David O. Kazmer, P.E., Ph.D.
Specializing in plastic product design and polymer process development.

Process Monitoring and Control Research

Overview

Closed loop process control requires effective sensors and control techniques to be effective. One thrust of our research has been to develop new sensors that are more compact and low cost, such that more sensors may be used in more applications with closed loop control.

Current Research

Wireless Pressure & Temperature Sensor

With Prof. R. Gao, we have envisioned a new type of wireless sensor, shown in the lower left figure, that collects energy from the transient melt pressure via a set of piezoelectric rings. Once the collected energy crosses over a designed threshold, a modulator transmits this energy to an acoustic transmitter that emits a pulse that can be sensed by a receiver external to the manufacturing process. As shown by the right hand figure, the many pulses with the lifespan of a few microseconds can be demodulated to approximate the analog pressure signal.

These concepts have been validated under a grant from the National Science Foundation under award DMI-9988757. We have obtained additional funds to improve the sensor robustness, include temperature sensing, and validate the technology for multiple sensor arrays. If successful, we will enable a new generation of miniature, low cost, and easy to install sensors that would significantly expand the capabilities of manufacturing processes.

Instrumentation & Monitoring Protocol

We are working with commercial suppliers of sensors and sensing systems to develop a protocol for the instrumentation and monitoring of molding processes with existing sensor products. As an example of a process fingerprint, one cycle from our world class test cell is shown below. From this figure we can estimate the fill time, flow rate, viscosity, minimum pack time, and other features related to part quality.

Related Publications

  1. D. O. Kazmer, R. Nageri, V. Kudchakar, B. Fan., R. X. Gao, “Validation of Three On-Line Flow Simulations for Injection Molding,” Submitted to Polymer Engineering and Science.

  2. Y. Cui, R. X. Gao, and D. O. Kazmer, “A Bond Graph Approach to Energy Efficiency Analysis of a Self-Powered Wireless Pressure Sensor,” Submitted to Journal of Smart Structures and Systems.

  3. L. Zhang, C. Theurer, R. X. Gao, and D. O. Kazmer, “Ultrasonic Pulses Detection and Differentiation using Analytic Wavelet for Injection Mold Cavity Pressure Measurement,” Submitted to the ASME Journal of Manufacturing Science. 

  4. L. Zhang, C. Theurer, R. X. Gao, and D. O. Kazmer, “Design Of Ultrasonic Transmitters With Defined Frequency Characteristics For Wireless Pressure Sensing In Injection Molding,” Submitted to the Journal of Acoustics.

  5. D. Kazmer , D. Gupta, M. Munavalli, V. Kudchakar, and R. Nageri, “Design and Performance Analysis of a Self-Regulating Melt Pressure Valve,” Accepted to Polymer Engineering and Science.

  6. D. Kazmer, V. Kudchakar, and R. Nageri, “Validation of Molding Consistency with a Self-Regulating Melt Pressure Valve,” Accepted to Journal of Plastics, Rubber, and Composites Processing.

  7. D. Kazmer, V. Kudchakar, and R. Nageri, “Validation of Molding Productivity with Analysis of Two Self-Regulating Melt Pressure Valves,” Accepted to Journal of Plastics, Rubber, and Composites Processing.

  8. C.B. Theurer, L. Zhang, D.O. Kazmer, and R.X. Gao, “Energy Extraction for a Self-Energized Pressure Sensor” IEEE Sensors Journal, v. 4, n. 1, p. 28-35, 2004.

  9. Zhang, L., Theurer, C., Gao, R., and D. O. Kazmer, "A Self-Energized Sensor for Wireless Injection Mold Cavity Pressure Measurement: Design and Evaluation," ASME Journal of Dynamic Systems (DSC), v. 72, n. 2, 2003, p. 1167-1173.

  10. L. Zhang, C. Theurer, R. Gao, and D. Kazmer, “Frequency Design of an Ultrasonic Transmitter for Injection Molding Pressure Measurement", Transactions of the North American Manufacturing Research Institution of SME, Vol. XXXI, p., 579-586, 2003.

  11. L. Zhang, C. B. Theurer, R. X. Gao, and D. O. Kazmer, “Development of A Wireless Pressure Sensor With Remote Acoustic Transmission,” Journal of the North American Manufacturing Research Institute, Vol. XXX, p. 573-580, 2002.

  12. D. Kazmer and D. Hatch, “Towards Controllability of Injection Molding,” Journal of Materials Processing and Manufacturing Science, October, 2000, 9 (2), p. 94-99.

  13. Kazmer, D.O. and R.G. Speight, “Polymer Injection Molding Technology for the Next Millenium,” Journal of Injection Molding Technology, 1997. 1(2): p. 81-90.

  14. Kazmer, D.O., “Injection Molding,” Encyclopedia of Chemical Processing, Marcel Dekker, Sunggyu (K.B.) Lee, Ed., 2005.

  15. Kazmer, D.O., “Precision Process Control,” Precision Injection Molding, Hanser Publishers, R.W. Friedl, J. Greener, Ed., 2005.

  16. Kazmer, D.O. and K. Danai, “Control of Polymer Processing,” in The Control Handbook, edited by W. S. Levine, published by CRC & IEEE Press, 2001.

  17. D. Kazmer, “Axiomatic Design Of The Injection Molding Process,” Proceedings of the First International Conference on Axiomatic Design, 2000. Cambridge, MA. 

  18. D. Kazmer, B. Fan, R. Mukhari, "Real Time Flow Rate Estimation in Injection Molding," Molding Technology Symposium at the 20th Annual Meeting of the Polymer Processing Society, Akron, OH, June 21, 2003.

  19. Kazmer, D., B. Fan, and R. Najeri, "On-Line Flow Rate and Pressure Analysis with Sensor Fusion," 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers Annual Technical Conference: Injection Molding Division, Chicago, IL.

  20. Kazmer, D. O., Petrova, T., “Analysis and Synthesis of Methods for Intelligent Processing of Polymeric Materials,” Proceedings of the Polymer Processing Symposium, ASME International Mechanical Exposition, 1997. 

  21. David O. Kazmer, Peter Knepper, and Stephen Johnston, "A Review of In-Mold Pressure and Temperature Instrumentation," Proceedings of the 2005 Society of Plastics Engineers Annual Technical Conference, 2005.

  22. David O. Kazmer, Robert Gao, Yong Cui, Stephen Johnston, and Peter Knepper, "Concept Design of a Wireless Pressure, Temperature, and Flow Rate Sensor for Injection Molding," Proceedings of the 2005 Society of Plastics Engineers Annual Technical Conference, 2005.

  23. Gao, R., Kazmer, D., Zhang, L., Theurer, C., "Self-Powered Sensing for Mechanical System Condition Monitoring," SPIE Symposium on Smart Structures & Materials/ NDE 2004, San Diego, California, March 14-18, 2004.

  24. Zhang, L., Theurer, C., Gao, R., and D. Kazmer, "Frequency Design of an Ultrasonic Transmitter for Injection Molding Pressure Measurement," Proceedings of the North American Manufacturing Research Conference of SME, 8 pages, 2003.

  25. Theurer, C., Zhang, L., Kazmer, D., and R. Gao, "In-Situ Evaluation of a Piezoelectric Energy Extraction Device for Wireless Cavity Pressure Sensing in Injection Molding," Proceedings of the 2003 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition, Dynamic Systems & Control Division DSC, v 72, n 2, 2003, p 1167-1173, Washington, D.C., November 16-21, 2003.

  26. Kazmer, D., K. Manek, et al. (2003), “Prediction of Production Yields in Injection Molding I”, Society of Plastics Engineers Annual Technical Conference: Injection Molding Division, Nashville, TN. 

  27. Kazmer, D. O., R. X. Gao, et al. (2003), “Wireless Pressure Sensor for Injection Molding”, Society of Plastics Engineers Annual Technical Conference: Sensors & Monitoring Special Interest Group, Nashville, TN. 

  28. Zhang, L., Theurer, C., Gao, R., and D. O. Kazmer, “Design and Experimental Validation of a Self-Energized Sensor for Injection Molding Process Monitoring,” Proceedings of the 5th National Science Foundation Design & Manufacturing Conference, 2003. 

  29. C. B. Theurer, D. O. Kazmer, L. Zhang, R. X. Gao, “Self-Energized Wireless Pressure Sensor Using Energy Extraction from Injection Mold Pressure Differential,” Proceedings of the IEEE Sensors Conference, v. 2, p. 942-949, 2002.

  30. Zhang, L., Theurer, C., Gao, R., and D. O. Kazmer, “Design of a Wireless Sensor for Injection Molding Cavity Pressure Measurement,” Proceedings of the 4th National Science Foundation Design & Manufacturing Conference, 2002. San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

  31. C.B. Theurer, L. Zhang, R.X. Gao, and D.O. Kazmer, “Threshold energy switching and its application to wireless sensing in high energy manufacturing process", ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exhibition, Symposium on Intelligent Sensors and Sensor Networks, Paper# IMECE2002-33219, Vol. 2, New Orleans, LA, November 17-22, 2002. 

  32. C.B. Theurer, L. Zhang, R.X. Gao, and D.O. Kazmer, “Acoustic Telemetry in Injection Molding,” Society of Plastics Engineers Annual Technical Conference, May 2001. Dallas, TX. 

  33. L. Zhang, C. Theurer, R. Gao, and D. Kazmer, “Development of a wireless pressure sensor with remote acoustic transmission”, Proceedings of the North American Manufacturing Research Conference of SME, 8 pages, 2002. 

  34. L. Zhang, C. Theurer, R. Gao, and D. Kazmer, "Design of a wireless sensor for injection molding cavity pressure measurement", International Symposium on Intelligent Sensors, ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exhibition, paper #DSC-24500, pp. 1-7, New York, NY, November 11-16, 2001. 

  35. Theurer, C., Zhang, L., Gao, R., and D. O. Kazmer, “Acoustic Telemetry in Injection Molding,” Society of Plastics Engineers Annual Technical Conference, May 2001. Dallas, TX. 

  36. Kazmer, D. O., “CAE & Polymer Processing Monitoring & Control: A Design Perspective,” 2001 Gordon Conference on CAE in Polymer Processing, March 2001. Ventura, CA. 

  37. D. Kazmer, “Fundamentals of Polymer Processing,” Proceedings of the Annual Technical Meeting of the Society of Plastics Engineers, Orlando, FL, 2000. 

  38. D. Kazmer, Technical Report to MoldMasters Ltd., “Technical Feasibility of Advanced Molding Technnologies: On-Line Flow Simulation, Digital Valve Modulation, and Self Regulating Valves,” 490 pages, 2004.

  39. D. Kazmer, Invention Disclosure, Sensor Fusion for Deriving Flow Rates and Pressures in Injection Molding, 2003.

  40. D. Kazmer, Invention Disclosure, Self-Energizing Wireless Sensor with Threshold Activation, 2002.