Rapidly advancing technologies in the fields of mechanical systems dynamics, structural mechanics, design sensitivity analysis, optimization, computer architectures, computer science, numerical analysis and computer graphics need to be integrated into an overall mechanical system simulation and design optimization program that can be used by industry. As a result of NSF Planning Grant CDR 87-00749, the University of Iowa has shown that an Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for Simulation and Design Optimization of Mechanical Systems is both feasible and viable. This five-year continuing grant is funding along with industry the initiation of an Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for Simulation and Design Optimization of Mechanical Systems at the University of Iowa. This Center's research program is addressing: Dynamic System Simulation, Design Optimization, Advanced Software System Integration and Graphics Communication and Control of the Design Process. Over two dozens companies have become members of the Center providing support of approximately $1M. The Co-Principal Investigators and his colleagues are nationally recognized experts in their fields and have the knowledge, resources and support necessary to operate this Center. Drs. dePennington (DMC) and Marsh (MSM) are providing partial support. The Program Manager recommends the University of Iowa be awarded $75,000 for the first year of a five year continuing grant. The five-year continuing grant is to be cost shared this first year with $50,000 (CDR), $20,000 (DMC) and $5,000 (MSM). The U.S. Army, TACOM, is providing $50,000 to co-fund this Center with NSF. An additional $147,000 supplemental funding to augment the Center's research program is being provided by for other Government laboratories. Another $5,000 is for "Supplemental Funding of Women, Minority, and Handicapped Engineering Research Assistant." Follow on funding during the last four years will be in accordance with the following renewal criteria. Near the end of each 12-month period, the Program Manager and/or the Head of The Division of Cross-Disciplinary Research will review the progress of the Center on a number of renewal criteria, including the following: (1) extent to which university/industry interaction and collaboration is developing; (2) extent to which the support base for the center is expanding; (3) extent to which a robust research program is developing. If review is satisfactory, the Program Manager will recommend support of the next period of this continuing grant.
