The focus of my research group is in the general area of Computational Solid Mechanics, with current emphasis on constitutive modeling of advanced materials, fracture and damage mechanics, and simulation of materials processing. The emphasis of my research is in the development of practical tools (to be used in the context of nonlinear finite element methods) that would help engineers integrate advanced principles of mechanics and materials into everyday design. Current projects include constitutive modeling of thermoplastic polymers, modeling of the creep behavior in clock springs, development of efficient schemes for numerical implementation of coupled creep-plastic material behavior, and other related projects. Opportunities exist for members of my research group to collaborate with members of the other thrust areas of the department such as materials science, precision metrology, and biomedical engineering.

Dr. Harish P. Cherukuri

My group's computational mechanics research is primarily in the areas of materials processing, design of profiled hydrostatic thrust bearings, modeling of ductile machining if brittle materials. In the materials processing area, current focus areas are modeling residual stresses and deformation due to quenching, thermal stresses, continuous casting and plate rolling. The available resources include a computational mechanics laboratory equipped with Sun Blade 100s, Sun Ultra60 and high-end Dell workstations. In addition, the department also maintains a high-performance computing laboratory equipped with Sun Blade 1700s, Sun Blade 100s and high-end Dell workstations. Software resources include ABAQUS, ANSYS, PATRAN and Pro/Engineer. Click here for additional information.

Dr. Robin N. Coger

My laboratory, the Engineering of Biological Materials and Devices Lab uses device design, material characterization, and computational modeling to engineer and safely store engineered organs, such as the bioartificial liver. Consequently, the research output of our laboratory directly impacts the biomedical engineering fields of liver tissue engineering and cryopreservation. Equipment includes a differential scanning calorimeter, a dual microscope video microscopy system, Metamorph Image Analysis software, tissue culture equipment, and various NT and Sun workstations.  In addition, because of the interdisciplinary nature of our research, students of the lab have access to the array of analytical equipment available within the adjacent Biotechnology Common area.

Dr. James F. Cuttino

My group conducts research in traditional and precision machine design, dynamics, instrumentation, and manufacturing.  We are currently developing a number of precision devices, ranging from a long range fast tool servo vibration assisted tool actuators and precision voltage standards.  These projects involve the integration of precision machine design practices, instrumentation, controls, and, in some cases, cryogenics.  We are also involved in projects with the casting industry to develop sound practices in the fabrication and metrology of thin-walled castings.  Equipment utilized includes the Center for Precision Metrology's Nanoform 350 diamond turning machine, coordinate measuring machines, scanning probe microscopy, numerous precision displacement sensors, a spectrum analyzer, and other diagnostic instrumentation.

Dr. Matthew Davies

My group's research focuses on the improvement of manufacturing process through better measurements of the details of the process - for example microscope measurements of temperature fields in machining - and through modeling of the experimental results through finite element and other methods. The name we have given to this general area of work is manufacturing process metrology. Our particular areas of interest currently include (1) high-speed machining dynamics; (2) measurement of the temperature fields in manufacturing processes (with 5 micrometer resolution using IR microscopy); (3) modeling of chip formation in machining and induced residual stresses in machined components; (4) development of structured surfaces for improved dynamic performance of mechanical equipment including machine tools and (5) high-speed machining of large propulsion system components for Navy vessels. We are also beginning to develop an expertise in the manufacture of micro-optic (sub-millimeter) components by molding processes which we expect to be a growing area of work in the future. Our group attempts to maintain a mixture of work from government and industry to keep a healthy research atmosphere while not loosing the important link to industry practice. Current support for the work comes form a number of sources including the U.S. Navy, BWXT Y-12, Caterpillar and NIST, and an NSF SBIR with Third Wave Systems. We also have informal ties to the local optics company Waveguide Solutions. 

Dr. Horacio Estrada

My present interests and work are focussed on the development of MEMS-based microsensors and systems, flexible silicon strain gages and optical MEMS. Some research for the development of high-transverse sensitivity strain gages is in progress, for their integration in rugged and robust sensors. Temperature compensation of silicon strain gages has been demonstrated from -40 to 140 deg C for their use on aluminum, steel and ceramic substrates. Sensor-arrays for the mapping of force distributions, along with low-cost microsensors are being designed and developed. The use of semimetals and alloys is being investigated for strain detection, magnetic fields detection and for their use on SAW-based sensors. Finally, some effort is dedicated in the analysis of digital images for the measurement of high resolution (sub-micron) critical dimensions in MEMS.

Dr. Yogeshwar Hari

I am a professor of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. I recieved BSME degree from the Punjab University, Chandigarg, India in 1962 and MSME, and PhD from Purdue Univseristy, Indiana in 1963 and 1969 respectively. I am also a registered Professional Engineer in the state of North Carolina. I have 32 years of teaching experience of which 25 years are at UNCC, Charlotte, NC, two years at NC&ATU Greensboro, NC, three years at Indiana Institute of Technology, Fort Wayne, IN and two years at Gannon University, Erie, PA. My industrial experiance has been EI Dupont deNemours & Co., National Cash Register Co., Chase brass & Copper Co., Bowmar Instruments, Ford Motor Co., Cleanse Plastic Co., and Sterns Catalytic Corporation. I am also a consultant in Machine Design, Vibrations, and Computer Aided Analysis for local companies in the Charlotte area. My area of expertise is in the application of Mechanical Systems and Machine Design techniques towards solving "Real World" industrial problems. I am known in the industry as a "Problem Solver" and I am probably the most widely consulted Mechanical Engineer in the Carolinas. Current areas of concentration are application of Finite Element Analysis techniques in designing pressure vessels. Use is made of the various application software: MATLAB, MATHCAD, and STAAD III Finite Element.

Dr. Robert J. Hocken

My group focuses on various aspects of precision metrology applied to design and development of precision machinery. In particular, we are interested in application of new design principles towards development of new age metrological solutions embracing different frontiers of nanotechnology. We work towards seamless integration of principles of nanotechnology and applicability of precision metrology with an emphasis towards providing real life solutions to modern industry. In the recent past, we have developed a magnetically-suspended stage for accurate positioning of large samples in Scanned Probe Microscopy and I have worked in measurement of surfaces at the nanolevel using STM, AFM and White Light Interferometry techniques. I have been working on designing and building microscopes based on near-field optics (NSOMs) for over a decade and recently I finishing a phase contrast near field scanning optical microscope on an NSF grant with Terrill Mayes and Pat Moyer in Physics Department. I work with Stuart Smith and Dave Trumper (MIT) on the development of a nanometric stage as part of an NSF funded NIRT project. I work closely with industries and at present I am with working with Veeco as an affiliate on Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (NSF funded) on measurement of step height standards to nanometric precision. I am also working on sphere measurement to similar levels. I have a Nano-Scale Science and Engineering Center grant from NSF for Nanoscale imprinting and plasmonic lithography. I have partnered with UCLA, UC Berkeley, Stanford, UCSD, and HP labs for this project which is called the Center for Scalable and Integrated Nanomanufacturing. Two other recent grants are one with Nano Precision Products for advanced metrology and a second from NSF with MIT to evaluate ultra precision gratings at the Nanoscale using our Sub-Atomic Measuring Machine (SAMM).

Dr. Russell Keanini

My research tends to be focused in heat transfer and fluid mechanics and typically relies on experimentation and computational and analytical modeling. Ongoing and recent work in fluid mechanics includes experimental and computational studies of shock-induced separation in rocket nozzles, numerical simulation of post-accident flow and heat transfer in nuclear power plant cooling ponds, experimental development of resonance-based anemometers, and theoretical studies of flow and particle transport in second-order Stokes flows.  Heat and mass transfer work includes system modeling of precision temperature control devices, development and application of inverse methods to problems in materials processing, and modeling of heat and mass transport in biomaterials. Computational work is supported by resources in the computational mechanics laboratory while experimental work takes place in a number of labs both on and off campus.

Dr. Kevin Lawton

My group’s research is in the areas of instrument design and material stability. This involves machine design, interferometry, optical system design, instrumentation, control systems, temperature measurement and control, vibration isolation, metrology, strength of materials, material stability and the design and manufacture of precision creep instruments. Graduate students and undergraduate students are involved in working in these various areas in support of projects with current research partners NSF and LLNL.

Dr. Charles Y. Lee

My group is interested the area of BioHeat and Mass Transfer, specifically in utilizing machine perfusion to preserve livers for transplants.  Currently, we are investigating the effect of shear stress at hypothermic temperatures using a microshear chamber system, and isolated perfusion system with fluorescence and confocal microscopy to visualize the cell morphology.  We are expanding to look at other marginal donor livers and the effect of machine perfusion on preserving and reclaiming them.  The available resources are an isolated perfusion, temperature control system, microshear chamber, temperature control system, fluorescence and video microscopy, and available resources with the biotechnology common area.  Students are involved in building devices, experiments, data analysis, presentations and publications. Click here for more details

Dr. Edward P. Morse

My research is concerned with specification and control of geometric variability, and the analysis of how this variability affects individual parts and entire assemblies.  In the computational laboratory, my students are working to develop new assembly analyses and implement them in conjunction with existing analysis packages.  On the shop floor, we are examining how the geometric errors of machine tools can be measured while parts are being made, and how these errors influence the part's geometry.  I also have a strong interest in coordinate metrology, and I often have projects involving CMM measurements and the analysis of these measurements.  More information can be found in the research area of my homepage.

Dr. Edgar G. Munday

My research interests include the areas of tactile sensors and actuators which relate to robots and teleoperators.  I also have some background in metal fatigue. I also have some applied research areas including motorsports and automatic controls. Available resources include a high-performance computing laboratory maintained by the Department. Software resources include ANSYS, Pro/Engineer, and MATLAB.

Dr. Jay Raja

My group focuses on various aspects of computational metrology as applied to engineering surfaces. In particular, we are interested in investigating different analytical tools and their applications in surface metrology and in developing Internet based systems that quickly deploy solutions to industry. In the recent past, we have developed an Internet based surface texture and form analysis system with database system. We are currently expanding the scope of this project by including gage R&R, gage management and uncertainty estimation tools. We are also developing a suite of tools derived from pattern recognition for performing functional correlation in surface metrology. Laboratory facilities include a unique surface and form metrology lab with surface texture equipment from almost every manufacturer in the United States.

Dr. Jeffrey Raquet

My personal research is in the area of engineering design. Computer aided design applying theory of design for manufacture and assembly. Direct CAD to product through rapid technology and additive manufacturing with considerations to hybrid designs allowed by current and new technolgy in this area. Material consideration with components created with polymers. Hardware resources: two Stratasys Prodigy Plus rapid prototyping machines. Software resources: Pro/Engineer.

Dr. James J. Snyder

My research is primarily in the fields of optical metrology and instrumentation development, with additional interests in the modeling of laser beam propagation. At present, I have three active projects: grazing incidence metrology of machined surfaces using shearing interferometry, characterization of small holes using fringe projection techniques, and wavelength metrology using a planar waveguide circuit. My approach to the development of novel instrumentation includes theoretical modeling of relevant optical metrology concepts and systems, design and fabrication of opto-mechanical hardware, development of electronics for controlling the instrument and for data collection, and development of software for control and data analysis. For my students working on these projects, this approach helps them learn and understand the practical use of optics, mechanics, and electronics, as well as showing them how to apply computer modeling, control, and analysis. In addition to having written numerous published articles in peer-reviewed journals, I have over two dozen patents, and I have founded or co-founded three companies.

Dr. Stuart T. Smith

My research topics span a wide array of interests including x-ray and optical interferometry, precision motion control, capacitive and eddy-current based sensors, nanotechnology and digital signal processing (DSP), just to name a few. This research is supported in two labs, the Instrument Development Lab focuses on precision system construction and testing, while the Sensor Development lab focuses on electronics, sensor design and manufacture. I have authored and/or co-authored three books, 6 patents as well as published manuscripts in multiple peer reviewed journals. My philosophy of "design, build, and test" enables the student to take a project through the various stages of development, incorporating and encouraging a multi-disciplinary approach, shaping ideas from sketches on paper to fully functional and productive systems. Several of my students have formed spin-off companies such as Albany Instruments Inc. and InsituTec Inc. with the mission statement of marketing precision sensors and instruments.

Dr. Robert G. Wilhelm

The CAD/CAM laboratory addresses computational aspects of design, manufacturing, and metrology. The mission of the lab includes theoretical development, implementation, and technology transfer for the modeling and control of variation in manufactured products and processes. These results improve the precision, quality, and function of highly engineered products and systems. Focus areas for the laboratory include Computational Metrology, Manufacturing Process Planning and Process Control, Integration Software for Design and Manufacturing, Geometric Modeling and Computer-aided Design, Tolerance Analysis and Synthesis, Virtual Manufacturing, Scheduling Techniques for Discrete Manufacturing, and Agent-based Software for Manufacturing Planning and Execution.

Dr. Qiuming Wei

My research interests are focused on materials science and engineering, but span a relatively wide spectrum: from phase transformations (liquid-solid, solid-solid), processing of advanced materials using modern technologies such as pulsed laser deposition, magnetron sputtering, and severe plastic deformation (SPD), and characterizations in terms of microstructure and properties, superhard coatings, nanomaterials, ceramics, to high-rate testing and adiabatic shear band of materials with ultrafine and nanocrystalline microstructures. I am also trying to bridge the gap between mechanics and materials by using methods and theories from both arenas for the investigation of adiabatic shear bands in metallic materials. My current work involves processing of ultrafine and nanocrystalline metals using SPD and other far-from equilibrium techniques, study of grain boundary structure and defects in such materials in lieu of their effect on mechanical behavior of the materials. Another focus is on the adiabatic shear banding processes in such materials. This research is related to the search for a new tank penetrator (or kinetic energy anti-armor penetrator) material. I have close and long term collaborations with scientists and faculty members at US Army Research Laboratory, NSF Center for Advanced Materials and Smart Structures (NSF-CAMSS) at North Carolina A&T State University, the Johns Hopkins University, Texas A&M University, and so on.