This award provides funds for the planning of an enlarged Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) on Material Handling, Packaging and Processing. It would be in furtherance of one of the goals the I/UCRC Program, namely to increase the scope and depth of research at I/UCRC's by encouraging the formation of multi-university consortia. The University of Cincinnati, the University of Arkansas, and Florida Atlantic University each have expertise which can be added synergistically to that at the I/UCRC at the Georgia Institute of Technology to form a "national" center. Material Handling, packaging, and processing are a major cost element in both discrete product and process industries as well as the distribution and transportation of goods. The selective automation of these tasks promises both economic and social benefits, such as lower service and manufacturing costs, higher product quality and fewer employee injuries. The research topics to be addressed at such a center include: automated pelletizing; bin-picking; bin-packing; high speed/volume packing; unit load forming/cargo loading; simulation models for packaging and processing; shipping/logistics; automated kithing; carton standardization; new concepts for warehouse design; and design of versatile grippers. Industries which would be affected by the research performed at this type of center are: food distribution centers; freight companies; the U.S. Postal Service; machine tool/equipment manufacturers; and the U.S. military and their contractors. A grant of $75,000 for one year is recommended for award to the University of Cincinnati.
