IIT Mandi Concludes International Conference on Composites, Showcasing Advancements in Design, Processing, Manufacturing, and Health Monitoring
Indian Institute of Technology Mandi concluded the International Conference on Composites: Design, Processing, Manufacturing and Health Monitoring, focused on the advancements and applications of composite materials. Organised by Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Dr. Sunny Zafar and Dr. Subhomoy Sen from the School of Mechanical & Materials Engineering, IIT Mandi, the event was attended by over 150 participants including Researchers, innovators, Faculty, and Students from the academia and industry.
Held on 20th and 21st June 2024, the event was honored by a distinguished lineup of speakers who shared their expertise and research findings. These included:
● Prof. B.K. Mishra – Professor, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, IIT Roorkee, India
● Prof. Sanjay M R – Natural Composites Research Group Lab, North Bangkok (KMUTNB), Thailand
● Prof. Apurbba Kumar Sharma – Professor, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, IIT Roorkee
● Prof. Indra Vir Singh – Professor, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, IIT Roorkee
● Dr. Debdatta Ratna – Head, Polymer Science & Technology Directorate, Naval Materials Research Laboratory, DRDO
● Prof. Inderdeep Singh – Professor, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, IIT Roorkee
● Dr. Amit Gupta – Scientist, R&DE Pune, DRDO
● Dr. Rakesh Bharadwaj, DEAL, DRDO
among others.
Speaking during the event Prof. Laxmidhar Behera, Director, IIT Mandi, said, “As per the futuristic engineering needs, this conference is good forum to share state of the art knowledge and network building among researchers”
The conference received an overwhelming response with a total of 275 papers submissions. After a rigorous review process, the Institute accepted 150 papers for the conference proceedings, representing the highest quality of research and innovation. This gave a 54% acceptance rate, reflecting the Institute’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of academic excellence. Each paper was meticulously reviewed by at least two independent reviewers. The contributory papers were received from renowned institutions such as IITs, NITs, ISRO, DRDO, as well as esteemed universities and research institutes from the USA, Turkey, Canada, France, Netherlands, and Australia.
Over the course of this conference, a total of 8 invited lectures and 150 oral paper presentations were organised. To facilitate these presentations, 17 technical parallel sessions, ensuring a comprehensive and inclusive platform for knowledge exchange was also organised. Out of these, 107 presentations were conducted in offline mode, while 43 were delivered online, allowing for greater flexibility and participation from around the world.
The conference served as a vibrant platform for young researchers to present their innovative ideas and engage with eminent scientists from around the world. It featured oral and poster presentations, as well as keynote lectures by leading experts in the field. Selected papers from the conference will not be published in a Scopus indexed Springer journal.
Plenary speaker, Prof. B.K. Mishra (IIT Roorkee) said that the composites are emerging for the futuristic and sustainable society.
The conference covered a wide range of topics, including but not limited to:
● Additive manufacturing for composites
● Advanced manufacturing for composites
● Beam, Plate and Shell Theories
● Computational modelling of composite structures and materials
● Composite structures and materials
● Composite for biomedical applications
● Delamination, damage, fracture, failure, fatigue, and durability of composites
● Dynamics of composite structures
● Experimental methods for composites
● Flame retardant composites
● FRP reinforced structures
● Functionally graded and porous composite structures
● Health monitoring and inspection techniques for composite structures
● Multi-scale analysis of composites
● Natural fibre composites and bio-inspired design of composites
● Probabilistic models for composites
● Smart composites and structures
● Thermal problems on composite materials and structures
● Sustainable and recycling of composites
among others.
Conference Chairman, Dr. Himanshu Pathak said, “it was a very fulfilling and satisfying experience to organize such a conference where participants had a wonderful opportunity to learn from leading researchers around the world on frontier topics in the field of composites.”
Composite materials have extensive commercial applications across various industries, including marine, aerospace, automotive, boating, defense, sporting goods, infrastructure, energy storage, and biomedical fields. Recent developments in new and improved composites have opened unlimited product development opportunities. This conference aimed to bring together researchers and practitioners to share their insights, discoveries, and advancements in composite materials.
Sponsored by IIT Mandi, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) India, the International Conference on Composites: Design, Processing, Manufacturing, and Health Monitoring, provided a unique platform for the exchange of cutting-edge research, innovative ideas, and practical solutions among experts, researchers, and industry leaders from around the globe. The conference also set the stage for future collaborations and advancements in composite materials, promising to drive innovation and developments.
