Our lives depend on manufactured goods, whether it be for housing, medical are, steel for cars and bicycles, aluminium alloys for aeroplanes, or precision machine design; almost any human activity relies on manufactgured goods and manufacturing automation in one form or another. the Engineering Manufacturing Strength at UOW combines the strengths of the give major research groups listed above and carries out research to improve manufactured products and manufacturing processes in a never ending quest for greater accuracy, greater economy and higher quality.

For example, researchers in this strength are involved in:

* research in computational and experimental mechanics, metal forming biomechanics, structures, thermo-fluids and engineering systems.

* researching new manufacture methods for the next generation of aircraft

* assisting Industry with its materials handling problems

* the development of fine machines and controls to assist surgeons in operations

* the improvement of more accurate and 'intelligent' robots

* developing methods to ensure quality of electricity supply is maintained to manufacturing processes.

This research is supported strongly by research grants from Industry and from Federal Government competitive research grants and National Cooperative Research Centres. It also interacts with a number of universitiies and research institutes internationally. In addition to its academic members the strength involves over twenty full-time research engineers and 65 postgraduate research students. Its research covers the full spectrum of disciplines, requiring Physics and Mathematics to understand and describe the funamental theory underlying practical problems, and Mechanical, mechatronics, Electrical and Computer Engineering used to design and develop the mechanisms and high speed controls and computer systems necessary for modern manufacturing.