The Center for Friction Stir Processing

From Center for Friction Stir Processing Guide

Revision as of 02:09, 28 December 2008

“The National Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) program develops long-term partnerships among industry, academe, and government. The centers are catalyzed by a small investment from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and are primarily supported by industry center members, with NSF taking a supporting role in their development and evolution. Each center is established to conduct research that is of interest to both the industry and the center. An IUCRC contributes to the Nation's research infrastructure base and enhances the intellectual capacity of the engineering and science workforce through the integration of research and education.” [NSF Program Solicitation NSF 01-116] The Center for Friction Stir Processing (CFSP) is a multi-university Industry/University Collaborative Research Center (IUCRC ) established in 2004 with a collaborative research partnership between the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSMT), University of South Carolina (USC), and, the Brigham Young University (BYU). The University of Missouri – Rolla (UMR) was added as a university site in 2005 and Wichita State University (WSU) was added in 2007. Over 25 industry and government sponsors from five countries represent the current membership and provide funding for the research programs.

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Gray and Walters have detailed the functional requirements of successful single and multi-university IUCRC and make specific recommendations for center policies, procedures and practices (P3) which have shown proven results. In implementing these methods of Gray and Walters, the CFSP recognized several unique challenges to ensure meeting the administrative and management needs of the university sites, industrial sponsors, and NSF. To address these, a series of formal management tools have been instituted at the CFSP. Collectively, these are referred to as the Center Policies, Procedures, and Practices (P3). While the (P3) has shown to provide an effective management strategy for a multi-university IUCRC, the CFSP is continually implementing improvements to incorporate more “Paperless Management” tools. Gray and Walters state that a successful IUCRC must first establish a vision; a mission statement; and, a list of objectives. The vision is the statement of purpose for the center – its reason for being, and how it hopes to impact the future.

“The vision, an idea of a possible future to achieve, is probably the most important ingredient in a successful strategy” [Gray and Walters, pg.  119]

The mission statement defines the goals for the center in broad terms. Gray and Walters note that the mission statement should contain four elements: who, what, means, and participants. The objectives are process-oriented and measurable, defining how the center will achieve the goals set forth in the mission statement. For the CFSP, each of the defining statements about the center was developed collectively with the university site partners of the center. During the planning grant phase of the program, a meeting of over 30 prospective industrial members representing the leading industrial researchers in the FSP field was convened to define an initial listing of focused research topics. These topics represent the industry perceived gaps in the science and technology acting as barriers to more extensive industrial application of the technology. To define a comprehensive vision, mission, and objectives, the partner universities and potential industrial partners were identified very early in the planning grant process. Although the vision statement; mission statement; and, a list of research objectives form the foundation of the center, they are not static and should be reviewed and revised by the Site Universities and Industrial Advisory Board (IAB) as the technology advances and the industrial membership needs change.

1. CFSP Vision#

The Center for Friction Stir Processing (CFSP) vision is to provide the forum for industry/university cooperative research on the further development, validation, and industrial implementation of the emerging solid-state materials joining and processing technologies known as Friction Stir Welding (FSW) and Friction Stir Processing (FSP).

1. CFSP I/UCRC Mission Statement #

The Mission of the NSF Center for Friction Stir Processing is:

• To advance, develop and promote research into the principles and technology of Friction Stir Processing science and engineering through research, development, education, and technology exchange among academic, industry, and government entities;
• To increase the quantity and quality of the professionals prepared to work in the area;
• To involve the faculty of the University(s) in research in areas of common interest to Sponsors and the University(s);
• To perform research that will allow global Friction Stir Processing facilities to be competitive in the world economy

CFSP Research Objectives

The overall objective of the Center is to develop and deliver relevant scientific knowledge that will help its industrial members with future challenges. Center programs are designed to complement the members’ in-house research and development in the area of friction stir processing by bringing together theoretical, experimental and application experts from industry and academia. The specific objectives focused on the following:

• Friction Stir Joining: Process optimization (parameters, pin tool materials, pin tool designs); process modeling (thermal, forces, metal flow, residual stress, distortion, microstructure evolution); microstructural characterizations; property characterizations (tensile, fatigue, fracture, creep, corrosion); nondestructive evaluations; new alloy development.
• Friction Stir Microstructural Modification: Induced superplasticity; grain refinement; sub-micron and nano particle injection; defect removal.
• Friction Stir Post –Processing: Heat treatment; forming (stretch, spin, age, and creep); machining; finishing.
• Friction Stir Structural Designs and Applications: replacement of fusion welds and rivets; static and dynamic response of structures; efficient design and analysis methodologies.
• Friction Stir Intelligent Controllers and Efficient Tooling: Process sensors; logic-based controllers; reconfigurable tooling.
• Friction Stir Cost Benefits Analysis: Business case development and environmental impact assessments.

During the Planning Grant process of the CFSP, each potential industry sponsor identified focused research directions for the center that fit into their research resources. The university members then discussed their capabilities – equipment, availability of faculty with desired expertise, external relationships that could be explored – and the group found the optimal match between research initiatives and university capabilities at each site. Programs were then developed along the lines of the identified focused research areas at each site.

CFSP Policies Procedures and Practices (P3)

The following paragraphs outline the operating policies, procedures, and practices (P3) for the Center for Friction Stir Processing IUCRC. They are coordinated and finalized between the participating universities during the planning phase of the program. Development of P3 follows those recommended by Gray and Walters with inputs from the CFSP Industrial Advisory Board (IAB) and from other sources. The CFSP Center Director may amend these P3 upon recommendation of the IAB, participating university faculty, or university administration. Approval of all policies and procedures are obtained from the appropriate Dean (or Provost) at the participating universities in accordance with the specific site university policies and procedures.

Membership Policy

Membership shall be open to all corporations, foundations, government agencies and/or other entities who: (1) own FSP facilities in the United States or who (2) directly contribute to support FSP research to make such facilities more efficient and competitive and or who (3) provide FSP products or services useful in FSP. Each Sponsor shall execute and agree to be bound by the terms of a Sponsor's Agreement and the policies and procedures set forth therein. The membership fee for a Sponsor shall be $TBD initially and annually. The initial membership term for a Sponsor shall be three years, contingent on availability of sponsor internal funding; thereafter the term shall be yearly subject to a notice of withdrawal of not less than six months. Payment of the membership fee may be made annually, semiannually or quarterly.

Industrial Advisory Board Policy

Each Sponsor shall have the right to designate a representative to be a member of the Industrial Advisory Board. The Industrial Advisory Board shall advise the Center Director and Site Directors regarding (a) research projects to be conducted under the university auspices, (b) the allocation of resources to such projects, and (c) the policies and procedures of the Center. The Industrial Advisory Board will meet at the call of the Center Director, normally twice each year.

Selection of Research Projects Policy

From time to time, the Center Director, Site Directors (Principal Investigator) and Industrial Advisory Board will prepare a list of potential research projects to be performed under the auspices of the Center. Thereafter, the Center will submit to University(s) faculty member’s requests for proposals setting forth all appropriate information related to the proposed research projects. Special emphasis will be placed on ensuring that faculty collaboration between multiple university sites is encouraged during the proposal preparation phase. Upon receipt of all proposals from the faculty, the Industrial Advisory Board, Center Director, and Site Directors will decide which proposals will be funded and which university will be the principal site for the project. Each member of the Industrial Advisory Board having one vote for each project to be considered, subject, however, to the right of each site principal investigator to allocate up to one-third of the participating University funds budgeted for research to projects selected by the principal investigator and the participating University.

Project Investigators Policy

If the Center decides to support a research project, the faculty member(s) who submitted the chosen proposal for such project will be the Project Investigator and will assume the overall responsibility for managing the project. This responsibility will include:

• Organizing and conducting the research project.
• Selecting and supervising the appropriate research associates, graduate students, and technicians to conduct the research.
• Preparing and controlling the project budget.
• Periodically preparing semiannual and annual reports and, as appropriate final reports and external publications of the research findings.
• Organizing and participating in semiannual research review meetings with the Site Industrial Advisory Board and appropriate Technical Representatives to report on progress of the research.

From time to time, the Center Director, Site Director, and Project Investigators of each University will meet with each Industrial Sponsor to review the progress made in the research being conducted.

Regular Reports Policy

Written semiannual reports and more detailed annual reports documenting and summarizing the technical progress of individual research projects will be prepared by the applicable Project Investigators. The Site Director will forward these reports to the Center Director. The contents of these reports may include review articles and bibliography suitable for submission to journals. Oral presentations will be given to the members of the Industrial Advisory Board at the semiannual meetings. The annual Center Report shall also include a description of future research initiatives. At the completion of each research initiative, each Project Investigator shall prepare a final report completely documenting the goals, objectives, approach, and conclusions of the project. Recommendations for future research initiatives shall be included. The Site Director will forward these final reports to Center Director. Copies of all semiannual, annual, and final reports shall be forwarded to the Center Director for record retention. Each year, the Center Director shall prepare a Center Annual Members Report summarizing the research activities of each of the Site Universities. Copies of the IUCRC Annual Members Report shall be distributed to all sponsors. A bibliography of all site annual reports and center publications shall be provided to all sponsors in the Center Annual Members Report. This annual report shall also include a description of upcoming and proposed research initiatives of the CFSP.

Publication Policy

At any time a Project Investigator may request permission to publish information presented in semiannual, annual, or final reports or arising out of or resulting from research projects. To receive permission, the Project Investigator shall submit to the participating university Site Director the document to be published in substantially the form in which the Project Investigator will seek publication. Publication approval shall be withheld until publication approval is received in accordance with the procedures outlined in the CFSP Membership Agreement (Appendix A).

Patent Policy

All inventions or discoveries first conceived or reduced to practice in the course of research conducted under the auspices of the CFSP shall have the title vested in the Site University, which was the principal site. Multiple site projects shall have the title vested equally in each participating site. Any invention or discovery which was supported, in whole or in part, by the National Science Foundation or other government agency shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the agreement by which such federal or state funds were used in the development of the invention or discovery. The CFSP Membership Agreement further defines the patent policy (Appendix A).

Termination of Research Policy

The CFSP Membership Agreement defines the Termination of Research policy (Appendix A)

Center Structure

Overall Center Structure

There are several possible models for overall structure of an I/UCRC. One model is for sponsors to fund the center as a whole. The model chosen by the CFSP is for sponsors to fund particular sites. This way, a sponsor can attach itself more closely to particular projects at a particular site. A sponsor does have the option of having multiple memberships at several sites if it is willing to provide funding for each membership.