IO_Q&RM · Integrated Modeling and Optimization of Quality Control, Product Reliability, and Maintenance for Advanced and Evolving Technologies

This proposal describes a research plan for integrated modeling and optimization of quality control, product reliability and maintenance activities that can facilitate the continued advancement of novel and evolving technologies. Recent design achievements for many evolving technologies, such as micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), and micro-manufacturing systems, have been particularly impressive and offer great potential for many critical applications in aerospace, biological/medical, and nuclear areas. However, if these advanced technologies are to be delivered to the real operating environment, there must also be innovative research focusing on quality, reliability and maintenance. For MEMS and micro-manufacturing systems, traditional modeling approaches are inadequate or inefficient because new failure mechanisms have arisen, or because the high process variability and measurement error of micro-manufacturing systems create new problems for quality control, or because quality and reliability are inherently intertwined for micro devices. Successful development of new effective models for quality and reliability and maintenance can boost the commercialization of novel technologies. Meanwhile it will lead to fundamentally new perspectives on the application of quality and reliability concepts for evolving technologies. I have been researching these issues and will continue to collaborate with the researchers in the host organization and the researchers from Rutgers University (U.S.A.) and University of Houston (U.S.A.) to address this important research problem in this project.