Design Team Collaboration (DTC)

International Collaboration Center (ICC)

Machine Design Network (MDN)

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Intl. Youth Collaboration with Doctors, Engineers, and Consultants on

Innovation & Philanthropic Projects

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Give a Person a Fish,

and they will Eat for a Day

Enable a Person to Research & Design,

and they will Lead the World

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I. Executive Summary

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The Midlink Innovation Campus is a dual-site transformation of two massive facilities in Kalamazoo, MI. The International Collaboration Center (ICC) is a 15-floor vertical innovation hub for international research, education, and technology commercialization. The adjacent Machine Design Network (MDN) Production Hub converts 1M+ sqft of manufacturing space into a 24/7 industrial ecosystem enabling rapid prototyping, tooling, and product launch.Together, they provide America—and its neighbors in Canada and Mexico—a critical, resilient production and innovation corridor.

 

II. International Collaboration Center (ICC)

Project Type

15-Floor Mixed-Use Innovation Tower

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Key Functions

International R&D, Civic Engineering, Biotech, Philanthropy, Youth Residency, Food Security, Conference Hosting

 

Project Specs

• Tower Height: 160 ft (FAA Form 7460-1 to be filed)

• Total Area: 375,000–450,000 sqft

• Land: 15–20 acres with plaza, roads, and support structures

• Location: Northeast quadrant of Midlink front building footprint

• Lodging: Two hotels on campus for overflow housing

 

Sub-Brand Structure by Floor (select examples)

SkyForge Summit (15th): Global Conference Pavilion

BioForge 8 (8th): WMU BME + Pfizer Integration

GreenCrate (4th): Smart Grocery + Culinary Labs

NeuroNest AI (3rd): AI Triage and Robotics Simulation

GroundWorks (1st): 911 Clinic, Product Displays, Organic Grocery

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Anchor Tenants & Collaborators

WMU, Pfizer, Stryker, DHS, USDA, Design Team Collaboration, MEDC, Southwest Michigan First, Planting Foundations, Medical Offices

 

III. Machine Design Network (MDN)

Project Type1M+ sqft Industrial Facility Retrofit + 250,000 sqft Machining & Fabrication Center

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Key Capabilities

Roboti Machine Design & Build, CNC machining, tool & die, injection molding, 3D printing, robotic welding, metrology, stamping, assembly

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Injection Molding & Additive Manufacturing Center

To support mid-to-large scale production of enclosures and mechanical components for electronic prototypes, the MDN campus will include a modern Injection Molding and Additive Manufacturing Center.

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Capabilities

• Mid-volume production of custom plastic cases and housings for medical and industrial electronics

• Mold creation using on-site CNC and EDM equipment

• Multi-material 3D printing including both plastic (FDM/SLA/SLS) and metal additive manufacturing (DMLS or binder jetting)

• Post-processing and surface finishing stations

• Flexible production from low-run prototyping to short-run commercial pilot batches

 

Equipment Breakdown & Cost Estimate

• Injection Molding Presses (50–200T)2–3: $50,000–$100,000 / $100,000–$300,000

• Mold Base Machining (CNC/EDM shared)—Included in machining zone—

• Plastic 3D Printers (FDM, SLA, SLS)3–5: $5,000–$20,000 / $15,000–$100,000

• Metal 3D Printers (DMLS or Binder Jet)1–2: $150,000–$400,000 / $150,000–$800,000

• Post-Processing Stations (Cure, Polish)2–4: $10,000–$20,000 / $20,000–$80,000

• Surface Finishing Tools & Laser Marking2–3: $15,000–$40,000 / $30,000–$120,000

• ESD-safe Assembly Benches + Fixtures Multiple: $1,000–$3,000 / $15,000–$40,000

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Total Estimated Investment: $330,000–$1.44M

 

This center enables custom case production, enclosures for AI/medical devices, and pilot-run product launches while giving students and entrepreneurs direct access to world-class additive and molding tools.

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MEMS & Nano Fabrication Lab

 

To support advanced microelectronics, medical sensors, and custom-designed smart devices, the MDN facility will include a MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) and Nano Fabrication Laboratory.

 

Capabilities

• Microfabrication of MEMS devices for sensors, actuators, and biomedical tools

• Thin film deposition, photolithography, and etching

• Nano-scale material processing and testing

• Integration with microfluidics, soft robotics, and smart textiles

• High-precision prototyping for next-gen devices in Anode+, 911 Ecosystem, and NeuroSeal

 

Equipment Breakdown & Cost Estimate

• Photolithography System (Mask Aligner): 1 $150,000–$300,000 / $150,000–$300,000

• Electron Beam Evaporator: 1 $250,000–$400,000 / $250,000–$400,000

• Reactive Ion Etcher (RIE): 1$200,000–$350,000 / $200,000–$350,000

• Atomic Layer Deposition System (ALD): 1 $400,000–$600,000 / $400,000–$600,000

• Nano-Imprint Lithography System: 1 $300,000–$500,000 / $300,000–$500,000

• Critical Point Dryer / Clean Room Tools: Multiple $50,000–$100,000 / $100,000–$200,000

• Optical & Scanning Electron Microscope:1–2 $150,000–$500,000 / $150,000–$1,000,000

• MEMS Testing Station & Packaging:1 $100,000–$250,000 / $100,000–$250,000

• Class 1000 Clean Room Fitout: (modular)~500–1000 sqft $500,000–$1,000,000 / $500,000–$1,000,000

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Total Estimated Investment——$2.15M–$4.6M

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This lab positions the Midlink campus at the forefront of biomedical innovation and nanoscale manufacturing, supporting both research and productization pipelines.

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PCB Fabrication & Assembly Center

To support advanced electronics and embedded systems development, the MDN facility will house a state-of-the-art Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Fabrication and Assembly Center. This capability will be integrated into the DTC Engineering Lab and Clean Assembly Zones.

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Capabilities

• In-house PCB prototyping (single-, double-, and multi-layer boards)

• SMT and through-hole component assembly

• Stencil printing and reflow oven soldering

• Optical inspection, X-ray QA, and functional test systems

• Environmental chamber testing and thermal profiling

• Rapid iteration for embedded, medical, and AI-integrated hardware platforms

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Equipment Breakdown & Cost Estimate

• PCB CNC Prototyping Routers : 2–3$12,000–$18,000 / $36,000–$54,000

• Reflow Oven (convection or vapor phase)2: $15,000–$40,000 / $30,000–$80,000

• SMT Pick-and-Place Machines (Auto)2: $40,000–$100,000 / $80,000–$200,000

• Solder Paste Printer + Stencil Printer1–2: $20,000–$35,000 / $20,000–$70,000

• Optical Inspection System (AOI)1: $50,000–$100,000 / $50,000–$100,000

• X-ray Inspection System (BGA QA)1: $75,000–$150,000 / $75,000–$150,000

• Functional Test Racks + Dev Benches5–10: $5,000–$10,000 / $25,000–$100,000

• Environmental/Thermal Test Chambers1–2: $25,000–$75,000 / $25,000–$150,000

• ESD-Safe Assembly Benches & Storage: Multiple$1,000–$3,000 / $25,000–$50,000

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Total Estimated Investment: $366,000–$954,000

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This PCB center enhances Midlink's ability to rapidly iterate hardware across the 911 Ecosystem, CryoCommand, Anode+, and AI sensor platforms—while training students in real-world electronics development.

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New Product Introduction Manufacturing Startup (Mid to Large Scale)

relocation to final Philanthropic Focused Location

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Dedicated Zones

• 250,000 sqft – Advanced Machining & Fabrication

• 150,000 sqft – DTC Engineering & Field Validation Lab

• 125,000 sqft – 911 Ecosystem Launch Bay

• 100,000 sqft – CryoCommand Skid/Refill Manufacturing

• 50,000 sqft – Vocational Training & Youth Development

• 100,000 sqft – Clean Assembly Zones

• 175,000 sqft – Logistics, Shipping, Rail Interface

• 50,000 sqft – Staff, QA, Admin, Maintenance

 

Workforce

The core operating model prioritizes lean staffing, automation, and entrepreneurial engagement. In addition to on-site contributors, the campus will maintain a globally distributed, web-based workforce model.

 

This includes:

• Over 1,000  onsite & thousands offsite college-level student collaborators participating in hands-on innovation, coursework, and paid project placements through WMU, KRESA, Intl. Universities, and regional institutions

• Over 1,000 onsite & thousands offsite high school students engaged in dual-enrollment, apprenticeships, and innovation mentoring tracks

• A pool of volunteer researchers contributing to humanitarian tech, academic collaboration, and IP development

• Self-employed entrepreneurs and micro-contractors using ICC and MDN as a hardware/software startup launchpad

• AI-integrated systems to support task automation, data analysis, and process acceleration

• Off-campus international contributors, including students and institutions across Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa

• Time zone-leveraged project task offloading to maintain overnight development momentum

• Integration of DHS BridgeCard recipients through the State Funded Workers program for tuition support, project-based employment, OJT, Skill Development, and wraparound services

 

This approach minimizes fixed staffing costs while supporting scalable development, job training, and innovation productivity.

 

Budgetary Notes

• $10M in annual bulk tuition purchases is projected to support high school and college-level activity pipelines through institutions like WMU and KRESA

• Workforce overhead remains capped by design, leveraging automation and part-time or project-based labor to minimize fixed staffing costs

• Strategic partnerships with workforce development agencies and philanthropic foundations will offset training and operational costs

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Connected Innovation

Realtime handoff from ICC R&D floors to MDN rapid tooling and scalable production