Industry Researchers Take Center Stage at 44th Annual NAMRI/SME North American Manufacturing Research Conference

BLACKSBURG, Va., June 30, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Academics within manufacturing were honored Thursday, during the annual North American Manufacturing Research Conference (NAMRC) held by the North American Manufacturing Research Institution of SME (NAMRI/SME). This year, the annual event, in its 44th year, was hosted by Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Nineteen awards were given out during the annual awards ceremony, recognizing individuals for their service, contributions and outstanding manufacturing research.

NAMRC is the premier international forum for applied research and industrial applications in manufacturing and design. NAMRI/SME brings together researchers from leading companies, government laboratories, academic institutions and industrial think tanks located around the world for the purpose of advancing the scientific foundation of discrete-parts manufacturing.

"Manufacturing innovation and advancements start with an idea, followed by essential research to bring a concept to reality. The industry experts and leaders we are recognizing today are pivotal to the progress and achievements we see in manufacturing," said NAMRI/SME president, Steven R. Schmid, PhD, CMfgE, PE.

2016 NAMRI/SME Award winners:

• NAMRI/SME S.M. Wu Research Implementation Award
  
  Yung C. Shin, PhD, FSME, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
  
  
• NAMRI/SME Outstanding Lifetime Service Award
  
  Warren R. DeVries, PhD, FSME, University of Maryland, Baltimore
  
  
• NAMRI/SME Outstanding Paper Award
  
  "Combined Strength of Holons, Agents and Function Blocks in Cyber-Physical Systems"
  Authors: Lihui Wang and Azadeh Haghighi
  
  "LISA: Linear Immersed Sweeping Accumulation" 
  Authors: Huachao Mao, Chi Zhou and Yong Chen
  
  "Analytical Modeling of Hydrodynamic Lubrication in a Multiple Reduction Drawing Die" 
  Authors: James Lowrie and Gracious Ngaile
  
  "Thermal Model for Additive Restoration of Mold Steels Using Crucible Steel" 
  Authors: Santanu Paul, Ramesh Singh and Wenyi Yan
  
  "Laminated Micro-Machine: Design and Fabrication of a Flexure-based Delta Robot" 
   Authors: Jorge Correa, Joseph Toombs, Nicholas Toombs and Placid Ferreira
  
  "Effect of Geometrical Modeling on Prediction of Laser-Induced Heat Transfer in Metal Foam"
  Authors: Tizian Bucher, Christopher Bolger, Min Zhang, Chang Jun Chen and Y. Lawrence Yao

In addition to the NAMRI/SME awards, 10 winners of the 2016 SME Robert J. Hocken Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award were recognized and presented with their awards at NAMRC. The award recognizes manufacturing engineers, age 35 or younger, who have made exceptional contributions and accomplishments in the manufacturing industry throughout the early stages of their careers.

Individuals who received their award on Thursday included:

• Yujie Chen, PhD, Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, Illinois 
• Michael Cullinan, PhD, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
• Andy Henderson, PhD, GE Power, Greenville, South Carolina
• David Hoelzle, PhD, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana
• Xiaoning Jin, PhD, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
• Jaydeep Karandikar, PhD, GE Global Research Center, Niskayuna, New York
• Chinedum Okwudire, PhD, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
• Christopher Saldana, PhD, Georgia Tech, Atlanta
• Rohan A. Shirwaiker, PhD, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
• Sameh Tawfick, PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois

NAMRC 45 will be held June 4-8, 2017, at The University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

About SME
SME connects all those who are passionate about making things that improve our world. As a nonprofit organization, SME has served practitioners, companies, educators, government and communities across the manufacturing spectrum for more than 80 years. Through its strategic areas of events, media, membership, training and development, and the SME Education Foundation, SME is uniquely dedicated to the advancement of manufacturing by addressing both knowledge and skills needed for the industry. Follow @SME_MFG on Twitter or facebook.com/SMEmfg.

NAMRC – North American Manufacturing Research Conference of NAMRI/SME
NAMRC is recognized as North America's preeminent and longest running international forum for applied research and industrial applications in manufacturing and design with its presentations and publication of original, basic and applied research in advanced manufacturing.

An annual event since 1973, NAMRC advances the scientific foundation of discrete-parts manufacturing leading to next-generation applications of emerging and innovative technology in material removal, forming and additive manufacturing processes and machines, and cyber-physical systems. The conference attracts global academicians, government and industry researchers, engineers, students, and leaders in manufacturing to interact with each other and advance the field. NAMRC features peer-reviewed papers, keynotes, special opportunities for networking and collaboration, and recognition of research implementation, service and achievements. Details available at: sme.org/NAMRC.

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