Design and Process Engineering
· Designing, construction, calculation, technology of manufacturing, technical preparation of manufacturing including assembly and testing,
· Thermal and nuclear power plant devices such as steam and combustion turbines, steam generators, steam power plants and heating plants including nuclear power stations, industrial power engineering and their environmental aspects,
· Water turbines, hydrodynamic and hydrostatic pumps, piping systems, hydroelectric power plants, and pumping stations,
· Machinary and devices for chemical industry, food-stuff industry, and biotechnological treatment lines,
· Construction, modelling and theoretical studies of machines and devices for cutting, forming machines, industrial robots, and manipulators,
· Machine parts and mechanisms, methodology of designing machine elements and working mechanisms of general application with consideration of stochastic qualities of inputs, including the application of special types of machines and devices,
· Cars, vans and lorries, buses, trailers, semi-trailers, and motorcycles,
· Combustion engines for all types of vehicle drives, simulation of combustion engine thermomechanical systems, dynamics of driving gear, engine accessories, ecology,
· Machines and devices for in-plant handling of material and handling between operations, for the mining and transport of building materials, for passenger conveyance in buildings,
· Aerodynamic calculation and designing, flight mechanics, fatigue and durability of aircraft constructions, aeroelasticity of aircraft,
· Quality of machine industry production.

prof. Ing. Václav Píštěk, DrSc.

1. Application of Fin Ray approach for production process automation

   Suggested scientific work is aimed to the field of Fin Ray approach and their application for manufacturing control. The goal is to design robots using Fin Ray approach, develop and verify program code. It is necessary to develop the methodology regarding applications in manufacturing systems. Developing of appropriate SW/HW support is also required.The basic technical principle of the structure with Fin Ray was derived from the natural phenomenon. This functional reversal under lateral force provides the basis of many innovative high-tech solutions that utilize the Fin Ray approach. Each fin ray comprises two fixed struts that are joined at their tips; the struts form an acute triangle. The two pliable flanks are connected by ribs, which hold the flanks apart and allow elastic movement.

   Tutor: Simeonov Simeon, doc. Ing., CSc.

2. Bionics approach in mechatronics and robotics

   Bionics is the application of biological methods and systems found in nature to the study and design of engineering systems and modern technology. Suggested scientific work is aimed to the field of bionical approaches for robotics and mechatronics applications, specially for chain robots and manipulators, and for submersible and flying robots. The goal is an application of bionics approach for such type of robots, their modeling using special tools(Matlab, Simulink, etc.) and making of functional prototypes.

   Tutor: Simeonov Simeon, doc. Ing., CSc.

3. Intelligent MES

   The goal of suggested scientific work is to develop a methodology and algorithms for intelligent MES for controlling in manufacturing enterprises using simulation methods, artificial intelligence, and heuristic algorithms. Developing of appropriate SW support is also required.

   Tutor: Simeonov Simeon, doc. Ing., CSc.

4. Management and maintenance engineering

   The topic will cover the maintenance organization in company, the methods of planning including scheduling, financing, key performance indicators, value controlled maintenance, management and maintenance benchmarking controlling. Special attention shall be paid to modelling and optimizing the preventive maintenance and to the failure-free maintenance. The existing approaches, procedures and methods will be assessed and compared, and the complete new methods will be submitted which will be verified in the specific cases in the mechanical engineering practice. The PhD thesis will be based consistently on the requirements raised to INDUSTRY 4.0 (the fourth industrial revolution).

   Tutor: Hammer Miloš, doc. Ing., CSc.

5. MOLECUBES technology in robotics

   Suggested scientific work is aimed to the field of MOLECUBES technology in robotics and their application for manufacturing control. The goal is to design robots using MOLECUBES approach, develop and verify program code. It is necessary to develop the methodology regarding applications in manufacturing systems. Developing of appropriate SW/HW support is also required.Modularization is a basic principle of living nature: organisms consist of molecules and cells that use genetic programming in order to group together to form organs. Cell division and modularization are the two mutually opposed aspects of reproduction in living systems. Researchers around the world are trying to make a modular robot that can change its shape according to the needs at that time such as Molecubes.

   Tutor: Simeonov Simeon, doc. Ing., CSc.

6. Multi-parameter machine diagnostics

   The thesis contributes to the topic of utilization of the multi-parameter diagnostics for assessment of condition and state of the chosen machines from industrial practice. The attention will be concentrated mainly on vibrodiagnostics, thermodiagnostics, noise diagnostics and electrodiagnostics, on application of the methods above for individual machines or their parts and on possibilities of assessment of the obtained results. The PhD thesis will be based consistently on the requirements raised to INDUSTRY 4.0 (the fourth industrial revolution).

   Tutor: Hammer Miloš, doc. Ing., CSc.

7. Surface texture parameters and their use for product quality assessment

   Analysis of possibilities of use modern methods of surface texture parameters evaluation in quality control of technical products. In addition to the established procedures, attention will also be focused on applying areal surface texture parameters for thorough assessment of product and process quality. The PhD thesis will be closely based on INDUSTRY 4.0 (the fourth industrial revolution) requirements.

   Tutor: Jankových Róbert, doc. Ing., CSc.

8. Utilization of virtual reality technology in work environment ergonomic audit.

   Creating a methodology for application of three-dimensional virtual reality (3D-VR) in select areas of ergonomic audit (EA) of work environ-ment in production and non-production settings. The purpose of ergonomic audit is to identify deficiencies of workplaces or work environment not only in terms of legal requirements. It means creating a suitable visualization of working environment in 3D-VR. The main goal is to design and recommend optimum ergonomic arrangement of a workplace based on 3D-VR analysis, and to adapt it to performance potential of employees as well as possible. Within the ergonomic audit, the workplace is assessed as a whole and on the level of individual work stations and tools, and risk analysis is introduced into the quality assurance process. Contens: a) analysis of virtual reality technology readiness for support of a real application in the area of ergonomic auditing in relation to the safety of surrounding environment or a machine during operation by user; b) preparation of a three-dimensional virtual model of selected workspace; c) pilot 3D-VR risk analysis EA of a selected workspace depending on the type of activity (production/non-production setting). d) analysis of impact of work environment on the risks related to human factors; e) creating a methodology for application of virtual reality in select areas of work environment EA. f) methodology verification on concrete exapmles

   Tutor: Knoflíček Radek, doc. Ing., Dr.