Thomas Dow
Duncan Distinguished University Prof in ME & Director, PEC
- Phone: 919-515-3976
- Email: dow@ncsu.edu
- Office: Research Building I 104
Precision Engineering Consortium
Dr. Dow is interested in precision machining systems, real-time control, and metrology.
At the graduate level, Dr. Dow teaches Metrology for Precision Manufacturing (MAE 545). The emphasis for this class is on procedures and techniques for measuring planes, distance and angles. Students learn about the instruments and techniques for accurate and repeatable measurement and the theoretical and practical foundations for designing such systems. Video laboratory sessions show the students how to setup and perform the measurements and the students calculate the appropriate results based on the data provided.
At the undergraduate level, Dr. Dow teaches Analysis for Mechanical Engineering Design (MAE 415) and Mechanical Engineering Design (MAE 416). He brings to both of these classes a wealth of experiences in mechanical design, analysis and fabrication. In recent years the students in his classes designed a top fuel dragster clutch and analyzed the drive system for a cable cams used at football games.
When not in the lab, Dr. Dow spends time with his wife and family (2 children and 7 grandchildren) and also enjoys hiking, running, biking, and kit car building.
Publications
- Direct analysis of textile dyes from trace fibers by automated microfluidics extraction system coupled with Q-TOF mass spectrometer for forensic applications
- Sultana, N., Gunning, S., Furst, S. J., Garrard, K. P., Dow, T. A., & Vinueza, N. R. (2018), Forensic Science International, 289, 67–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.FORSCIINT.2018.05.020
- Surface Finish and Diamond Tool Wear when machining PMMA and PC Optics
- Bodlapati, C., Dow, T., Wong, A., & Garrard, K. (2018), OPTICAL MANUFACTURING AND TESTING XII, Vol. 10742. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2319683
- Design and validation of the mounting structure for BETTII balloon-based telescope with thin-walled optics
- Furst, S., Dow, T., Garrard, K., Sohn, A., Fixsen, D., Rinehart, S., … Dhabal, A. (2016), JOURNAL OF ASTRONOMICAL TELESCOPES INSTRUMENTS AND SYSTEMS, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.jatis.2.2.024001
- Design of elliptically-vibrating ultrasonic actuator for nanocoining
- Dow, T. A., Nowak, J., & Kessing, J. R. (2016), PRECISION ENGINEERING-JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETIES FOR PRECISION ENGINEERING AND NANOTECHNOLOGY, 45, 301–310. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.precisioneng.2016.03.007
- Optics of Balloon Experimental Twin Telescope for Infrared Interferometry (BETTII): delay lines and alignment
- Dhabal, A., Rinehart, S. A., Rizzo, M. J., Mundy, L., Fixsen, D., Sampler, H., … Tucker, C. (2016), OPTICAL AND INFRARED INTERFEROMETRY AND IMAGING V, Vol. 9907. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2230218
- Nanostructure fabrication on germanium and silicon by nanocoining imprint technique
- Zdanowicz, E., Dow, T. A., Scattergood, R. O., & Youssef, K. (2013), PRECISION ENGINEERING-JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETIES FOR PRECISION ENGINEERING AND NANOTECHNOLOGY, 37(4), 871–879. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.precisioneng.2013.05.004
- Thermo-chemical wear model and worn tool shapes for single-crystal diamond tools cutting steel
- Lane, B. M., Dow, T. A., & Scattergood, R. (2013), WEAR, 300(1-2), 216–224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wear.2013.02.012
- Rapid fabrication of nanostructured surfaces using nanocoining
- Zdanowicz, E., Dow, T. A., & Scattergood, R. O. (2012), NANOTECHNOLOGY, 23(41). https://doi.org/10.1088/0957-4484/23/41/415303
- Design, modeling, fabrication, and evaluation of the air amplifier for improved detection of biomolecules by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry
- Robichaud, G., Dixon, R. B., Potturi, A. S., Cassidy, D., Edwards, J. R., Sohn, A., … Muddiman, D. C. (2011), INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MASS SPECTROMETRY, 300(2-3), 99–107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijms.2010.04.006
- Automated Part Centering With Impulse Actuation
- Furst, S. J., Dow, T. A., Garrard, K., & Sohn, A. (2010), JOURNAL OF MANUFACTURING SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING-TRANSACTIONS OF THE ASME, 132(1). https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4000681
Grants
- Membership in PE Consortium, Associate Member
- Membership in PE Consortium, Full Member
- Develop Machining Processes to Produce Optimal Surface Finish and Minimal Tool Wear, PEC Core Project 4
- Diamond Tool Wear and Surface Finish when Machining Plastic Optics, PE CONSORTIUM Enhancement Project
- Multi-Lens Array, PE Consortium Enhancement Project
- Precision Fabrication , PE Consortium Core Project 1
- Precision Actuation and Control, PE Consortium Core Project 3
- Precision Metrology, PE Consortium Core Project 2
- PEC Membership, Patron Member
- Development of DAQ System for Grit Testing Machine
![Thomas Dow](https://mae.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Dow-Thomas.jpg)