9412635 Beale The award would enable the Principal Investigator to undertake projects in the general area of machine design and maintenance as it relates to textile machines used for knitting, weaving and textile processing. Specific efforts to be undertaken include finite element modeling of machine components, control system optimization of textile processing machinery, kinematic synthesis of textile mechanisms, and application of smart material technology. Design improvements to the loom would also be considered, involving the use of braiding principles in order to achieve improvements in the production rate. The design improvements have the potential to achieve an order of magnitude improvement in production rate in the intensively competitive of textile manufacturing. The interaction between the Principal Investigator and the textile manufacturer would also be mutually beneficial to both parties involved. The former would benefit from its impact on his teaching and research activities, whereas the latter would benefit from exposure to advanced technology.
