Don Radford

Dr. Donald W. Radford

Director, Composite Materials, Manufacture and Structures Laboratory

Professor

Mechanical Engineering

Dr. Radford’s research involves the development of direct digital advanced manufacturing methods for the automation of the manufacture of continuous fiber reinforced composite materials and structures, including implementation of adaptive process control based on machine learning.  Applications relate to the implementation of industrial robotics in advanced manufacturing to radically reduce the tooling required for composites production.

Contact Information

Resources

International Connections

  • Country: Germany
    Contact: University of Karlsruhe, Student Internship
  • Country: Germany
    Contact: Markisches Werk GmbH, Corporate Research Contract
  • Country: France
    Contact: ENSTA-Bretagne, Internship Program

Research Interests

  • Automation of Advanced Continuous Fiber Reinforced Composites Processing
  • Machine Learning for Adaptive Processing of Advanced Composites
  • Development of End Effectors for Direct Digital Manufacture of Continuous Fiber Composites
  • Process Induced Distortion in Composites
  • Damage Assessment and Repair of Composites and High Temperature Composites

Education

  • Ph.D. 1987, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute—Materials Engineering
  • M.S. 1982, University of British Columbia—Metallurgical Engineering
  • B.S. 1980, University of British Columbia—Mechanical Engineering

Honors and Awards

  • 2015 – SAMPE Fellow, Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering
  • 2010 – Outstanding Paper Award, Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering
  • 2009,2008 – Benjamin-Meaker Visiting Professorship, University of Bristol, Institute for Advanced Studies
  • 2009,2008 – Visiting Professor, Univ. of British Columbia, CAN
  • 2007 – Outstanding Paper Award, Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering