The Design Tools and Methods in Industrial Engineering research group is part of the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering at the University of Padua.
The group focuses on advancing methodologies in geometric modeling, product specification, and innovative design methods, with applications in various sectors such as industrial, biomedical, naval, aerospace, energy, and cultural heritage.
Key Research Areas:
- Developing innovative design methods to enhance product performance and streamline manufacturing processes.
- Investigating geometric modeling, design, and simulation methods tailored to additive manufacturing technologies, particularly for lightweight and lattice structures.
- Creating and implementing applications within the CAD/CAE environment.
- Conducting reconstruction, representation, and analysis of geometric models for free-form surfaces and mechanical components.
- Researching Geometrical Product Specification (GPS), Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T), and technical product documentation.
- Measuring and characterizing geometric features of functional surfaces, including reverse modeling.
The research group addresses industries where geometric complexity is critical to process management and product development.
To support its work, the group operates a well-equipped laboratory with advanced tools, including 3D scanners, 3D printers (binder jetting, stereolithography, and fused deposition modeling), coordinate measuring machines, profilometers, roughness testers, mechanical testing machines, and specialized software for CAD/CAE, reverse engineering, and additive manufacturing.
The group has established numerous collaborations with companies and institutions, contributing to innovation and practical applications across its areas of expertise.