Radovan Kovacevic, Ph.D., FSME, FASME, FAWS
Herman Brown Chair Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Director of the Research Center for Advanced Manufacturing
Director of the NSF I/UCRC for Lasers and Plasmas for Advanced Manufacturing – SMU’s Site

Address:

Southern Methodist University RCAM
3101 Dyer St.
Dallas, TX 75205
Phone: (214) 768-4865
Fax: (214) 768-0812
e-mail: kovacevi@lyle.smu.edu
www.lyle.smu.edu/rcam, www.lyle.smu.edu/clam

Education:

- Ph.D., February 21, 1978, University of Montenegro, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Podgorica, Yugoslavia.
- M.S., February 28, 1972, University of Belgrade, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
- B.S., October 13, 1969, University of Belgrade, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Belgrade, Yugoslavia.

Academic Employment:

- 8/97 – present, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, Herman Brown Chair Professor
- 6/95 – 7/97, University of Kentucky, Lexington,KY, Full Professor
- 1/91 - 5/95, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, Associate Professor
- 1/87 - 12/90, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, Associate Professor
- 5/89 – 9/90, University of Montenegro, Podgorica, YU, Full Professor
- 6/86 - 12/86, University of Montenegro, Montenegro, YU, Associate Professor
- 1/86 - 5/86, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, Visiting Associate Professor
- 9/83 - 12/85, University of Montenegro, Podgorica, YU, Associate Professor
- 9/78 - 8/83, University of Montenegro, Podgorica, YU, Assistant Professor
- 5/75 - 8/78, University of Montenegro, Podgorica, YU, Lecturer
- 11/70 - 4/75, University of Montenegro, Podgorica, YU, Teaching Assistant
- 10/69 - 10/70, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, YU, Research Assistant

Positions Held:

September 2005 – present Director of the NSF I/UCRC for Lasers and Plasmas for Advanced
Manufacturing – SMU’s Site
Sept. 1999 – present Director of the Research Center for Advanced Manufacturing, SMU, Dallas, TX
Aug. 1997 –Aug. 1999 Director of the Laboratory for Manufacturing Processes and Systems, SMU,
Dallas, TX
Nov. 1995 – Dec. 1999 President of "RADO Automation, Inc.", Plano, TX
Jan. 1991 – July 1997 Director of the Welding Research and Development Laboratory, Laboratory for
Advanced Manufacturing Processes, and Laboratory for Applied Machine Vision, the University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Oct. 1982 - Sept.1984 Associate Chairman of the Mechanical Engineering Department,
University of Montenegro, YU.
Oct.1980 - Oct.1982 Director of the Mechanical Engineering Laboratory,
University of Montenegro, YU.
Sept.1979 - Oct.1980 Interim Chairman of the Department of Mechanical Technology, University of
Montenegro, YU.

Professional Activities:

Professional Society Memberships:

- Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Fellow
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Fellow
- American Welding Society, Fellow
- NAMRI (North American Manufacturing Research Institution of SME), senior member
- Machining Technology Association of SME, charter member.

Courses Taught:

Metal Cutting, Machine Tools, Numerical Control, Materials and Processes in Manufacturing, Selected Topics in Manufacturing Processes, Dynamics, Statics, Manufacturing Processes, Computer Control of Machines and Processes, Design for Manufacturing, Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Nontraditional Manufacturing Processes, Manufacturing Systems, Design of Control Systems, Engineering Materials,
System Dynamics, Special Topics in Manufacturing.

Research Interest:

Physics of metal cutting (turning, drilling, milling, broaching) and advanced machining processes(abrasive waterjet cutting, laser machining and welding, electrical arc spraying); machinability; tribology; modelling of heat an mass transfer in heat-based manufacturing processes; on-line monitoring and controlling of manufacturing processes; machine vision in process control; adaptive control of welding processes; development of solid freeform fabrication process based on deposition by welding; solid freeform fabrication process based on 3D laser cladding and electron beam cladding; friction stir welding; hybrid welding, lasers and plasmas in manufacturing; CAD/CAM; applications of robotics in manufacturing; nano-technology in the development of materials resistant to erosion, abrasion, and heat; mitigation of tin whiskers growth by using nanosized materials; functionally graded materials by laser cladding, design and manufacturing of bio-implants by direct metal/ceramics deposition using high-power lasers and electron beam.

Awards and Fellowships:

- Oct. 1969 Award of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Belgrade, YU for the Best B. S. Graduate in 1968/69.
- Nov. 1969 Award of the University of Belgrade for the Best B.S. Graduate in 1968/69,
- 1976 A two month stipend from the Research Foundation of Montenegro for research at
the Central Metallurgical Institute, Bucharest, Rumania.
- 1976-1980 A 24 month scholarship from the "Alexander von Humboldt Foundation”, Bonn, W. Germany, for research at the Technical University, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, W. Germany.
- Dec. 1984 Award "Liberation of Titograd" for Achievements in Research in 1983-1984.
- 1983-1984 An eight month scholarship from the "Carl Duisberg Foundation", Cologne, W. Germany for research at the University of Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe, Germany.
- 1984-1985 A 12 month scholarship from the "Fulbright Foundation", Washington, D.C. for research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.
- 1986 A two month scholarship from the University Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe, Germany.
- June-July/1987 Grant for research activities from the Vice President for Research and
Graduate Studies of Syracuse University.
- Aug. 1988 Grant for research activities from the General Electric Foundation for the
development of the Manufacturing Program at Syracuse University.
- 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1994 "Faculty Development Travel Fellowship", sponsored by the TRW
Foundation.
- 1994 appointed as the Honorary Consultant Professor at the Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin,
China
- 1995 - 1998 Member of the Academic Committee of the National Key Laboratory "Advanced Welding Production Technology", Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China.
- 1995 Listed in Who's Who in Science and Engineering, Marquis Who’s Who
- 1996 Kentucky Colonel, awarded by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
- 1996 Donald Julius Groen Prize for the paper “Machine Vision Recognition of Weld Pool
in Gas Tungsten Arc Welding”, published in Vol. B of the Institution of Mechanical
Engineers Proceedings in 1995.
- 1997 American Welding Society Adams Memorial Membership Award “in recognition of
outstanding teaching activities which are advancing the knowledge of welding technology.”
- 1997 Fellow, Society of Manufacturng Engineers.
- 1998 Outstanding ME Faculty Award 1997 – 1998, Southern Methodist University, SEAS’ Graduate
Student Council
- 1999 The Best Research Paper Award for the paper “Modeling, Sensing, and Control of Droplet
Based Solid Freeform Fabrication Process”, presented at the 1999 ASME’s Energy
Sources Technology Conference and Exposition, February 1-3, 1999, Houston, TX.
- 1999 Outstanding ME Professor Award, 1998 – 1999, Southern Methodist University, School
of Engineering and Applied Science Graduate (SEAS) Student Council
- 2000 2000 Frederick W. Taylor Research Medal presented by the Society of Manufacturing
Engineers “for significant published research leading to a better understanding of materials, facilities, principles and their application to improve manufacturing processes”.
- 2000 Outstanding ME Faculty Award, 1999 – 2000, Southern Methodist University, SEAS’
Graduate Student Council
- 2000 Listed in Who’s Who in the World, Marquis Who’s Who.
- 2001 Listed in Who's Who in America, Marquis Who's Who.
- 2001 The Best Paper Award for the paper “Influence of Geometrical Factor on Heat Conduction
Rate During GTAW for Welding-Based Deposition”, by Kmecko, I. Jandric, Z., and
Kovacevic, R.. Presented by the Manufacturing Engineering Devision, the ASME
International at the 2001 International Mechanical Engineering Congress.
- 2002 Outstanding Graduate Faculty Award in ME, 2001 - 2002, Southern Methodist University,
School of Engineering Graduate Student Council
- 2002 Engineering Executive Board Faculty Excellence Award, SMU’ School of Engineering, “In
recognition of outstanding achievement and professionalism in education, research, and
service to students”
- 2003 Fellow, American Society of Mechanical Engineers
- 2003 Fellow, American Welding Society
- 2004 Outstanding Graduate Faculty Award in ME, 2003 - 2004, Southern Methodist University,
School of Engineering Graduate Student Council
- 2004 2003 PE Publishing Award, presented by the Editorial Board of the Journal of Engineering
Manufacture for the paper “Modeling and Measuring Thermal Behavior of Molten Pool in Closed-loop Controlled Laser-Based Additive Manufacturing” published in Vol. 217, Issue B4, 2003, pp. 441-452.
- 2005 Outstanding Faculty Award, Department of Mechanical Engineering, by the Graduate Student
Council in recognition of the commitment to the academic excellence of the Southern Methodist
University School of Engineering, April 21, 2005.
- 2005 TOP 25 the most citetd papers within the International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture in 2005
- 2005 “Thermal-mechanical Model with Adaptive Boundary Conditions for Friction Stir Welding of Al
6061”, by Soundararajan, V., Zekovic, S., and Kovacevic, R., International Journal of Machine
Tools and Manufature, Vol. 45, issue 14, 1 Nov. 2005, pp. 1577 – 1587.
- 2006 TOP 25 the most cited papers within the Journal of Materials Processing in 2006
“Microstructural Evolution in the Friction Stir Welding 6061 Aluminum Alloy (T6 temper
condition) to Copper”, by Ouyang, J., Yarrapareddy, E., and Kovacevic, R., the Journal of
Materials Processing, vol. 172, 2006, pp. 110 – 122.
- 2007 Outstanding Graduate Professor 2006- 2007, by Gradaute Student Council of the SMU School of
Engineering
- 2008 The paper “Numerical Simulation and Experimental Investigations on the Loads Carried by the
Tool During Friction Stir Welding”, by Atharifar, H., Lin, D. and Kovacevic, R., accepted for the
Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance, appeared on Springer’s website
(SpringerLink) as an “Editor’s Choice” article. “This honor is reflective of the comprehensive
nature of your paper and its overall excellence. Only a few papers will be selected each year for
Editor’s Choice, which means the paper can be viewed 24/7 worldwide via Springer’s site.” (from
the editor’s Office on Dec. 22, 2008)
- 2009 Outstanding Engineering Faculty Award, the first recipient of this award instituted in 2009 at the
level of the Lyle School of Engineering, by the Graduate Student Council of the SMU Lyle School of Engineering, April 27, 2009.

Research Grants and Contracts:

Summary of Funding:

Patents:

1. Kovacevic, R., "Apparatus and Method of High-Pressure Waterjet-Assisted Cooling/Lubrication System in Machining", U.S. Patent No. 5,288,186, issued on February 22, 1994.
2. Kovacevic, R. and Zhang, Y.M., "Apparatus and Method for Measuring 3-D Weld
Pool Shape", U.S. Patent No. 5,481,085, issued on January 22, 1996.
3. Zhang, Y.M, E, Liguo, and Kovacevic, R., “Method of Gas Metal Arc Welding”,
U.S. Patent No. 6,013,896, issued on January 11, 2000.
4. Kovacevic, R., Jandric, Z., Valant, M., and Kmecko, I., “System and Method for Controlling Welding Parameters in Welding-based Deposition Process”, US Patent No. 6,940,037, issued on Sept. 6, 2005.
5. Kovacevic, R., Hu, D., and Valant, M., “System and Method for Controlling the Size of the Molten Pool in Laser-based Additive Manufacturing”, US Patent No. 6,995,334, issued on February 7, 2006.
6. Kovacevic, R. and Valant, M., “System and Method for Fabrication or Repairing Part”, US Patent No. 7,020,539, issued on March 28, 2006.
7. Valant, M. and Kovacevic, R., “Powder Delivery System and Method”, US Patent No.
7,045,738, issued on May 16, 2006.

Summary of Publications: