Speaker

Karl Haapala, Professor, Oregon State University

Abstract

Effective manufacturing decision making has been inhibited by a lack of reliable data and information as well as supporting methodologies and tools, which has increased production costs and reduced system efficiencies, leading to concerns over economic, environmental, and social sustainability performance. Recent advancements in smart manufacturing (Industry 4.0) technologies, including real-time sensing, big data analytics, and enhanced artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities, has increased optimism in the ability of advanced manufacturing processes and systems to provide benefits to society while ameliorating concerns over increasing costs and environmental impacts of these technologies. In this talk, I will discuss recent and ongoing work within the Industrial Sustainability Lab at Oregon State University in collaboration with researchers from across the U.S. leveraging these recent advancements in smart and sustainable manufacturing to address future-oriented strategies for tailored product manufacturing, rapidly linking consumers and producers during disasters and public emergencies, and advancing biobased material and product value chains.

Biography

Dr. Karl R. Haapala is a Professor in the School of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering at Oregon State University where he conducts research in sustainable manufacturing assessment, life cycle engineering, and engineering education within the Industrial Sustainability Lab. He also directs Oregon State’s Energy Efficiency Center and U.S. DOE Industrial Training and Assessment Center. Dr. Haapala has received grants totaling more than $38M as PI and co-PI in collaboration with researchers and practitioners from academia, government labs, and industry. This work has appeared in over 160 refereed proceedings and journal articles, receiving four best paper awards and having five papers fast-tracked to journals. Dr. Haapala has held various leadership positions within the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and Society of Manufacturing Engineers and was the 2024 recipient of ASME’s Kos Ishii-Toshiba award for sustained and meritorious contributions to design for manufacturing and the life cycle.

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