Philadelphia University has partnered with machine-tool manufacturer MAG Industrial Automation Systems to establish a composites institute for the development of textile-based materials for industrial applications such as the automotive, aerospace and energy markets.
Researchers will use analytical tools, including finite element analysis, to design and research new composites from both two-dimensional and three-dimensional textile platforms.
The research institute, which will be located in Philadelphia, will be funded in part by a $1.1 million endowment from MAG. The companys chairman and CEO, Mo Meidar, is a Philadelphia University alumnus and a member of the universitys board of trustees. The funding will also support a new bachelor in science engineering program with a concentration in composites, which will launch in next fall.
Composites are important in industry because they are lighter than steel or aluminum and thus provide engineers with a lightweight alternative for use in a broad array of structures for aerospace, automotive and wind-energy applications, said David Brookstein, Philadelphia Universitys executive dean for university research.
