Advanced Manufacturing in Virginia Tech Mechanical Engineering

A student works in an advanced manufacturing lab among robotic multi-axis printers. Photo by Peter Means for Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech's expertise in advanced manufacturing has been recognized globally, called one of the top 20 global institutions in the field by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute based on various publication metrics.

By blending robotics, new materials, design optimization, and other topics, researchers in our department collaborate with partners across campus and across the globe to bring the future of manufacturing into the present.

Fall 2025 Manufacturing Track

Title	Tags
Pinar Acar	mathematical analysis uncertainty quantification design optimization smart materials nanomaterials materials design modeling
Kaveh Akbari Hamed	controls autonomous systems dynamics machine learning robotics intelligent systems optimization complex systems wearable robotics
Jan Helge Bøhn	advanced manufacturing prototyping design theory modeling 3D printing
Jie Chen	advanced manufacturing mathematical analysis uncertainty quantification machine learning design optimization optimization materials design modeling
David Dillard	hydrogen energy energy systems aircraft design biomaterials automotive engineering materials design clean energy Solid Mechanics 3D printing education
Erik Komendera	in-space assembly advanced manufacturing human-robot interaction robotic work cells machine learning robotics
Amrinder Nain	nature-inspired innovation cancer studies biomechanics nanotechnology advanced manufacturing Bio-Inspired Engineering biomaterials smart materials nanomaterials medical devices biomedical applications mechanobiology
Rui Qiao	hydrogen energy fluid mechanics PFAS nanotechnology advanced manufacturing batteries microfluidics and nanofluidics turbomachinery clean energy energy systems heat transfer transport phenomena modeling
Bart Raeymaekers	advanced manufacturing tribology medical devices materials design 3D printing
Corina Sandu	autonomous systems terramechanics kinematics design optimization vibration research robotics automotive engineering large trucks vehicle dynamics sensitivity analysis dynamics mathematical analysis uncertainty quantification off-road mobility tire research modeling multibody systems
Anne Staples	nature-inspired innovation fluid mechanics biomechanics computational fluid dynamics mathematical analysis machine learning Bio-Inspired Engineering microfluidics and nanofluidics medical devices biomedical applications modeling 3D printing
Alexandrina Untaroiu	fluid mechanics machine learning design optimization vibration research medical devices turbomachinery biomechanics wind turbines computational fluid dynamics tribology aerodynamics tire research biomedical applications modeling
Christopher Williams	advanced manufacturing robotic work cells drones design theory materials design 3D printing education