University of Iowa engineering professors and their students are developing next-generation manufacturing systems to make Iowa more competitive in the global marketplace.

The work has received a $1.3 million boost from the National Science Foundation (NSF) EPSCoR Graduate Fellowship Program (EGFP). The grant will support eight graduate fellows under the guidance of University of Iowa engineering professors over three years.

“The project aims to enhance Iowa’s and the nation’s manufacturing capacity by training graduate students to become future industry and academic leaders in advanced manufacturing,” according to the research team. Advanced manufacturing encompasses fields including additive manufacturing, biomanufacturing, robotics, and smart manufacturing.

Yong Chen, professor and department head of industrial and systems engineering, is leading the project as the principal investigator. He is joined by co-principal investigators, Suresh M.L. Raghavan (biomedical engineering), Fatima Toor (electrical and computer engineering), and Xuan Song (industrial and systems engineering). A total of 13 faculty members from the College of Engineering are participating in this project.

The project will focus on four key areas: advanced manufacturing processes, sensing and robotics, data integration for smart manufacturing systems, and biomanufacturing and biotechnology.

Researchers anticipate the project will lead to the development of AI-enabled, data-driven technologies that reduce costs, boost productivity and innovation, shorten time to market, and improve the quality and scalability of complex manufacturing systems. 

To learn more about the project, visit the GLEAM website.