In today's competitive world, manufacturing and automation are two of the critical factors for the creation of wealth in a country. One of the basic but important differences between the "developed" countries and "developing" countries is that whether or not the ability for designing and manufacturing sophisticated products and selling around the globe exist.
Simply, the ability to create high-tech and sophisticated products requires high level of technical knowledge and skills. High-quality and multi-disciplinary engineering education and research are the keys for creations of the advanced technical knowledge and skills. State of the art education of young generations and creation of innovative high technical knowledge through research are the missions of the engineering departments. Engineering students must be donated not only with fundamentals of engineering and science, cutting edge knowledge and enabling technologies, they must be also involved in performing advanced theoretical and experimental research in order to be frontiers tomorrow.
It is the fact that what may be good enough today will not be enough tomorrow. This is not only the fact in academics but also in industries. There are challenges today in the competitive market. There will be more tomorrow. However, new challenges must become opportunities for improvements. Industries must adapt new manufacturing and automation paradigms in order to survive and to be more competitive in the future. It is a must that, for sustaining the momentum, the manufacturing and automation paradigms will continue to increase agility, rapid production output, shorter product development cycles as well as increasing innovative abilities and knowledge.
With the summarized thought above, Manufacturing & Automation Research Center (MARC) at Koc University was established in 2000 and dedicated to the conduction of advanced multidisciplinary scientific research and education in the areas of Manufacturing, Automation and Mechatronics.
We have two main missions at MARC in the areas of education and research, respectively;
The first mission includes the enhancement of the engineering students` knowledge in the cutting edge manufacturing automation systems and technologies through the experience in the multidisciplinary educational environment, as well as educating the students in the development and deployment of the advanced manufacturing and automation systems. We aim to produce engineers who can design, analysis and produce advanced and value added products and systems to the society.
The second mission of Manufacturing and Automation Research Center includes the development and enhancement of manufacturing automation systems and processes via scientific research. MARC is aimed to focus on vital issues of manufacturing and to improve competitiveness of industry through development and transfer of innovative manufacturing concepts and systems to production.
Research activities performed at MARC cover a number of areas; performing analytical, numerical and experimental studies addressing modeling, optimization, planning, controlling and automation of manufacturing processes and systems, bio-mechanics and development of medical assist systems.
MARC facilitates the transfer of technology through interaction with industries. Technical agenda of MARC include:
- Automation and Mechatronics
- System dynamics and control
- Modelling, Design, Analysis and Optimization of Manufacturing Processes and Systems
- Precision and Intelligent Manufacturing Systems
- Sensor and Signal Based Process Monitoring and Diagnostics
- Computer Aided Numerical Control (CNC) Sytems and Machine Tools
- Computer Aided Design and Engineering and Manufacturing (CAD/CAE/CAM)
- Industrial Robotics
- Reverse Engineering and Rapid Prototyping
- Alternative Energy Sytems
- Bio-Mechanics
- Developments of Medical Assist Systems and Artificial Organs