This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) project seeks financial support to acquire a modular, instrumented single-screw extruder with sensors and a multi-function co-injection molding machine as experimental instruments to be used at the Polymer Engineering Center (PEC), University of Wisconsin-Madison. The research proposed here responds to the call by the NSF's Directorate for Engineering, as stated in its "NSF Engineering: The Long View" document, for rapid development of "advanced manufacturing technologies" based on "advanced fabrication and processing methods" and "advancements in the quality of education on maintaining a preeminent engineering work force."
The acquisition and development of these state-of-the-art, instrumented machines will improve the quality and expand the scope of current research, research training, and integrated research and education activities related to polymer processing at the PEC. Specifically, these instrumented machines will expedite the research progress in improving existing and developing new polymer processing methods; it will also enhance the learning environment that serves nearly 250 student attendances in various polymer processing courses and lab sessions each semester at UW-Madison.
