This $325,000 Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) supports fundamental research on a novel manufacturing process called "form-fuse" that enables the production of geometrically conformal electronics. The research aims to understand the key physical mechanisms that drive the electrical performance of the form-fuse process, which can overcome limitations of existing methods and enable advanced electronics for applications in automotive, aerospace, robotics, biomedical, energy, and environmental sectors. Key research activities include characterizing the impact of polymer thermomechanical history on electrical performance, developing physics-based models to predict deformation mechanisms, and creating techniques for scalable design of the form-fuse process parameters and intermediate forming stages. This multi-institutional project involves expertise in manufacturing, modeling, machine learning, and design, and is expected to broaden participation and education of underrepresented groups in the field of manufacturing. The award period runs from September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2027.
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