Research

The participants will conduct research in foundational areas such as coordinate tolerance metrology, machine vision, in-process sensing and roughness metrology, as well as emerging areas such as scanning probe microscopy, optical interferometry, and bio-manufacturing, among others. Further, each participant will learn to conduct literature surveys, formulate hypotheses, design experiments to collect data, analyze and interpret the data, and communicate their work through written and oral presentation. These experiences will be facilitated by a team of research mentors, including faculty and graduate researchers. Students will partake in individual as well as team research.

Potential Research Topics

Coordinate Tolerance Metrology
Tolerances serve to establish the interrelationship between design, manufacturing and inspection. Research in tolerances has largely concentrated on size. Other types of geometric tolerances such as form, and orientation are often arbitrarily specified without adequate reference to the inspection applied. Two specific research problems in coordinate metrology will be investigated by participants: sampling point selection and minimum zone estimation to verify multiple forms and orientation tolerances.

Roughness Metrology
The geometric and material properties of surfaces affect friction, wear, fatigue, and corrosion. An evaluation of surface texture is essential for product control as well as process control. Participants will research non-contact measurements of surfaces with modular equipment and develop comparison procedures with contact sensing.

Machine Vision      
Machine vision has been successfully employed in manufacturing applications including material handling, assembly, and inspection. Optical technologies are also being developed for use in the scan-type CMMs (coordinate measuring machines). Machine vision systems in industry are especially useful for determining and measuring part futures such as area, center of gravity, and moment of inertia.

Reverse Engineering and Reconstruction Metrology
Reverse Engineering (RE) is the process of creating a duplicate of an existing part by reproducing that part's physical features, dimensions and material composition. In reference to mechanical parts, RE can be divided into two distinct stages: data collection and manufacturing. REU participants will conduct feasibility studies using various data collection methods.

On-line Sensing and Diagnostic of Manufacturing Process Variables
Cutting forces, temperatures, and acoustic emission are typical variables measured during the cutting process using sensors and data acquisition equipment. Cutting forces are typically measured using piezo-electric force transducers, and temperatures are measured using thermocouples. Participants will research the measurement of process parameters and evaluate their affect on other process variables.
    
Nano-metrology
Nanotechnology is a fairly new term that describes the fabrication and handling of materials at the atomic and molecular scale, a scale that is more than a thousand times smaller than that involved in today's microelectronics. Participants will assist in the synthesis of carbon nanotubes and their characterization by TEM and raman spectroscopy.