Institute Research Laboratories

DESIGN FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING (DFAM) LAB:  

  • Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) refers to the process of designing products or components specifically for manufacturing using additive manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing.
  • Unlike traditional manufacturing techniques that require subtractive processes like milling or drilling, additive manufacturing (AM) builds up a product layer by layer, allowing for greater design flexibility and complexity. DfAM considers the unique properties and constraints of additive manufacturing and aims to optimize designs for these processes, resulting in more efficient and effective production.
  • DfAM involves considering factors such as material properties, support structures, surface finish, and post-processing requirements, as well as the capabilities and limitations of the particular AM technology being used. By designing with these factors in mind, manufacturers can create products that are lighter, stronger, and more cost-effective to produce.
  • The DfAM Lab focuses in three specific areas. AM education, AM Research and AM Engineering Services.
  • AM Education
    • Create an AM workforce development pipeline
    • Develop AM specialty content and curriculum (degree and non-degree)
    • Offer AM professional courses
  • AM Research (Metal/Polymer/Composites)
    • Creation of custom/functional parts
    • Tool path generation/optimization
    • Topology optimization
    • Light-weighting
    • Post-processing minimization
  • AM Engineering Services
    • Design of custom/functional parts
    • AM Component fabrication
    • AM Component level testing / in-situ monitoring


MILITARY ROBOTICS / AI LAB 

The Military Robotics / AI Lab uses an applied focus on integrating robotic capabilities in support of ground, air and sea Army modernization. Specifically, this lab focuses on:

  • Autonomous operations
  • Integrated maneuvers
  • Obstacle avoidance
  • Leader-Follower expertise
  • Assured Position Navigation & Timing (A-PNT)
  • AI for small unit maneuver
  • Additionally, the Military Robotics / AI Lab will serve as a testbed for integration of multiple robotic platforms in multiple environments.  

SPACE MANUFACTURING LAB 

Space manufacturing refers to the production of goods and materials in space, using resources found in space or brought from Earth. This can include manufacturing processes such as 3D printing, chemical synthesis, and materials processing, among others. Space manufacturing has the potential to reduce the cost and complexity of transporting goods and materials to and from space, as well as enable the production of new materials and products that may be difficult or impossible to manufacture on Earth. Additionally, space manufacturing can support long-term human exploration and settlement of space by providing a means for producing essential goods and materials locally.

AU-ARI’s Space Manufacturing Lab focus areas include On-Demand Fabrication, Structural Printing, Equipment Repair and Recycling & Reuse

  • On-Demand Fabrication
    • Dry Ink Printing Technology – On orbit
    • Zero gravity printing
    • Laser sintering optimization
    • Tissue printing – Repair the Human
  • Structural Printing – On Planet
    • Use on-hand materials to build structures on planet
    • Develop sustainable structural printing processes
  • Equipment Repair –   Leverage additive manufacturing on Orbit/Planet technologies
  • Recycling & Reuse – Develop processes, techniques and technologies to enable maximum use of on-hand equipment and materials


APPLIED CYBERNETICS LAB 
The Applied Cybernetics Lab looks to aid agencies such as the United States Secret Service, the Department of Homeland Security, the United States Department of Energy, the United States Department of Agriculture in areas such as: 

  • Malicious software / reverse engineering
  • Cyber Incident Response framework for law enforcement
  • Cyber Informed Engineering
  • Future Work
  • Digital Twin / Virtual City


DIGITAL ENGINEERING (DE) LAB 
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