Research Laboratories

The Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering has developed the  state-of-the-art facilities to perform research in the fields of Fluid and Thermal Sciences, Mechanical Systems Engineering, Computer-Aided Design, Materials Science and Engineering, and High Aspect Ratio Microelectromechanical Systems.

The Advanced Manufacturing Lab supports several classes and research related to manufacturing processes, Lean systems, ergonomics, supply chain and facilities design, safety, and information systems. Through on-going partnership of the Department with the National Center for Advanced Manufacturing (NCAM) and with associated funds, the lab acquired in 2020 six flexible manual workstations, one workstation for supply chain management, an advanced collaborative robot, a hybrid manufacturing machine, and several computers to integrate into an automated advanced manufacturing line. The lab supports hands-on curriculum in developing manufacturing systems beginning with IE 2400 Methods and Systems Engineering and progressing throughout the undergraduate curriculum.

Please use the following link to learn more about resources offered to students in our Advanced Manufacting Lab: https://vimeo.com/540496857

Advisor: Prof. Manas Ranjan Gartia

Gartia Laboratory Website

Applied Nanophotonics Laboratory (Gartia Lab) seeks to provide solutions to practical challenges in energy, healthcare, and environmental industry and simultaneously advance basic science and engineering. Our research will provide students both hands-on experience in optics, photonics, and spectroscopy as well as develop critical thinking in them to solve problems innovatively and creatively. The main activities of our research group centered in the broad areas of Biomedical Imaging, Plasmonics, Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy, Biosensors Development, and Energy Storage Devices.
Key Facilities. Hyperspectral Microscopy (CytoViva Inc.), 2-beam Absorbance Spectrometer, Fluorescence spectroscopy (Shimadzu RF-5301PC Spectrofluorophotometer), vacuum pump system, UV polymer curing system, 633 nm laser spectroscopy system, and fiber optics spectrometer.

Prof. Dorel Moldovan

This laboratory (Moldovan Lab) is equipped with five Linux (3.0 GHz, 1GB) workstations and a 32 nodes Beowulf cluster with Gigabit Ethernet for parallel computing.  Molecular Dynamics, Monte Carlo and mesoscopic simulations are used in various materials modeling studies such as: grain growth, thermal stability and deformation in nanocrystalline metals and ceramics; thin film growth and coarsening, and in simulations of small molecules permeation across phospholipid membranes.  

Advisor: Prof. Ram Devireddy

The Bioengineering/Bioheat transfer laboratory (Devireddy Lab) seeks to understand a wide of variety of biological phenomena at low temperatures with particular emphasis on nano- and macro-scale processes.    Applications include nano-bio interactions for bone-tissue engineering, next generation sequencing methods, rational design of native and artificial tissue cryopreservation protocols, modeling of chemical transport processes in native and artificial tissues, conservation of endangered species using biopreservation techniques, biochemical (genetic) adaptations of uni- and multi-cellular organisms to cold, laser-tissue interactions, and design, development and characterization of micro-fabricated thermal sensors and actuators for cryobiological applications.
Key Facilities. Cell culture facility; 3-D bioprinter;  controlled rate freezer; custom-built directional solidification stage; tissue and cell culture incubators; laminar flow hood; liquid nitrogen storage tanks; Nikon Labhophot Microscope with phase contrast imaging facilities for visualizing biological systems at high and low temperatures.

CeRoM; Director: Prof. Michael Khonsari

The Center’s R&D activities include the following areas: tribology addressing lubrication, friction, and wear; dynamics and vibration analysis of machinery; materials selection, fatigue and damage analysis; measurement, testing, and sensing; and modeling and simulation. These activities will directly support improvements in design, manufacturing, diagnostics, reliability, performance, durability, and environmental compliance of vital mechanical systems and components, including but not limited to bearings, seals, gears, turbines, compressors, and generators.
Key Facilities. Fatigue testing facilities (bending, torsion, rotating bending, combined tension-compression, torsion); tribometers (pin-on-disk, heavy duty disk-on-disk); Rheometers with temperature control; mechanical seal testing unit; roller-bearing (gear simulator) testing units; heavy-duty journal bearings testing units with oscillatory motion capability; IC engine piston ring testing unit; rotor dynamics; optical and stylus profilometers; contact angle measurement apparatus; laser texturing apparatus; Infrared cameras.

Prof. Genevieve Palardy

Palardy Research Laboratory Website

Design of lightweight composite structures and components requires a multi-disciplinary approach, from chemistry to mechanical engineering. The Composites Manufacturing & Joining Laboratory’s mission is to further fundamental knowledge behind sustainable out-of-autoclave processes and joining methods for fiber-reinforced polymers, with a focus on thermoplastic matrices. Current research areas are: 1) investigation of ultrasonic consolidation for thermoplastic composites; 2) structural health monitoring of welded composite joints utilizing multifunctional energy directors; 3) high-speed repair of thermoset composites through ultrasonic vibrations; and 4) design of flexible multi-material structures and fabrics.
Key Facilities. 75 ton heated press (up to 400C); hand held and tower press ultrasonic welders; vacuum-bagging and vacuum-assisted resin infusion setups; DATAQ high-speed data acquisition system; diamond precision saw; FLIR camera A325sc; dip coater; Keithley source meter.

Advisor: Prof. Shyam Menon

Energy and Propulsion Laboratory Website

The Energy and Propulsion Laboratory conducts fundamental and applied research on sprays, combustion, and fuels for power generation. The driving interest is to develop fundamental knowledge that can improve the design, operation, efficiency, and emissions from practical combustion based devices. Four major research areas, currently of interest include: (1) Property characterization of advanced fuels to understand their performance in propulsion engines; (2) Investigation of sprays particularly with respect to atomization and mixing and ensuing combustion processes specifically at high enthalpy conditions; (3) Development and use of laser diagnostics to study processes related to spray combustion; and (4) Development and control of hybrid powertrains for unmanned air vehicles.
Key Facilities. Unit experimental facilities to study combustion processes including a swirl combustor, flat flame burner, and jet impingement setup; laser-based diagnostics including laser absorption spectroscopy, Particle Image Velocimetry, Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence, and Phase Doppler Particle Anemometry; hardware-in-loop hybrid powertrain setup; High-speed imaging camera.

 

Advisor: Prof. Ying “Jane” Wang

Wang Laboratory Website

The Energy Materials Lab (Wang Lab) focuses on novel nanomaterials synthesis for energy and environmental applications, i.e., the developments of cutting-edge high-performance rechargeable batteries, solar cells, electrocatalysts, and photocatalysts. The research includes: 1) innovative nanomaterials preparation with improved structures and properties; 2) new energy device fabrication with significantly enhanced performances; 3) fundamental studies of electrochemical, optoelectronic, mechanical, electrical, and interfacial behavior of nanomaterials in the energy devices; 4) investigations of fundamental relationships between materials composition, structure, properties and performances. The research directions in the Wang lab involve developments of multi-valence ion rechargeable batteries, flexible solid-state batteries, batteries that can operate at subzero and/or elevated temperatures, new solar cells, and photocatalysts with application aspects in water treatment and environmental cleaning. A wide set of synthesis methods (atomic layer deposition, solution chemistry, sol-gel processing, and electrochemical approaches) are employed to obtain nanomaterials with well-defined structure at the molecular level that can serve as perfect model systems for fundamental understanding.
Key Facilities. Atomic layer deposition system, glove box, thin film coater, crimping machine, vacuum oven, centrifuge, battery analyzers, electrochemical station, solar cell tester.

Open space for conducting laboratories in undergraduate course (IE 4461-human factors engineering) and graduate research. The course labs provide hands-on experience and training in the basic instrumentation, methods, and software used in Human Factors / Ergonomics.

 

Advisors: Profs. Hunter Gilbert, and Corina Barbalata

iCORE Laboratory Website

The Innovation in Control and Robotics Engineering (iCORE) Lab at LSU performs research at the intersection of systems theory, control engineering, and robotics. We focus on application-specific solutions that have solid mathematical underpinnings. Research at iCORE is motivated by applications in diverse fields, including military, underwater exploration, environmental sciences, agriculture, medicine, rehabilitation, and biology, and our projects apply the whole spectrum of research skills - analytical, computational, and experimental.
Key Facilities. Reach5Mini Underwater arm; BlueROV2 underwater vehicle; Underwater robotics test tank; FANUC and Universal Robots industrial robotic arms; Quadcopter-type air vehicles; TurtleBots; Multi-agent testbed; 3D printer; Various types of motion sensors, electric motors, microcontrollers, data acquisition systems.

 

Advisor: Prof. Shengmin Guo

Metal Additive Manufacturing Lab seeks to develop new alloys and additive manufacturing (AM) technologies for making new metallic AM components with desired performance and structural integrity, including both reliability and durability. In collaboration with researchers in the fields of machine learning (ML), experimental and computational materials science and engineering, Metal Additive Manufacturing Lab incorporates cutting edge data science and materials science to the field of AM. The targeted AM technologies include laser powder-bed fusion AM, metal Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) process, and various solid-state AM processes. This lab is also well prepared to prepare custom alloy powders and conduct thermal property and corrosion measurements.
Key Facilities. High power laser sources; custom laser powder bed fusion system; custom metal powder fabrication system; alloy synthesis system; thermal property measurement system.

 

Advisor: Prof. Ingmar M. Schoegl

Schoegl Laboratory Website

Microcombustion Laboratory (Schoegl Lab) focuses on research on combustion technologies and diagnostics with the following foci: Premixed combustion and ignition phenomena (theory, experiments and simulations); - Computational diagnostics for detailed reacting flow simulations (CEMA); Combustion with conjugate heat transfer and microcombustion; Limited view tomography in optical combustion diagnostics; Tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy, focusing Schlieren imaging; Thermochemical energy conversion of alternative fuel sources (fuel reforming, gasification); Materials processing for ceramic manufacturing and microfluidics (co-extrusion, embossing); and Mechatronics & instrumentation.

 

Advisor: Prof. Harris Wong

Microhydrodynamics Modeling Laboratory studies heat and mass transfer in microchannels and micro heat pipes, two-phase flow in microchannels, and morphological instability and evolution of solid thin films, among other subjects. For each problem, we simplify the geometry to extract the essential physics behind the complicated processes. We apply mathematical modeling with proper non-dimensionalization to yield a set of dimensionless equations with physically relevant dimensionless groups. Depending on the values of these dimensionless groups, asymptotic analyses are carried out to reveal different physical effects. The dimensionless equations are solved analytically or numerically using most up-to-date numerical methods. Currently, we are focusing on heat and mass transfer in flat heat pipes, molecular dynamics simulations of nano wires, and heat and mass transfer over a flat catalytic plate. 
Key Facilities. LSU High Performance Computing facilities

 

Advisor: Emeritus Prof. Michael C. Murphy

Microsystems Engineering Lab (Murphy Lab) develops a class of modular, mixed scale polymer fluidic systems for rapid, low cost sample preparation, mutation detection, stroke detection, and cancer diagnosis for a variety of bio-applications. We have made advances in fabrication, assembly, and function of polymer modules and demonstrated a variety of individual devices and high throughput parallel arrays. Particularly applicable to the proposed research is our pioneering work on the use of molded passive alignment structures, in both hot embossed and injection molded components, to obtain predictable, repeatable assembly of modules and motherboards or stacks of devices and the initial development. 
Key Facilities. Electroplating station, boiling point thermofusion bonding (PABP TFB), a profilometer, a Nikon M11 microscope, injection molding (located in AMMF), HEX02 hot embosser (located in CAMD).

 

Advisor: Prof. Sunggook Park

Nanosystems Engineering Laboratory (Park Lab) seeks to develop low cost and high throughput manufacturing technologies to produce micro/nanoscale components, devices, and systems that interface with applications of various disciplines. The key technology used is micro/nanomolding as low cost technologies to fabricate desired micro/nanostructures. Four research foci in the Nanosystems Engineering Laboratory include (1) innovative molding technologies for complex and multi-scale structures comprising 2D/3D micro/nanostructures for bioanalytical applications; (2) polymer-based nanofluidic systems that enable control, manipulation, and mimic biosystems to answer fundamental questions in biosystems; (3) fundamental understanding of molding/demolding processes for nanoimprint lithography by studying interfacial properties and deformation behavior at the resist/stamp interface; and (4) utilize topological/chemical micro/nanostructures to manipulate the motion of matter including solid/liquid heat transfer and motion of biomaterials.
Key Facilities. Obducat 6 inch nanoimprinter; reactive ion etching; home-made current amplifier; Axopatch current amplifier; SurPass surface analyzer, atomic force microscope; mechanical tester.

This lab is used for research and instruction in safety.

The lab is divided into six areas for demonstrating specific aspects of safety: Industrial Hygiene, Electrical safety, Construction Safety, Tool Safety, Personal Protective Equipment, and Chemical Process Safety Simulation

Advisor: Prof. Guoqiang Li

Li Laboratory Website

Smart Composite Materials and Structures (SCMS) Lab focuses on stimuli-responsive composite materials and composite structures, and on understanding their constitutive behavior and damage/fracture/healing per engineering mechanics principles. Especially, the research interests of SCMS Lab include (1) constitutive modeling of one-way and two-way shape memory polymers (SMPs) and polymeric artificial muscles; (2) Self-healing polymer composites by using programmed SMP as matrix or by embedding programmed SMP fibers/particles or artificial muscles as sutures; (3) Machine learning guided discovery of 4D printable and multifunctional thermoset SMP inks; (4) Structural optimization of bio-inspired 3D printed multi-length scale hierarchical structures assisted by machine learning; (5) Smart sealant design and synthesis with SMPs; (6) 4D printable and recyclable construction materials with multi-functionalities; (7) Free-standing artificial muscles; (8) Impact and crashworthiness of smart composite structures; (9) Fracture and cohesive law of adhesively bonded composite joints; (10) Fiber reinforced self-healing polymer composites for lightweight structures; (11) Advanced grid stiffened self-healing composite structures; and (12) Smart construction materials incorporated with SMPs.
Key Facilities. DMA, DSC, MTS, and various polymer synthesis and characterization devices.

 

Advisor: Prof. Wen Jin Meng

The Surface Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing Lab (Meng Lab) conducts fundamental and applied research in vapor phase deposition and crystal growth, microscale plasticity, mechanical and fatigue response of materials, interfacial mechanical response, and micro/nano fabrication.  Applications of this research may be found in coatings for manufacturing tools and mechanical components, microscale metal forming, structural and mechanical characterization of materials, interface engineering, and metal and ceramic based micro/nano devices.
Key Facilities. Custom-designed ultra-high-vacuum and high-vacuum (UHV/HV) plasma assisted vapor phase deposition systems; ex-situ and in-situ instrumented nano micro, meso, and macro scale mechanical testing systems.  In addition, the Meng Lab utilized all major materials characterization instruments residing within the LSU Shared Instrumentation Facility (SIF), including high-resolution X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM), nano/micro machining by focused ion beam (FIB), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

The Systems Integration Lab supports instruction and research relating to integration, automation, and control of manufacturing and business processes, as well as information systems and eCommerce courses. Systems integration involves the integration of components into functional systems. In manufacturing, this encompasses both the mechanical and computer integration of individual equipment items into functioning manufacturing lines; in information systems, it entails Business-To-Business (B2B) integration within supply chains, as well as integration of enterprise software systems within companies. The lab has 30 computer workstations; a ten unit server farm providing database, integration, workflow, and web application services; a large variety of sensors and instrumentation, programmable logic controllers, data acquisition devices, motion and motor controllers, and small conveyors; and Arduino, Parallax, and Raspberry Pi microcontrollers and communication devices for developing Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices.

 

The Systems Integration lab supports instruction for IE courses in information systems, information technologies, and systems integration (IE2060, IE4425, IE4530, IE4426, IE4427, IE4530, IE7425, IE7428). The Lab has also been used with Robotic Engineering Courses (ENGR3100, ENGR4100, ENGR4102, ENGR4200).

 

Advisor: Prof. Dimitris E. Nikitopoulos

Two-phase, gas-liquid duct flow, and sub-merged jet experimentation facilities, as well as a spray-nozzle characterization facility, are available in this laboratory. The laboratory is equipped with a Phase-Doppler velocimetry and particle analysis system with phase discrimination capabilities, a video imaging and image processing system, and computer-driven data acquisition systems.

 

Advisor: Prof. M. A. Wahab

Research conducted in the general areas of Welding and joining practices, and aspects of Fracture control programs,  Compactional weld mechanics, Gas metal arc and Friction- stir- welding technology development and evaluation facility for fatigue of welded steel and Aluminum structures, non- destructive evaluation using Phased—Array- Ultrasonic- Testing facility, fatigue testing using MTS 810 universal testing facility and rotating- bending facility, fatigue characterization testing facility, metal polishing facility, and various components that are used for Phased- Array- Ultrasonic testing facility. 
Key Facilities. Ultrasonic equipment- OmniScan MX2 and 16:128 Phased Array acquisition module for manual UT inspection (with 1- UT channel). Model # OMNI2-P-PA16128; And included in this equipment we have several mostly used dedicated software; Various semi-automatic and manual welding facilities for welding of various types of ferrous and non-ferrous materials including a plasma cutter and a MIG welder; We have an ultrasonic testing unit and a universal MTS-810 testing facility  and  a Rotating-Bending-and Torsional fatigue testing  for all types of fracture mechanics, materials characterization, and fatigue characterization  facilities.

 

AMMF, former ME machine shop

The Advanced Manufacturing and Machining Facility (AMMF) at Louisiana State University is committed to providing high-quality contemporary manufacturing and fabrication resources and services, to offer related educational experiences for students, as well as to enable manufacturing research in the Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, the College of Engineering, other campus units, and the community. The AMMF is a founding member of the Central Users Facilities (CUF) of the Consortium for Innovation in Materials and Manufacturing, a cooperative agreement funded by the National Science Foundation and the LA Board of Regents. https://www.lsu.edu/eng/mie/cuf/ammf/index.php