This project initiates the first year of a five-year continuing award to the University of Arkansas to join with the University of Cincinnati and Florida Atlantic University in merging with Georgia Institute of Technology's Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for Material Handling. The university has developed the company support to be added to the Center's industry base. The research projects approved by the new consolidated Industry Advisory Board for the University of Arkansas are "Improved Postal Pak Operations", "Analysis of Flat Mail Containers", "Simulation Methodology to Support Process Manufacturing", and "Analysis of the Warehouse Layout Problems for an Electronic Assembly Environment." A minority woman graduate student will augment the Center's research by studying "the Extension of JIT Software Development to Manufacturing Automation Alternatives." The researchers are experts in their fields and have the capability and facilities to participate in the new merged Center. The Program Manager recommends the University of Arkansas be awarded $50,000 for the first year of a five-year continuing grant. An additional $20,500 for one year is recommended with funds provided by the Research Centers for Minority Scholars Program. Near the end of each 12 month period the Program Manager and/or the Director of the Engineering Centers Division will review the progress of the Center on a number of criteria, including the following: (1) the extent to which the university-industry interaction and collaboration is developing; (2) the extent to which the support base is expanding; (3) the extent to which a robust research program is developing. If the review is satisfactory, the Program Director will recommend support of the next period of this continuing grant.
