Targeting smart hybrid manufacturing, we are exploring the field of Innovative Design & Manufacturing.

  Here are some current research topics.

    Hybrid and bridging processes represent an effective way to not only enhance process capabilities but also develop novel processes with synergies beyond the capabilities of the individual processes. However, as hybrid or bridging requires more than just repetition of processes, theoretical or experimental approaches should be carried out to improve the compatibility of individual processes. In the former research, a novel hybrid process for 3D printing at the micro/nano-scale with multi-material capabilities was described. We will keep our efforts in expanding the capability and scalability, aiming highly-flexible, effective, and scalable manufacturing processes.

    Environmental concerns have prompted various legislation and initiatives, requiring manufacturing industries to take a greater role in reducing energy consumption and carbon emission. Moreover, energy saving/management also contributes to a lower burden of power infrastructure, thus many studies have investigated ways toward sustainable manufacturing. Here, we measure, analyze, and model the energy consumption of manufacturing processes. By assessing conventional and state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies, it is aimed to construct an intelligent system to evaluate and predict energy consumption. Based on the modeling, a hierarchical energy-saving strategy has been suggested, and will further be implemented in industries.

    (Images were reproduced from Yoon et al., J Clean Prod, 2014 with permission from Elsevier.)

    The material response during cutting can drastically change from ductile to brittle regimes with respect to the scale of deformation, temperature, pressure conditions, etc. Particularly at a nano-scale depth of cut, ductility can be the matter of the deformation size. In this topic, the transition of material removal behavior has been investigated in the machining of engineering materials. By observing material response at the atomic scale, it is aimed to formulate a machinability model in ultra-precision machining. Further, the developed model will be utilized in the development of machining strategies with improved throughput.

    (Images were reproduced from Yoon et al., CIRP Ann-Manuf Tech, 2018 with permission from Elsevier.)