Production in the Innovation Economy

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Commission

  • Ralph E. and Eloise F. Cross Professor of Mechanical Engineering

hardt@mit.edu
website

David E. Hardt

Professor Hardt is the Ralph E and Evelyn F. Cross Professor of Mechanical Engineering His disciplinary focus is system dynamics and control as applied to manufacturing. He is currently the MIT co-Chair of the Singapore MIT Alliance (SMA) Program: “Manufacturing Systems and Technology” a research and teaching collaboration with Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Prior to that he served as Engineering Co-Director for the MIT Leaders for Manufacturing Program (LFM, now “LGO”) from 1993 to 1998, and Director of the MIT Laboratory for Manufacturing from 1985 – 1992. During his tenure at LFM he was the MIT co-PI of the “Next Generation Manufacturing Project” an industry-driven study funded by the NSF.

Prof. Hardt has led the creation of a new graduate degree: Master of Engineering in Manufacturing” (MEngM) at MIT. This is the first professional degree offered by the ME Department at MIT, and is the culmination of many years of course and curriculum development.

His teaching focuses on control, dynamics and manufacturing processes. His research has been on flexible automation and process control with a current focus on micro and nano scale polymer device fabrication and micro-contact printing. Applications include production of microfluidic devices as well as large-scale surface patterning for new types of metamaterials for energy applications

Prof. Hardt also serves as the Graduate Officer of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at MIT.


Recent Publications

Mazzeo, A. D., Lustrino, M.E., and Hardt, D.E, “Bubble Removal in Centrifugal Casting of Polymers: Combined Effects of Buoyancy and Diffusion” Polymer Science and Engineering, July 2011.

Hale, M, Eusener, T, and Hardt, D.E., “Process Robustness of Hot Embossing Microfluidic Devices” ASME Journal of Manufacturing Science, June 2010