BlackboardNSF recommends approval for I/UCRC at FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
The Florida Advanced Center for Composite Technologies proposal for establishing an Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) for Advanced Polymers and Composites has received an approval recommendation from the National Science Foundation.
The NSF approval was based on commitments received from the workshop hosted by the College of Engineering in December 2001 to discuss the future of the composite industry. About 60 people representing over 35 governmental and industrial organizations across the nation attended the workshop.
Several organizations signed letters of intent to partner with the NSF Center based on various research topics presented involving technology innovations in affordable composites, including various concepts being developed that will reduce cost and time-to-market for composite products, detect nondestructively fiber preform defects, and estimate costs at early stages of product design using virtual manufacturing software.
Advances in resin transfer molding and vacuum assisted resin transfer molding processes were presented. New manufacturing and quality control tools for composite production were also discussed, including a prototype of a resin infusion with double flexible tooling machine. Other presentations included work at the college in developing the next generation of nanocomposites and efforts to improve acoustic attenuating composites. "This research center will not only benefit the College of Engineering, but those organizations who sign on as industry partners will play a major role in shaping the future of research and development in the growing composite industry," said Dr. Ben Wang, Director of the Florida Advanced Center for Composites Technologies.
