Manufacturing USA institutes are leading the charge to rebuild domestic supply chains, particularly in sectors heavily impacted by foreign outsourcing such as semiconductors and textiles. By leveraging new technologies, they are helping to reclaim the value lost to offshore manufacturing. For instance, NextFlex and PowerAmerica are spearheading efforts to rebuild the domestic semiconductor supply chain through innovative approaches. Similarly, AFFOA is driving advancements in the textile industry, showcasing how supply chains can be reconstructed to meet modern demands. Below are examples that illustrate these transformative impacts.
Establishing U.S. Production of Super-Efficient Semiconductors
PowerAmerica is focused on improving power electronics products and systems through super-efficient wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors. The institute works with public and private partners to develop silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductors, which provide more powerful performance and dramatic energy savings than traditional silicon-based designs. PowerAmerica worked with X-FAB and other stakeholders to build the first open SiC chip factory in the U.S. Today the X-FAB foundry operates under a collaborative model, providing access to SiC semiconductor companies that lack their own fabrication facilities. It provides a domestic source for SiC production that has slowed the migration overseas for critical WBG semiconductors.
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Moving Healthwear Products from Concept to Consumers
Nufabrx helped create the healthwear category of wearable technology by putting active ingredients into textile fabrics used to create arm and knee sleeves that can be programmed for the controlled release of medicine to the skin. It was the first company to use intellectual property developed by AFFOA, the advanced fibers and textiles institute. AFFOA’s support has allowed Nufabrx to keep all of its manufacturing in the U.S. Nufabrx’s American-made medical textile-based products are sold in several nationwide retailers.
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