The group is very active on the international scene.
In addition to taking part in the planning and delivery of major international
conferences, group members are regularly invited to give lectures on
the subjects of mechatronics research and teaching curricula. The group
has good links with over 35 Universities in more than 20 countries. At
any one time there is strong activity (eg a joint project, or a research
visitor) with, typically, 8 groups. The table below gives a flavour of
some of the activities.
Technical University of Radom,
Poland
Prof Rob Parkin with the Pro Rektor of Radom, Jan Bednarczyk, the
International Officer Ewa Rybinska and Mechatronics Professors Zbygniew
and Andrej Kesy. Rob Parkin attended the opening ceremonies of the
University year as guest of the Rektor, October 2001
University of Applied Sciences FHO
Ostfriesland, Germany
Tony Sutton and Rob Parkin with students on a field trip during the
European Intensive Programme in Emden, Germany (July 1-14, 2001). 40
participants from 6 countries were involved.
Technical University of Ilmenau,
Germany
Prof Rob Parkin with the Rektor of Ilmenau, Prof Kern on the signing of a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Loughborough and Ilmanau to work
together in the field of mechatronics education and research. June 2001
University of Linz, Austria
Final meeting of the RichODL project funded by the EU (November
2000). Professor Rob Parkin of MRC with other members of the
consortium headed by Prof Mann (CTU, Prague) as guests of Linz
Mechatronics Centre at Voest Alpine (Prof K Sclacher).
University of Maribor, Slovenia
Visit of Dr Mike Jackson and Prof Rob Parkin (June 2000) with Prof K
Jezernik of Electrical & Electronic Engineering. Also with Prof
Riko Safaric and Mr Ales Hace, both past research visitors to MRC.
Loughborough, UK
Visit of Professor Gene Rivin of Wayne State University, USA.
Gene gave a series of research lectures on mechatronic applications during
his one week visit of 1996.
National University of Seoul, S
Korea
Prof Rob Parkin with Professor Pahk of the Precision Engineering and
Metrology Laboratories. Visit leading a Department of Trade and
Industry OSTEMS mission in 1997.
Technical University of Ilmenau,
Germany
Euroconference on Control & Configuration Aspects of Mechatronics (CCAM)
organised by MRC and run alongside the Ilmenau annual IWK
conference. CCAM funded 50 young European researchers to atttend.
University of Applied Sciences, FHO,
Emden, Germany
Dr Mike Jackson and Prof Rob Parkin with Prof Horst Kreitlow and PhD
students (July 2000). MRC has 4 current PhD students working in the
FHO Institute of Laser Techniks, with two previous PhD successes.
Daewoo, Pusan, S Korea
Members of the OSTEMS mission team of the DTI, led by Prof Rob Parkin in
1997. The Daewoo company hosted the visit of team members from Rolls
Royce, Taylor Hobson, Schlumberger and GKN.
University of Hitachi, Japan
Prof Rob Parkin with a group of Japanese students from the laboratory of
Professor Shiraishi. Visit as part of a Royal Society funded 5 week
tour of Japanese Universities and Companies. One week visits to
Nagoya, Gifu, Tokyo, Sendai, Tsukuba.
University of Skovde, Sweden
The Mechatronics Research Centre was well represented at Mechatronics '98,
the UK Mechatronics Forum biennial conference, with seven attendees
Dr Memis Acar, Dr Mike Jackson, Dr Riko Safaric, Dr N Brown, Prof Rob
Parkin, Mr Bill Dudeney and Mr Mike Millman. The largest group present.
Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany
A premier builder of the worlds largest cruise ships. Visit as part
of a European Intensive Programme in Intelligent Open Systems Engineering
& Laser Materials Processing, containing lectures given by Dr Mike
Jackson and Prof Rob Parkin. Students from Netherlands, UK, Spain,
Germany, Belgium and Finland.
Loughborough, UK
First higher degree graduation (Uwe Samuels) following the co-operation of
the Institute of Laser Techniks, at the University of Applied Science in
Ostfriesland, Germany.
FCME, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, PRC
Prof Parkin with the faculty of the Forestry College of Mechanical
Engineering. This HEI was the first to start Mechatronics in
1997. The MRC has hosted a visiting research scholar (Mr Hongzhi
Wang) and Professor Parkin is Visiting Professor of Mechatronics at FCME.
Tokyo Institute of Technology,
Japan
Prof Rob Parkin with Professor Yoshimi Ito of the Tokyo Institute of
Technology. Whilst there much time was spent in the precision
engineering laboratories looking at the influence of mechatronics on the
design of very high precision machine tools.
University of Minho, Portugal
MRC received funding for a series of Euroconferences in Focused Aspects of
Mechatronics. The first, Vision and Control Aspects of Mechatronics
(ViCAM) was held alongside M96 in Portugal.