The college now has 14 consortia. WTS offers engineering, science and technology literature searches, with access to more than 500 databases, including U.S. and foreign patent information. Since 1992, the amount of on-line searching WTS has performed for its clients has nearly doubled. The extension agents will help to better coordinate the vast array of manufacturing-oriented services available to companies from public institutions and the private sector. Assistant Professor Michael D. Graham direct a team that explores the role played by wall slip in industrial film blowing .
Slip causes product to roughen and limits throughput in commercial operations.
This team is also attacking the mysterious build-up of unwanted material on extrusion dies, a challenging industrial problem. The project is supported by the University-Industry Relations program and the Graduate School . Shown here, a research assistant examines the quality of plastic film extruded from a pilot-scale film blowing line. In another project, funded by 3M, Giacomin and Assistant Professor Karen A. Thole will use laser Doppler velocimetry to characterize the turbulent air jet that cools the film. Technology being developed by Professor Robert D. Lorenz within the Wisconsin Electric Machines and Power Electronics Consortium enables a motor to be both a sensor and a power converter.