This award is intended to facilitate a multi-disciplinary effort to integrate the various research activities in the area of manufacturing controls in a manner that focusses these efforts with greater emphasis and efficiency. Research activities to be pursued will include, but not be limited to, motion controllers for precision and sensorless actuators, predictive monitoring and diagnostics systems for manufacturing equipment, Linear Induction Motor (LIM) based manufacturing equipment and the surface measurement and processing of sculptured surfaces. Further projects that will have a significant impact on manufacturing in the United States will be identified by the research team in close consultation with industry and the research community. All these projects will be closely coupled with the Manufacturing Systems and Engineering program to enable the transfer of the results of the research activity to the classroom. Technology transfer to the industrial sector will be an essential part of the activity. The integration of multiple investigators into a team focussed on research in the area of manufacturing controls will assist in the research and development of new solutions to traditional problems in manufacturing. Significant long-term benefit could be derived if this is successfully coupled with technology transfer in the classroom and to the industry sector.
