Advanced Manufacturing Technology Research Group

Introduction

The Advanced Manufacturing Technology (AMT) Research Group was established in 1995 at the Waterford Institute of Technology under the Leadership of Mr. Joe Phelan.

Manufacturing Research Activities

Research in the AMT area is carried out at Masters and PhD level and is underpinned by a very active undergraduate project support structure.  Funding is through support and sponsorship from local and national industry and through the national competitive research grant system.  The AMT Research Group is the longest established research grouping in WIT and has a long list of successes in terms of graduates, funding and sustainable technical development.

The AMT research focus is in four main areas, the first being the general area of Automated Systems and specifically the following:

1. Automation: PLC control, Robotics, Pneumatics, Conveying;
2. FMS/FMAS & ASRS: design, system development, implementation, auto scheduling, SCADA, communication;
3. Manufacturing Process Development: process studies and problem solving;
4. Component Feeding: 
5. Vibratory Bowls, Pallet conveying and fixturing;
6. Flexibility and low cost production through automation are key objectives of this work.

 The second area of research is that of precision engineering with current specific interests in the following:

1. Precision location: kinematic pallet location: low cost solutions for the precision industry;
2. piezo based micro/nano systems: instrument/system design, development and implementation for positioning and measurement;
3. micro/nano assembly: feeding, handling, testing.

The third area is that of Ambient Assisisted Living (AAL) targeting the development of a very low cost modular robot to support the ‘ageing population’. Work is also ongoing in the area of anthropomorphic robotics and hand grasping systems.

Contact

Enquiries:  Mr. Joe Phelan  Phone +353 51 302076 Fax + 353 51 302666 Email jphelan@wit.ie