Co-Directors Hector Gutierrez, Ph.D., P.E., Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering & Y. I. Sharaf-Eldeen, Ph.D., P.E., Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering

The Dynamic Systems and Controls Laboratory (DSC) supports a variety of research and teaching activities in dynamic systems, including machinery monitoring and fault diagnosis, real-time control, computer-based instrumentation and mechatronics.

Current research activities

• Real-time, on-line vibration and angular motion measurements and analyses to develop condition monitoring and maintenance information systems for power generation and transmission systems and components in rotating machinery;
• Frequency response of model structures to low frequency, earthquake vibrations;
• System identification of magnetic suspension systems for a range of gaps and dynamic conditions. State-of-the-art sensors and data acquisition systems are utilized in remote, wireless monitoring and control applications using the Internet.

Real time control and mechatronics activities

• Nonlinear control of magnetic suspension systems focused on high-precision positioning applications. A 2-D magnetically levitated machine for semiconductor manufacturing is being developed with support of NSF;
• Hybrid control of seismically-excited nonlinear buildings using distributed tuned mass dampers;
• Vision-based automated alignment by hybrid video and video-Moire techniques;
• Micro-processor based control systems, e.g., small mobile robots and robot arms, etc;
• Automation projects.The DSC Lab has modern hardware and software for computer based instrumentation and instrument control.