformative design methods that enable local mass production of customized solutions while significantly reducing energy consumption, costs, lead-time and supply chain complexity."

Eaton's research labs have a history of collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy, leading universities and other partners to develop innovative technologies addressing key industry trends impacting energy systems, additive manufacturing, grid intelligence and power electronics. Recent innovations from Eaton research labs have helped to advance material science, digitalization, electric grid stability and modernization, cybersecurity and more. Eaton announced in July 2020 its commitment to spending $3 billion by 2030 in research and development targeted at creating sustainable solutions.

The company's Crouse-Hinds, B-Line and Oil & Gas business develops industry-leading industrial lighting solutions to maximize performance, energy efficiency and safety in harsh and hazardous environments. To learn more, visit Eaton.com/crouse-hinds.

Eaton's electrical business is a global leader with deep regional application expertise in power distribution and circuit protection; power quality, backup power and energy storage; control and automation; life safety and security; structural solutions; and harsh and hazardous environment solutions. Through end-to-end services, channel and an integrated digital platform and insights, Eaton is powering what matters across industries and around the world, helping customers solve their most critical electrical power management challenges.

Eaton's mission is to improve the quality of life and the environment through the use of power management technologies and services. Eaton provides sustainable solutions that help its customers effectively manage electrical and mechanical power - more safely, more efficiently, and more reliably. Eaton's 2020 revenues were $17.9 billion, and the company sells products to customers in more than 175 countries. Eaton has approximately 85,000 employees.

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