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AET Joins The IQMP FaQtory to Support At-Scale Quantum Manufacturing

mmaurisak — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 22:30:00 +0000

SOUTH HOLLAND, IL – Ability Engineering Technology, Inc. (AET) is officially joining The IQMP FaQtory as its second announced tenant.

Located at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP), The FaQtory will house quantum equipment and component manufacturers as part of The Bloch Quantum Tech Hub, a Chicago Quantum Exchange-led coalition focused on moving the U.S. quantum sector from laboratory development toward reliable, at-scale domestic manufacturing.

The initiative is supported in part by the U.S. Economic Development Administration Tech Hubs program, which awarded $30 million to The Bloch. The federal award unlocks additional commitments from the State of Illinois and private-sector partners, bringing the total investment in the initiative to nearly $55 million.

Solving Physical Hardware Bottlenecks

For AET, the fit is straightforward. Quantum processors require far more than advanced software and silicon. They depend on high-vacuum environments, custom cryogenic equipment, reliable gas-handling infrastructure, and specialized components that often do not exist as off-the-shelf products.

AET designs, builds, and tests that specialized hardware.

Our capabilities include custom cryostats, vacuum chambers, dewars, cold boxes, vacuum-jacketed piping, valve boxes, process skids, heat exchangers, helium recovery and gas purification systems, automated controls, and research-scale test fixtures.

“As we explored the emerging global quantum ecosystem, it became clear that the Chicago Quantum Exchange is a mission-critical hub connecting organizations that need local cryogenic expertise with our creative engineering team,” said Eugene Botsoe, President of Ability Engineering Technology. “Joining this community allows us to contribute directly to the Midwest quantum economy through on-site technical expertise, rapid prototyping, and workforce development.”

The On-Site Advantage

By establishing a satellite technical presence at The FaQtory, AET will provide IQMP tenants with on-site engineering consultation, rapid prototyping, equipment modification, troubleshooting, and field support.

When a system experiences a vacuum leak, an unexpected thermal load, or a fitting issue, resolving it through remote meetings and long shipping cycles can stall progress. Placing engineers alongside researchers and device developers allows problems to be identified and corrected earlier in the design cycle.

The location will support both AET-built systems and other specialized equipment when our engineering, fabrication, or troubleshooting experience can help improve overall IQMP readiness.

“Ability Engineering Technology brings decades of experience building specialized hardware, an expertise that will strengthen The Bloch Quantum and its IQMP-based FaQtory,” said David Awschalom, the University of Chicago’s Liew Family Professor of Quantum Engineering and Physics, the founding director of the CQE, and the principal investigator of The Bloch. “Scaling a quantum supply chain doesn’t mean starting entirely from scratch. Existing manufacturers like AET bring valuable knowledge and skills that the quantum supply chain needs. By bringing them together in The Bloch’s FaQtory, we improve development and design cycles, accelerate quantum commercialization, and bolster quantum economy growth.”

Backed by Regional Manufacturing Capacity

Along with its satellite presence at The FaQtory, AET is continuing to expand and modernize its primary 35,000-square-foot engineering and manufacturing facility in South Holland, Illinois.

The South Holland facility will provide the engineering, heavy fabrication, assembly, and testing capacity needed to support on-site development work and carry successful concepts into larger-scale production.

With nearly 80 years of experience supporting national laboratories, research institutions, aerospace programs, and industrial gas companies, AET is positioned to help solve the physical engineering challenges that come with scaling domestic quantum technology.

About Ability Engineering Technology, Inc.

Founded in 1947 and headquartered in South Holland, Illinois, Ability Engineering Technology, Inc. specializes in the design, engineering, fabrication, and testing of custom cryogenic, vacuum, and process systems for demanding scientific and industrial applications.

About The Bloch Quantum Tech Hub

Led by the Chicago Quantum Exchange, The Bloch Quantum Tech Hub is a U.S. Economic Development Administration-designated regional coalition working to strengthen the domestic quantum supply chain and accelerate the development, commercialization, and manufacturing of quantum technologies across the Midwest.

This project is supported by the U.S. Economic Development Administration under the Tech Hubs Program.

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#TBT Valve Box Manufacturing – 1990s

Michael Maurisak — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 19:30:56 +0000

In this image, we can see testing of a Cryogenic Distribution Valve Box from the 1990s. This type of cryogenic enclosure is used to take in cryogenic liquid from a source and distribute to multiple outlets. These are still used today in many industries.
#welding #manufacturing https://bit.ly/3nose7O

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#Tips Tuesday – Raw Material Market Changes Early 2022

Michael Maurisak — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 01:32:15 +0000

Material has been the subject of many conversations over the past year, but increasingly-so lately due to Nickel based worries. This week’s tip is simply a real-life example of these price and lead time increases. In January, we were requested to provide pricing for a system that has over 10,000 lbs of Stainless Steel 304/304L Material (Approximately 33k USD COST).

The customer chose not to proceed at that time with the order due to price constraints, but has now chosen to re-evaluate. Material pricing on that same request is now 10% higher at 36k USD COST with additional lead time and a shorter quotation validity window.

TIP: Pricing is higher than it was last year, let alone weeks ago. However, if you need something sooner, rather than later….don’t wait. Look at what you can order now to secure the material wherever possible.

#manufacturing #industrial #steel #supplychain

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#tips Tuesday – Value Stream Mapping

Michael Maurisak — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 22:35:10 +0000

The purpose of a value stream map is to view the entirety of a process flow from start to finish and create a plan to optimize efforts in getting the company to its desired outcomes. By illustrating the current state, a value stream map allows you to know where there are current gaps.

Value Stream Mapping will allow you to find your deficiencies and/or waste and create a better, more efficient and profitable company!

We, AET, Would like to thank IMEC Illinois, Jim Floyd, Margo Barr-Kosier and Parick Peplowski for teaching us how to Kaizen our company for greater future results!

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#tips Tuesday – Why Choose a VFD over a Soft Starter for your AC Motor?

Michael Maurisak — Tue, 24 Aug 2021 23:24:36 +0000

When designing a control panel with a motor, we are often faced with the decision of using a VFD (Variable Frequency Drive) or a Soft Starter. AET would recommend making the initial investment and choose the VFD. Although soft starters are smaller and in some cases a VFD can cost two to three times more up front, an efficient VFD can provide energy savings of up to 50 percent, thereby producing significant savings over the life of the equipment.

Additional Benefits to offset the initial investment:

Speed control
Consistent acceleration/deceleration time
Robust functionality
Diagnostic information
Equipment protection
Prolonged motor life

#electrical #mechanical

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#TBT G-10 Garolite Material Embedded with Graphite

Michael Maurisak — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 23:34:45 +0000

This week we’ll take a look at some material we assembled and machined in 2011. The pictured G-10 material has embedded Graphite rods for use as electrodes Then the grooves, that you might be able to see by the image, were machined in both the G-10 and Graphite material together.
This was a fun project for our machinist at the time to practice some patience.

#throwbackthursday #machining #aet #abilityengineering

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#TBT Coiling Finned Copper Tubing on Mandrel in the 1990’s

Michael Maurisak — Fri, 23 Jul 2021 02:20:32 +0000

Coils made on a mandrel, such as the one in today’s TBT image, are commonplace for AET’s cryogenic builds. The finned copper shown here is used to increase contact surface area and decrease annular flow rate of the exchanged fluid or gas. Fabricated in our machine shop, this coil would likely have been later used within a full cryogenic system.

#throwbackthursday #heatexchangers #cryogenic #aet #abilityengineering

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#ThrowbackThursday Corrugated Roller Machine Refurbishment ( Early 1970s)

Michael Maurisak — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 02:44:16 +0000

The two images for this week are to show a before-and-after of a corrugating machine refurbishment in the early 70’s. Back then, AET specialized in refurbishment of equipment used in processing all sorts of materials. This machine added corrugations to otherwise standard sheet stock.

#tbt #abilityengineering #machinery

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#TBT Preparing Material on a Grinding Table in 1982

Michael Maurisak — Thu, 08 Jul 2021 21:03:16 +0000

#aet #throwbackthursday #machining #grinding #fabrication #abilityengineering

The image for today’s Throwback Thursday is of some material being prepared on one of our grinding tables in 1982.

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#TBT 1993 High Beta Tokamak-Extended Pulse Fabrication for Columbia

Michael Maurisak — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 00:56:27 +0000

Back in 1992-1993, AET worked with Columbia University’s Plasma Physics Lab on a Tokamak fabrication. This first-of-its-kind Tokamak has movable walls throughout to get fine adjustment of the test plasma.

As stated on the Columbia Plasma Physics Lab Website here, https://bit.ly/3ydnjuD
“HBT-EP is a unique experiment for the investigation of wall-stabilization being the only tokamak device built with adjustable walls and having a vacuum chamber made with several quartz cylindrical breaks. These breaks allow fast penetration of externally-applied magnetic perturbations. HBT-EP has accelerated magnetic islands of nearly sonic speed and the device has been used to access the Troyon normalized beta limit with ohmic heating alone.”

For more information on the Tokamak, please visit the following link at Columbia.edu;
https://bit.ly/3hjBSG8

#aet #throwbackthursday #abilityengineering #plasmaphysics #columbiaeedu

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