Public engineering firm profile
Bluefield, WV
Ingenuity to industry
CART is a 501(c)(3) non-profit applied research and technology development organization established in 1998. Operating industrial design studios and laboratories in Bluefield, West Virginia, the organization provides rapid product development, automation, systems engineering, and technology transfer services to industrial sponsors, government agencies, and start-ups. It translates science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) into marketable products, processes, and systems.
Evaluation, concept refinement, and testing services to validate technical and scientific feasibility.
Design and integration of complex systems, autonomous vehicles, automation, and advanced printed circuits.
Physical and digital prototyping, turning concept designs into functional working models and minimum viable products.
Business planning, roadmapping, and initial production support to bring advanced technologies successfully to market.
2020 | Pickatto LLC | Manufacturing
Collaborated with Pickatto LLC to engineer a custom production model and charger for a sensor-equipped guitar pick. CART provided evaluation, prototype development, and product design services across multiple phases to deliver a functional and comfortable device that tracks musician performance data.
View project source2019 | Semplastics | Manufacturing
Partnered with Semplastics and its X-MAT division to develop the first-generation prototype of the X-TILE, a lightweight and fireproof coal-core composite roofing shingle. The project utilized polymer-derived ceramics combined with bituminous coal to create a sustainable, high-strength alternative to traditional ceramic tiles.
View project source2020 | Semplastics | Manufacturing
Collaborated with Semplastics, X-MAT, and the University of North Dakota Energy and Environmental Research Center on a cost-shared research project funded by the Department of Energy. The initiative focuses on converting coal waste into high-strength, commercially useful structural and building components.
View project source2018 | City of Bluefield | Government
Partnered with the City of Bluefield to establish a manufacturing and entrepreneurship business incubator housed in a 60,000-square-foot former freight station. CART developed training programs and provided technical assistance to support technology-based start-ups and entrepreneurs in the region.
View project sourceCEO
Bruce Mutter is an engineering professor at Bluefield State College and serves as the CEO of the Center for Applied Research and Technology. He has led the organization in translating STEM concepts into marketable products and establishing key municipal and industry partnerships.