Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

The PhD program of the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering section is aimed at creating researchers with broadband skills, each one specialized on a particular subject offered by the course. Those skills would be oriented to develop proper methodologies in order to integrate different kinds of problems: thermo mechanical, fluid-dynamics and electro mechanics problems with constructive, technical, measurements, economical and managerial problems with attention to the chemical and noise pollution and workers’ safety. All of these problems are related to a complex industrial system and the attention pointed on them will be important for a good cost-benefit analysis of economic aspects and cost-performance ratio. Industrial systems involved in the production of goods and services are continuously evolving toward new and highly diversified forms, providing specialized solutions for complex problems. At the same time a greater attention is given to interactions with between industrial system in general and the environment (noise and chemical pollution, workers’ safety and wellness): this requires the use of new investigation and risk management procedures based on clear and well-designed standards, together with a full consciousness about impact of the old and the new technologies from design to recycle or reuse of items and services. As a consequence of this growing demand, the diffusion of a new approach has to be supported through the widening of technical and scientific knowledge in which the interdisciplinary aspect plays a decisive role. In fact, only an interdisciplinary knowledge would provide highly qualified professional staff with a high efficiency and reliability which otherwise would be lost, with bad economic and environmental consequences. The actual inefficiency is mainly due to a lack of the correct philosophy of approaching the problem, as old methodologies were not oriented to the solution of the whole system but only to a part of it. So, even each solution was right singularly, the absence of a general guide line led to an ineffective integration of results and to a decrease in effectiveness and affordability of the system. Developed areas are involved in activities based on design and management of complex systems, is therefore needed to create suitable abilities. In our country, also, the attention of the scientists is focused on this problem not only on the industrial level but also at the academic one. At the academic level, the research is encouraged by improved numerical simulation that allow a greater and more specific approach. The research areas of the PhD program covers the whole spectrum of the department research programs, which are the following: Aeronautical Constructions, Chemistry Converters, Excavation Engineering and Safety, Fluid Dynamics and Machines, Industrial Plants, Logistics Systems, Machines and Electrical Actuators, Materials Science and Technology , Mechanical and Thermal Measurements, Mechanical Design and Machine Constructions, Production Systems, Technical Physics.