The Department of Mechanical Manufacturing Engineering(DMME) at South China University of Technology was founded in 1952. Currently, the DMME is a comprehensive research and teaching department, covering sciences and technologies in the fields of manufacturing and automation engineering, and incorporated from four research groups with specific emphasizes on mechantronics & metrology, precision machining, forming technology, and computers-aided manufacturing.
  The current strength of the institute includes 28 academic staff along with 5 technical staff, and over 200 graduate students. The depatrment coordinates the Mechanical Engineering and Automation programme at the B.Eng level, which is the Key Discipline in Guangdong Province, and hosts Manufacturing and Automation programme at M.Eng and Ph.D. levels.

Research:
Research is a key activity of the staffs in the department. Both fundamental research to seek new understanding of physical processes and research of an applied nature to develop new processes/products to meet the more immediate needs of industry are carried out extensively in the institute. The major research activities are summarized below:
       Mechantronics & Metrology
       Precision Machining
       Plastic mold processing and die computer technology
       Computers-Aided Manufacturing

Selected Projects:

1.The design and fabrication of multi-scale structure for functional surfaces
  In general, a traditional machining process aims to obtain finishing surfaces, and high precisions in both dimensions and shapes for parts. However, the manufacturing of surface’s functional structure aims to produce the structure of various morphology, scales, dimensions and functions over the machined surfaces. Surface functional structure has shown its advantages in wide applications over different disciplines in improving product performances. According to its function, surface functional structures can be classified into several groups, such as, attachment desorption surface structure, the surface structure to control the activities of life material, super-hydrophobic self-cleaning surface structure, desorption resistance reducing surface structure, hydrophobic drag reduction surface structure, textured lubrication surface structure, the surface structure for reducing noise and drag, optical information transfer surface structure, photoelectric conversion surface structure, invisible surface structure, artificial structural colored surface structure, heat transfer enhancement surface structure, catalytic reaction surface structure, bionic coupling surface structure and so on. In twenty-first century, the energy crisis, shortage of resources and environmental pollution become more and more critical. And human beings ask for higher product quality and diversification, hence surface functional structure has become a research focus in many fields around the world.

2.On-machine inspection system based on image technology for large size die/mould manufacturing, supported by Guangzhou Government, 2006—2009
  In this project a movable vision measurement system was built on machine center, its hardware was used to take the workpiece images in various orientations and distances, and its software includes image processing and geometrical measurement functions. The methods to eliminate highlight reflection of workpiece, the calibration of camera and vision measurement system, the image edge detection algorithms, the technique of multi-image mosaicing of large-scaled workpiece, the 3D reconstruction ways and means etc. were researched, two technological patents were authorized.

A workpiece'scomponents image take in 9 times      The mosaicing result of 9 image components

                                                                             and the center  distance measurement of two large holes

3.Cutting heat distribution in high-speed machining of steel, supported by NSFC, 2005-2007
  In this research project some special experimental devices were designed, and by means of plentiful cutting experiments (turning and milling steels) combined with analytical calculation and computer simulations, the quantity of cutting heat and its distribution ratio in various components of the cutting system, and the effect of cooling condition on cutting heat, the temperature distribution of the workpiece and the tool were investigated.

The infrared image in the high speed face milling of harded mould steel		The simulation illustration of chip temperature field for the high speed turning of carbon steel

4.Making holes in carbon fiber / epoxy resin composites and the dustproof Technology, sponsored by Hongdu Aviation Corp.,2004-2005
  Carbon fiber reinforced polymer(CFRP) composites are difficult to machine, while drilling is one of the most essential processes for manufacturing composite components. In this project various dills including conventional solid drills, plated and concerned diamond core drills, were tested to make holes in CFRP in order to look for suitable tools and processes, improve the machining quality and the tool life as well as the production surrounding. The research achievements found application in practical production.

The solid drills and core drills used in the experiments of CFRP hole-making core drills
5.Fuel dispenser system for Motor Vehicles

6.Bionic design of wind turbine blade made of hybrid fiber-reinforced composites for superior dynamical mechanical performances

7.Sheet metal forming and springback analysis
  Sheet forming is the major instrument to produce automobiles, electronics and household electrical appliances. Our research is in the direction of the basic rules of the sheet metal forming and the finite element numerical simulation technique. Furthermore, based on the theoretic research, we use finite element analysis to solve the problems of designand manufacture for the enterprises during their actual producing processes.

Closing cavity forging research

Stimulation of Microstructure

9.CNC Spinning Technology
  For the thin-walled hollow irregular-shaped parts, we carry out research on the forming theory, methods and technology of special spinning, as well as the CNC spinning equipments. We pursue the advanced technologies in the world, and finish the research on the spinning technology, mechanical structure design and CNC system development and son on, through the use of advanced CAD/CAE/CAM software, such as AutoCAD, UG, MSC.ADMA, MSC.Marc and so on; We have undertaken three projects supported by National Natural Science Foundation including Study on the Spinning Theory and Method of Three-dimensional Non-axisymmetric Parts, a Guangdong Province’s provincial industry-education-research cooperative project Research on Near Net-shaping Technology of Belt Pulley made of Sheet Metal and CNC Spinning Equipment and the Establishment of Production Line, as well as several development projects commissioned by enterprises and institutes; We have developed several pieces CNC Spinning equipments, therefore, our research results are widely used in the enterprises, resulting in a goods social and economic benefits.

10.Cutter orientation optimization for five-axis machining

Automated cutter orientation correction is very important for achieving collision-free five-axis NC machining, in particular to the machining situations with complex collisions, i.e., multiple-points colliding or fully engaged colliding. In this work, we present a novel approach to identify admissible tool orientations for collision avoidance in five-axis ball-end milling with complex machining environment. The developed solution is built upon two techniques, namely, graphics-assisted cubic mapping, and instantaneous visibility and accessibility cones computation. For each colliding cutter location (CL), the graphics-assisted cubic mapping algorithm computes the cutter’s instantaneous visibility cone with respect to machining environment and the occlusion depth along each obstructed direction. With the given instantaneous visibility and occlusion depth information, an algorithm of spherical region shrinking is then developed to compute the cutter’s accessibility cone, which represents the aggregate of all admissible directions of the cutter for current machining point. Therefore, a collision-free cutter orientation can be ensured by adjusting the cutter with the accessibility cone. The mapping computation is performed very efficiently by taking the advantage of rapid performance from graphics hardware. By employing instantaneous visibility and accessibility computation, the accuracy and robustness in handling complex collision situations is improved. Also the required computational memory usage is greatly reduced.

 

Graphics-assisted cutter orientation correction for collision-free five-axis machining