This Research Opportunity Award funds a project "Design for Assembly: A Conceptual Design Phase Approach" at Tennessee State University in support of the University of Southern California's Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for Manufacturing and Automation. This two-year project is reporting to the Center's Industry Advisory Board. The research is studying the development of a design for assembly advisor, which is a rule-based expert advisory system that identifies product design improvements and redesign tactics for assembly to product designers. A minority undergraduate student is also assisting these two- year studies. The Program Manager recommends Tennessee State University be awarded $100,000 for two (2) years. An additional $10,000 is recommended from the supplemental program on Women, Minorities and Disabled Engineering Research Assistants.
