OSU units collaborate to create processing equipment for Cowboy Technologies start-up

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

By: Aubrey Raupe

Associated Material Processing, the first company to enter the commercialization process through the early seed investor fund provided by Cowboy Technologies, LLC at Oklahoma State University, recently received its process system, which was designed and fabricated in conjunction with OSU’s New Product Development Center and OSU-Institute of Technology in Okmulgee. The system is a key component in AMP’s commercialization process. The completion of this system marks the final stages of the research and development and positions the company to provide higher volumes of its proprietary materials. The tie to OSU from the research aspect to the design and fabrication of the system is unique.

AMP was developed through research conducted by Allen Apblett, associate professor of chemistry, at OSU. Apblett’s research developed a system for arsenic byproduct removal from water and was targeted by Cowboy Technologies for use in the semi-conductor industry. This research became the foundation for a business launch. “It’s rare to see an entire lifecycle of commercialization completed within one system, like this project was completed through the OSU system,” said Steve Wood, CEO of Cowboy Technologies.

The system was designed by the New Product Development Center at OSU.  Tyler Shirk, an intern at the NPDC and an aerospace and mechanical engineering student at OSU, designed the system.  Robert Taylor, director of the NPDC and research professor, provided guidance to Shirk throughout the design process.

Shirk said working on the project was a true collaborative effort from research, to the design phase and then to the fabrication of the system.

 “I began by designing the mechanical process of how the chemical reaction that Dr. Apblett discovered could be carried out,” Shirk said. “I designed a structural skid that creates the arsenic filter. After the design was complete, the design package was sent to OSU-IT for fabrication purposes.”After the design phase, students at OSU-IT built the system.  Scott Fry, director of workforce development at OSU-IT, said working on the fabrication of this system for Cowboy Technologies and AMP was beneficial to his students.“I think the students always benefit from having a live project because it allows them to do everything from start to finish,” Fry said. “The experience was invaluable for the students who got to work on it here at OSU-IT."

Cowboy Technology Angels, a member-led investment fund, is now looking for interested OSU enthusiasts to invest in AMP. CTA offers potential investors a first look at technologies developed at OSU with the possibility to provide investment for those technologies.

In addition, Cowboy Technologies is seeking management from within the OSU family who are involved in the chemical processing, water processing or semiconductor industries to help launch AMP as a fully operating company.

For more information about AMP, Cowboy Technologies or Cowboy Technology Angels visit cowboytechllc.com and cowboytechnologyangels.com.