MANUFACTURING, ROBOTICS AND COMPUTATIONAL GEOMETRY

David Field

General Motors Research, Development and Planning Center

Warren, Michigan

This SIAM Visiting Lecture features examples of geometry's dominating influence in the automotive manufacturing process.

The lecture begins with the design and manufacture of sheetmetal components that motivated advances in mathematical applications for Computer Aided Design.  After a discussing the mathematics developed for the geometric aspects of this manufacturing process, the lecture examines an application of the same mathematics to robotics.  The next topic relates the previous geometric constructions with the analysis of automotive components for fatigue, stress and strain.  The lecture ends with the award winning video tape "Ballet Robotique".

Thursday, March 25, 2004

3:00 p.m.
New Science Facility 1205
 

Biographical sketch:

David Field earned an A.B., an M.S. and a Ph.D in mathematics from Bowdoin College, Oakland University and the University of Colorado, respectively.  After teaching at the College of the Holy Cross, he joined the General Motors Research Laboratories where he holds the position of Staff Research Scientist.  His research interests include numerical analysis, approximation theory, finite element analysis, and mathematics from computer aided design.  In addition to cofounding and currently serving as president of the Great Lakes Section of SIAM he coedited for SIAM two volumes on geometrical and theoretical aspects of industrial design.  He has organized SIAM workshops on Computer Aided Design and on Industrial Mathematics.