University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Ruzic
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) iis planning to join the existing multi-university Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) entitled "The Center for Laser and Plasma for Advanced Manufacturing" which was created in 2002. The center was initially established as a single university center and currently has grown to a multi-university center with participation from the University of Virginia (lead), the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and the Southern Methodist University.
The primary focus of the center's research has been in laser applications for advanced manufacturing. Some of the center's research activities have included laser removal of oxides, laser micro-machining of titanium, laser microtexturing, optical sensor for laser welding, micromachining of aluminum alloys and carbon nanocomposites. The addition of UIUC would strengthen the plasma component of the center and bring in a more diverse industrial base. The research at UIUC will cover a wide spectrum of plasmas and plasma manufacturing techniques, and the proposed site's research plan will center around three research thrusts: development of large scale plasma deposition system, directed etching assisted by lasers, and atmospheric plasma induced polymerization. In addition, UIUC will work towards solving a multitude of research problems in plasma manufacturing that are both near-term and long-term.
The effort at UIUC will broaden the many years of plasma-related research into the rapidly expanding arena of lasers/plasma assisted manufacturing. The proposed center will offer new opportunities for industry partners as both short term and long term engineering problems are solved. Industry partners can use the technology to develop new markets, improve product quality and performance, and reduce manufacturing costs. The proposed project also provides undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to collaborate with industry, and expand their problem solving and research skills. Results of the research will be disseminated through publications and presentation in reputed journals. UIUC also has a postdoctoral plan in place to enhance the post-doc experience.
