LMS is involved in a number of research projects funded by the CEU and European industrial partners.  Particular emphasis is given to the co-operation with the European industry as well as with a number of “hi-tech” firms.  LMS is organized in three different groups:

1.     Innovative Manufacturing Processes

2.     Advanced Human-Centered Design Techniques including Virtual Reality

3.     Production Systems Planning, Control and Networking.

Teaching

LMS is responsible for the delivery of the following courses:

1. Non-Conventional Manufacturing Processes
2. Mechanical Drawing and Machine Shop I
3. Mechanical Drawing and Machine Shop II
4. Manufacturing Processes & Laboratory I
5. Manufacturing Processes & Laboratory II
6. Computer Numerical Control (CNC)
7. Ιntroduction to Manufacturing Systems

Research

Innovative Manufacturing Processes

LMS is involved in the research and development of innovative manufacturing processes with a high potential for improving quality, productivity, cost and environmental efficiency.  Specific fields involve:

• Laser manufacturing techniques, including 3D laser machining, laser gladding and remote laser welding
• Rapid Manufacturing, focusing mainly on Rapid Tooling techniques and new materials
• Nanomanufacturing and nanomaterial processing
• Advanced grinding techniques, including grind hardening
• Electro Discharge processes
• Life-Cycle Assessment, focusing mostly on Design for Assembly/Disassembly

Advanced Human-Centered Design Techniques

LMS is involved in research and development of advanced design techniques in order to support the verification of products and processes in terms of feasibility, functionality, ergonomics and reliability. Specific fields involve:

• Virtual and Augmented Reality industrial applications for process simulation and verification
• Digital Human Simulation, including motion capturing and modeling techniques
• Virtual Collaborative Environments
• Ergonomics and safety, employing prognostic and diagnostic tools (fault tree analysis, decision tools, risk assessment, discomfort evaluation)
• Systems reliability assessment

Production Systems Planning, Control and Networking

LMS interest is focused on the development, software implementation and use of advanced tools based on Artificial Intelligence methods for production systems planning & control and for the development of intelligent Internet-based applications addressing the enterprise-wide business activities.  Specific fields involve:

• Real-time manufacturing scheduling and production planning
• Enterprise networking & Internet based software applications
• Concurrent Engineering approaches
• Flexibility in manufacturing systems
• e-business and e-work applications
• Statistical Process Control
• Model-based quality control procedures

More than three hundred publications on scientific journals and conferences as well as numerous technical reports have been produced based on these research activities and are available upon request.

Equipment 

Additive Manufacturing and Rapid Tooling

• Stereolithography machine 3DSystems SLA 250/30 with 30 mW HeCd
• LOM (Laminated Object Manufacturing) machine Helisys 1015
• FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) machine Stratasys 1650

Materials Processing

• 2 industrial robots COMAU NJ130-2.6 and NJ370-2.7
• Machine for laser processing TRUMPF TCL 2530, with CO2 pulsed laser TLF turbo
• Electro Discharge Machine Charmilles ROBOFORM 22 CNC EDM
• CNC equipment consisting of: 1 3axis vertical CNC milling machine XYZ 3000 SMX SLV, 3 desktop CNC lathes and 4 desktop 3axis vertical CNC milling machines (Sherline)
• Conventional machine tools (lathes, milling, grinding and drilling machines)

Virtual Reality (VR)

• Advanced Working Stations: SGI Onyx2 Infinite Reality2 RK Workstation and 2 SGI Octane / SSE Workstations.
• Peripheral VR devices: FS5 Head Mounted Display, Cyberglove / Cybertouch / Gesture Plus data glove system, 2 position and direction location devices Long Ranger Fastrak, 1 set of stereoscopic glasses CrystalEyes and 1 3D mouse input device.