Industrial Engineering Commons^™

Optimal Placement Of Electric Vehicle Chargers: A Mixed-Integer Linear Programming Model, Joubin Zahiri Khameneh, Emmanuel Fagbenle

Faculty Publications

Electric vehicle adoption is growing, but New Hampshire lags in public charging infrastructure, especially in rural areas. This gap increases range anxiety and economic inefficiencies. In this study, we developed a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model to optimally locate new electric vehicle chargers statewide, maximizing coverage and equity under budget constraints. The model includes geographic coverage requirements, population-weighted equity, capacity limits, and a $28 million budget. Moreover, the model recommends 855 Level 2 chargers and 149 Direct Current Fast Chargers (DCFCs) across 247 ZIP Codes, nearly doubling public charging capacity and achieving 98.8% coverage within defined service radii. The plan …

Bridging Mission And Execution: Integrating Participatory Design In Early-Phase Mission Engineering For Stakeholder Alignment And Mission Clarity, Rafi Soule

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

This research examines mission framing during the early phase of Mission Engineering. Stakeholder interpretations diverge under ambiguity. Interoperability constraints are often not surfaced early. These conditions reduce mission clarity and weaken mission-to-system mapping readiness. The study integrates a participatory design-inspired, artifact-first workflow with RAG-enabled retrieval from a closed corpus to support evidence-grounded reasoning and traceable citations.

Phase 1 uses an online survey to establish baseline patterns in practice (N = 86). Shared understanding is positively associated with mission clarity (r = 0.60, p < 0.001). Phase 2 uses a time-bounded comparative workshop with two conditions. Expert reviewers rate mission statement quality higher for the participatory design condition (mean 3.5) than the traditional condition (mean 2.8). Technical feasibility ratings are similar across conditions. Phase 3 demonstrates RAG-enabled, closed-corpus, retrieval-supported traceability using the Referencer tool. It is reported as a proof-of-concept for evidence-grounded rationale and auditability, and as a pathway …

Direct Ink Writing Of Shear Exfoliated Two-Dimensional Nanomaterial- Elastomeric Multifunctional Nanocomposite, Md Abdur Rahman Bin Abdus Salam, Asif Hasan Ridoy, A K M Abirul Haque, Muhammad Shahbaz Rafique, Md Arafat Hossain, Md Shahriar Forhad, Matthew G. Boebinger, Farid Ahmed, Karen Lozano, Ali Ashraf

Manufacturing & Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications

Direct ink writing (DIW) of polymer nanocomposites with high loadings of two-dimensional (2D) nanofillers (graphene and hexagonal boron nitride (hBN)) is challenging because of potential clogging, use of hazardous solvents, and agglomeration. Here, in this work, a shear exfoliation and sieving method to prepare DIW ink with high loading of nanofillers produced from low-cost bulk layered materials such as graphite and bulk hBN powder for successful DIW printing without the use of any solvents, binders, or plasticizers. The single-step exfoliation technique resulted in a composite with substantial layer reduction along the c-axis, as confirmed by SEM, TEM, XRD, and Raman …

Proactive Safety Reasoning In Human-Robot Collaboration In Disassembly Through Llm-Augmented Stpa And Fmea, Morteza Jalali Alenjareghi, Fardin Ghorbani, Samira Keivanpour, Yuvin Adnarain Chinniah, Sabrina Jocelyn

Études primaires

Disassembly tasks in human–robot collaboration (HRC) environments present safety challenges due to hazardous materials, control system variability, and physically demanding operator tasks. To address these challenges, we propose an AI-augmented risk assessment framework integrating System-Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA) and Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA). This framework is implemented in four configurations: Term Frequency– Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF), Fine-tuned Large Language Models (LLMs), Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), and RAG with a structured Knowledge Graph (KG) built from safety standards. The system supports real-time, standards-compliant safety reasoning by generating interpretable, context-specific recommendations. We evaluate these configurations across GPT-3.5 TURBO, GPT-4o, GPT-4.1, and …

Identifying Industry-Preferred Automation Software In Engineering: An Indeed-Based Analysis To Inform Engineering Technology Curriculum Design, Triet Minh Phan, Collins Okafor, Winifred Okafor, Devang Mehta, Mohsen Souissi, Jenora Waterman, Connie Mayberry, Misty Thomas, Orlando Ayala, Angie Price, Maurizio Manzo

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

In the evolving field of automation engineering, staying aligned with industry software demands is critical to preparing graduates for the modern workforce. This study investigates the prevalence of leading industrial automation platforms—Rockwell / Allen-Bradley (RSLogix / Studio 5000), Siemens (TIA Portal / Step 7), and Schneider Electric (EcoStruxure / Unity Pro)—across job postings collected from Indeed using the keyword "automation engineering." The research compiles a structured dataset of job postings with seven fields: ID, Job Title, Organization, Rockwell / Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Schneider Electric, and Posting URL. Each entry is manually coded to indicate whether the listed software platforms are mentioned, …

Generative Ai-Driven Optimization In Flexible And Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems, Salah Hammedi, Hicham Chaoui, Lotfi Nabli

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Flexible and Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems (FRMSs) are essential for coping with variability in modern production environments; however, efficient scheduling and rapid reconfiguration remain challenging. This paper presents a hybrid optimization framework that integrates Colored Petri Net (CPN) modeling with Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) to enhance scheduling performance and system adaptability. The CPN formalism ensures verifiable modeling of system dynamics, while a transformer-based generative model produces candidate scheduling and reconfiguration strategies. Simulation experiments were conducted under static, dynamic, and adaptive scenarios, including machine breakdowns and dynamic job arrivals. Performance was evaluated using makespan, mean flow time, machine utilization, and reconfiguration latency. …

Ai-Based Porosity Detection In Babbitt Bore Turning, Kaylee Leggett, Hannah Adams Gemmell, Kaisa Shingleton

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

For this project, an external company reached out to the University of Akron requesting assistance with defect detection during their vertical turning operations. As babbitt is removed in a vertical turning process, it occasionally reveals defects, mainly porosity, which can lead to costly downstream failures of the part. Current inspection techniques involve use of dye penetrant, which is time consuming, labor intensive, unergonomic, and a source of human error. The goal of the project is to create an alternative inspection method using an AI-based machine-learning model. After the turning operation, a camera is deployed to perform an in-place inspection, taking …

A Three-Stage Causal Root-Cause Diagnostic Protocol For Nonstationary Industrial Time Series Data, Cansu Yalim, Resit Unal, Holly A. H. Handley

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Predictive maintenance (PdM) systems effectively forecast failures, but they often fail to find root causes, particularly when system dynamics change over time. This limitation arises from applying static causal models or decoupled segmentation to handle nonstationary industrial time series. For regime-aware causal diagnostics and interventional effect estimation, we introduce a three-stage time-varying dynamic Bayesian network (TV-DBN) protocol. Using a minimum description length (MDL) objective that connects segmentation to mechanism changes, Stage I jointly infers change points and regime-specific graph structure. Stage II produces a completed partially directed acyclic graph (DAG) by orienting edges within each regime using a combination of …

Seeing Feedback Differently: Enhancing Learning Through Individualized Video Feedback, Makenzie Khristine Keepers

2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference: Concurrent Session Papers

Students often seek feedback that goes beyond rubric scores, especially for complex assignments like project reports where expectations are nuanced. Transitioning from lengthy written comments to personalized video responses has proven to be an effective alternative. These videos provide students with clear explanations of strengths and areas for growth, while walking them through their work in detail. Feedback from learners suggest that video feedback feels more comprehensive and accessible, helping them better understand mistakes and apply corrections. Importantly, producing video feedback requires comparable effort to traditional written comments, yet offers greater impact for formative assessments that shape performance on summative …

Nanostructured Cathode Catalysts For Aem Electrolysis: From Catalyst Design To Degradation And Hydrogen Dynamics, Yamini Kumaran

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) presents a promising pathway toward cost-effective and sustainable hydrogen production by integrating the chemical robustness of alkaline systems with the compact, zero-gap design of proton exchange membrane electrolyzers. However, the widespread implementation of AEMWE is limited by the availability of highly active and durable platinum-group-metal (PGM)-free catalysts and by an incomplete understanding of their degradation behavior under realistic operating conditions.

This dissertation focuses on the development, characterization, and mechanistic investigation of nanostructured MoNi₄–MoO₂-based electrodes for efficient and stable hydrogen generation under alkaline and membrane-integrated environments. MoNi₄–MoO₂ nanorods …

Simulation Optimization Of Intermodal Freight Transportation Under Disruptions, Israt Humayra

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Rapid growth in freight transportation in modern supply chains has led to increased operational costs, congestion, and severe environmental impacts, especially greenhouse gas emissions. Combining different modes, such as highway, railway, and waterway, intermodal transportation could thus offer considerable benefit to improve efficiency, sustainability, and resilience. However, most existing planning approaches rely on simplified assumptions, fixed schedules, and average cost estimates, making them less relevant to dealing with real-world uncertainties and disruptions. This study develops a simulation-optimization framework for intermodal freight transportation under disruption. We develop a mixed-integer programming model to represent an intermodal logistics planning framework on a multi-layered …

Anaerobic Digestion Of Food Waste Components: Modeling Biogas Production, Opeyemi E. Adelegan

Civil Engineering Dissertations

Food waste constitutes the single largest component of municipal solid waste landfilled in the United States — approximately 22% of 292.4 million tons generated in 2018 — and its anaerobic decomposition releases methane, a greenhouse gas with global warming potential approximately 27–30 times that of carbon dioxide over a 100-year horizon (IPCC, 2021). Anaerobic digestion (AD) offers an alternative management pathway that recovers energy and produces nutrient-rich digestate, but AD performance varies by as much as five-fold across food waste streams (130–630 m³ CH₄ per Mg VS added), and existing predictive tools either treat food waste as a …

An Integrated Pull System Framework For Disassembly Industries: Bridging The Supply-Demand Mismatch In Duck Meat Processing, Hongchao Yu

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Disassembly-based production systems, such as duck meat processing, face inherent operational challenges due to one-to-many production structures, short product shelf life, and volatile customer demand. A single carcass must be processed into multiple products at largely fixed biological ratios, while demand varies across products and over time. This supply-demand mismatch frequently leads to simultaneous surplus and shortage, resulting in unstable shipment schedules, excess inventory, and unavoidable waste. Traditional order-driven pull systems typically respond to orders independently and are limited in their ability to coordinate these interrelated effects.

This dissertation develops an integrated pull system framework for perishable disassembly processes, using …

Lean Service System Optimization In U.S. Automotive Maintenance Centers: A Time Study And Simulation-Based Approach To Reducing Service Cycle Time And Increasing Efficiency, Rakibul Hasan Sarker

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The primary objective of this study is to measure the current service time at a U.S. automobile service center, with the aim of reducing waste and optimizing service operations through time study and simulation modeling. Inefficiencies in those service centers increase service time and labor costs, reduce service quality, and reduce workshop productivity, thereby increasing customer waiting time. In this study, real-world shop floor data were collected from a single service center, namely Jiffy Lube. Over the course of ten working days, 205 vehicle data points were acquired. Service time, bay time, and overall process time were computed and examined …

A Study Of Perceptions, Readiness, Benefits, And Barriers Related To Exoskeleton Adoption In New Jersey’S Warehousing Sector, Terry Asante

Theses

The warehousing industry in New Jersey remains a vital component of the region's logistics network, employing more than 200,000 workers who routinely engage in lifting, bending, overhead reaching, and other physically demanding activities. These exposures contribute to musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) rates that exceed national averages, particularly affecting the low back and shoulders. Nationally, MSDs account for an estimated $420 billion in combined direct and indirect costs each year, underscoring the need for interventions that can effectively reduce biomechanical strain. Industrial exoskeletons have emerged as a potential solution, with prior research demonstrating reductions in muscle activation, perceived exertion, and fatigue during …

Design Of A Sequential Logic Control System For Water Recycling In Car Wash Operations For Minimising Utility Costs, Enock W. Nshama, Mussa Iddi Mgwatu

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

The car wash sector in Tanzania is expected to expand in the next few years, since the trend of imported cars is increasing. However, the traditional method of washing cars is subjected to water overuse and environmental pollution. This study presents a design of water recycling sequential logic control system to come up with a cost-effective car wash operation aimed at effectively utilising water and electricity resources. Data were collected at 78 car wash stations in Dar es Salaam region to determine water and electricity costs. Data were analysed using MS Excel and Minitab to establish the trend of utility …

Optimization Of Welding Parameters For Carbon Steel Fabrication: A Trade-Off Between Tensile Strength And Heat-Affected Zone, Melkiory B. Njawala, Simon I. Marandu, Enock W. Nshama

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

This study focused on optimizing gas metal arc welding (GMAW) parameters for AISI 1045 carbon steel to balance the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and heat affected zone (HAZ) size of the weldment. Using a full factorial design of experiments (27 trials), the influence of welding current, arc voltage, and travel speed on UTS and HAZ size of AISI 1045 carbon steel weldments were investigated. From the analysis of results, using Analysis of variance (ANOVA) technique, the results revealed that current, travel speed and arc voltage contributed 74.41%, 19.05% and 0.04%, respectively, to the total percentage of variations on UTS data. …

Combined Optimisation Of Machining Parameters, Tool Wear, Dimensional Errors And Quality Deviations In Multi-Pass Turning Operations, Mussa I. Mgwatu

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Measurements of on-line tool wear and part dimensional accuracy in machining operations are not readily available in machining shop floor because they involve higher investment such that the decisions of tool wear and part quality for intermediate cutting passes cannot be justified. This paper demonstrates how the optimisation of machining parameters can be made together with tool wear and part quality for turning operations. Two optimisation models were developed for maximum material removal rate and minimum production cost. A theoretical framework was initially presented before the two models were formulated. Input data for the models were adopted from previous studies …

Design Of A Fuzzy Set-Point Tracking Controller Based On The State-Dependent Control Characteristics Of Fuzzy Logic And Pid For Temperature Control Systems In Electrical Equipment, Rahim Mammadzada

Chemical Technology, Control and Management

This paper presents a Fuzzy-SPT (Fuzzy Set-Point Tracking) controller designed to combine the strengths of FLC (Fuzzy Logic Control) and PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) control while mitigating their limitations across varying operating conditions. Inspired by state-dependent reasoning but implemented within a single controller, the method uses internal logic to adapt the control effort across different operating regions. FLC handles rapid changes and nonlinear transients, enabling fast system response without overshoot, while PID-like integral action is activated when the FLC reaches steady state or enters a threshold region near the set point, eliminating residual errors and maintaining stable performance. By applying each behavior …

Vibrissae-Inspired Vision-Based Magnetic-Actuated Whisker, Zhixian Hu, Yi Cheng, Juan P. Wachs, Yu She

School of Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications

Tactile perception is significant for robotic operation in unstructured environments. Whisker-based sensors offer lightweight bio-inspired solutions, yet most rely on single-whisker sensing and are limited by passive interaction and constrained functionality. Here we present a circular array of eight independently actuated whiskers, each driven by a pulse-switchable permanent magnet and tracked by a camera. This design enables simultaneous multi-point sensing and coordinated actuation, supporting diverse functions. Quantitative analyses demonstrate accurate pixel-to-physical mapping, consistent pixel-to-force characterization, and long-term repeatability. In this work, we show that an vibrissae-inspired vision-based magnetic-actuated whisker array integrating distributed perception with active interaction achieves reliable physical mapping, …