A Michigan-based consortium of businesses, universities and other organizations has won a $140-million competition to become one of the first three manufacturing innovation institutes in the nation, the White House announced Saturday. The federal government will invest $70 million in the U.S. Department of Defense-led Lightweight and Modern Metals Manufacturing Innovation Institute to be headquartered in Canton, with at least another $70 million in matching money to come from private or other public sources. It wasn't known when the institute would begin work or how large its presence would be in southeastern Michigan, with many of the consortium's members at facilities around the country. President Barack Obama is expected to formally unveil the award of the Michigan institute - along with another to be based in Chicago, which will concentrate on digital manufacturing and design technologies - during an event in Washington on Tuesday. The Canton-based consortium - called LM3I for short - brings together makers of aluminum, titanium and high-strength steel with universities and labs doing research on new technology. It includes 60 members including Wayne State University, Michigan State University, Michigan Tech, the University of Michigan, ALCOA, Boeing, General Electric, Honda North America and Lockheed Martin.

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