The SMART Laboratory develops and integrates research platforms that combine materials processing, sensing, data acquisition, characterization, modeling, and digital-twin workflows.
These platforms support experimental research in circular polymer manufacturing, battery and electrochemical systems, materials recycling, smart manufacturing, and AI-enabled process optimization.
Polymer Compounding and Water-Strand Pelletization Line
A lab-scale co-rotating twin-screw extrusion and water-strand pelletizing line for compounding virgin, recycled, and filled polymers. The line supports formulation development, additive and filler incorporation, devolatilization, controlled pellet production, and process–property studies for ABS, PLA, PC, PA, PS, PP, and PE.
Key capabilities:
- 15 kW main drive and L/D = 44 extruder
- 1–30 kg/h nominal throughput range
- Twin-screw volumetric feeder, two-stage side feeder, modular screws/barrels, cooling-water manifold, vacuum venting, hydraulic screen changer, water bath, air knife, pelletizer, and air-cooling conveyor
Research applications:
- Polymer compounding and property tailoring
- Recycled and filled polymer feedstocks
- Process–structure–property studies
- Pellet production for downstream filament or pellet printing
3D-Printing Filament Production Line
A lab-scale, instrumented filament manufacturing line that converts virgin, recycled, and filler-modified polymer feedstocks into 3D-printer filament. The line provides a practical platform for circular-polymer manufacturing, real-time sensing, quality monitoring, energy analysis, and digital-twin/control research.
Key capabilities:
- Integrated shredding, pellet drying, conveying, single-screw filament extrusion, air cooling, spooling, and pelletizing
- Integration with thermal imaging, machine vision, NI DAQ, workstation/cloud computing, and AI-enabled process optimization
- Supports studies of filament diameter quality, production stability, feedstock variability, cooling behavior, and energy use
Research applications:
- Recycled and filled-polymer filament production
- Energy-aware process monitoring
- Filament quality and diameter stability
- Digital-twin validation
Battery Materials and Cell Fabrication Platform
A laboratory-scale battery materials and electrochemical systems platform supporting electrode slurry preparation, coating, calendaring, punching/cutting, glovebox assembly, coin-cell assembly, and electrochemical testing.
Key capabilities:
- Film coating with vacuum and digital doctor blade
- Calendaring, disc punches, automatic/manual crimpers, glovebox, potentiostats, battery cyclers, furnaces, ovens, mixers, and wet-chemistry tools
Research applications:
- Electrode and electrolyte processing
- Coin-cell fabrication and testing
- Battery materials development
- Battery recycling and recovered-material validation
Modular Recycling and Physical Separation Platform
A recycling platform planned for development to support front-end mechanical processing and separation of complex material streams. The system is intended to be configurable for research on batteries, fuel cells, electric motors and magnets, printed circuit boards, photovoltaic panels, wind-turbine blades, catalytic reactors, and related circular-materials applications.
Key capabilities:
- Double-shaft shredding, hammer crushing, vibrating screening, magnetic separation, cyclone separation, pulverization, airflow separation, electrostatic separation, sealed conveying, VOC/dust control, and PLC/HMI-based control
Research applications:
- Smart recycling and process monitoring
- Materials recovery from complex products
- Separation and classification studies
- Circular-economy and remanufacturing research