North Dakota State University, Fargo and Triton Systems, Inc., a Massachusetts-based materials products company, have announced a research partnership and Triton’s plan to establish a new facility in the NDSU Research and Technology Park. The company’s Fargo facility will primarily be devoted to applications engineering and manufacturing of advanced coatings for military products including bed nets, tent fabrics, and military garments. Future applications include chemical detection sensing systems.
    
The Triton facility, to be located in Fargo’s NDSU Research and Technology Park, will house Triton’s novel and environmentally friendly ASSET coatings capabilities. The ASSET (Advanced Solutions in Surface Engineering Technology) coating method is a process enabling ultrathin, rugged, highly functional surface modifications and coatings for such broad applications as biomedical devices, textiles, optical systems and electronics. Initially, the facility will be set up to support applications engineering for a number of end-uses for the Department of Defense in partnership with NDSU. Triton plans to acquire approximately 3,000 square feet of space with the goal of doubling that space within 24 months.
    
“We are excited that the company recognizes the opportunities and expertise available in partnership with NDSU,” said NDSU president Richard A. Hanson. “NDSU offered the first coatings course in 1905 and continues its international reputation for coatings research and licensing of coatings technology to global companies.”
    
NDSU’s Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials and the Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering specialize in coatings research.