Background

Exceptionally strong industrial background in the UK machine tool industry whilst employed by the Wadkin Group plc, UK during the period 1968-1986. Attained the board level position of Technical Director in 1983. Gained BSc Honours in Mechanical Engineering at Salford University in 1975. Undertook company based research at Wadkin during 1978-1986 on machine tool vibration and awarded PhD (CNAA) in collaboration with Leicester Polytechnic in 1986. MSc in Flexible Manufacturing Systems and Robotiocs attained in 1987 at Loughborough University. Joined the Loughborough University Mechanical Engineering department in 1987 as a Lecturer. Promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2000 and Chair in Machine Systems 2007.

School Research Group

Manufacturing
Mechactronics

Research Interests and Activities

Mechatronics, Laser Sensing, Laser Processing, Real-time Machine Vision, FMCW Radar, Embedded Microprocessor Control of Machinery/Products, Intelligent Devices, Product Design, Machine Tool Vibration & Surface Analysis, Textile Engineering, Advanced Automotive Systems, Colour Imaging and Printing Process Control, Intelligent Laser Welding of Aseptic Food Packaging, Novel Woodworking Machinery Research/Design, Mechatronics & Sustainability, Autonomous Vehicles, Modelling Systems for Mechatronic Product Design and Realisation, Intelligent Embedded Information Devices (IEID).

External Activities

• Journal editorial board membership: IMechE Part E: Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering
• Learned society engagement: Organising committee member of the IMechE MICG Mechatronics Forum
• Professional affiliations: FIMechE
• International conferences: co-chair ICOM 2003; conference international programme committee member for: Mechatronics ‘98, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008; ICMT 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007; IEEE/ASME AIM 2007;
session chair for: Mechatronics ‘98, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008; ICMT 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007; keynote papers: ‘Mechatronics and Intelligent Machines’, The 2nd International Symposium of Precision Mechanical Measurement, ISPMM2004, Chinese Society of Mechanical Engineers, Beijing, PRC, August 2004; ‘Machine Vision and Intelligent Machines’, The 8th International Conference on Mechatronics Technology, ICMT2004, Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology, Institute of Mechanics, Hanoi, Vietnam, November 2004; ‘Reference Model for the Use of Embedded Information Devices to Enable Sustainability in the Product Life Cycle’, The 9th International Conference on Mechatronics Technology ICMT2005, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, December 2005; ‘Mechatronic Process Machinery’, ICMT2006, University of Monterrey, Mexico City, Mexico, November 2006.
• Invited papers in influential journals: ‘Laser Cutting of Lace’, Ingenia, Royal Academy of Engineering, April 2000
• Invited lectures: Seventeen research lectures on Mechatronics have been presented across the world at Universities in Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Poland, Russia, Malaysia, Mexico. Five lectures were at the European Union Intensive Programme on “Open Systems, Mechatronics and Laser Materials Processing”, University of Applied Science, Emden, Germany, 2000, 2002; an exclusive lecture was given to the Chairs at Moscow State University (MADI), Russia, 2004; short course “Mechatronics Design Methodologies”, to Faculty Academic Staff at ITESM (Monterrey University), Mexico, 4th July 2005, 1000 pp. on CD ROM, 40 hour lecture programme. Course delivered jointly with R. M. Parkin; Short course for 21-42 company engineers directly funded by Thales Group, ’Satisfying the Customer’, run annually with R. M. Parkin and A. Sutton since 2006.
• Advisory Roles: EPSRC College member; Invited expert for round table discussion on Mechatronics Research and Education at IEEE Industrial Technologies Conference, Slovenia 2003; invited research management and supervision seminar for staff and researchers at University Technology Mara, Malaysia; invited member on the International Advisory Panel for the IEM Journal, The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia; EU Project member EUMECHA-PRO 2005-2007, providing input to Manufuture, Leadership action for FP7.
• Journal referee: IMechE Part B: Journal of Engineering Manufacture; IEM Journal - the Institution of Engineers, Malaysia; Journal of Control Engineering Practise, Elsevier; Measurement Science and Technology, Institute of Physics; Optics and Laser Technology, Institute of Physics; International Journal of Computer Integrated Manufacturing, IFAC, Elsevier; Mechatronics, Pergammon; Real Time Imaging, Elsevier.
• Collaborative Research: recent examples are: CWV Group and Shelton Vision Systems on EPSRC funded Web Based High Speed Printing Research (2003-2005); IRISYS on EPSRC funded Infra-red Imaging Research (2000-2003); Royal Mail University Technology Centre directly funded research on Condition Monitoring of Mail Sorting Machinery (2000-2004); Northern Foods, Lumonics, Packaging Automation, RPC Containers, FFP Packaging on DEFRA funded research on Laser Sealing of Aseptic Food Packaging (2001-2004); FP6 Project member EUMECHA-PRO 2005-2007.
• Commercialisation of research: Research collaborator high-tech SME Shelton Vision Systems are the PrintSpector product developer - technology resulting from the INTELLIWEB and RAPIWEB research projects funded by EPSRC.
company directorships: Research & Marketing Director for Iensys Ltd, Loughborough University Spin Out company. Patents: Progressive Operations on materials, 1993 PCT Pub. No. WO94/03301.
• Invited keynote speaker for the 12th Walloon Lecture, University of Liege, Belgium, December 13th 2007
• Invited international member of the PhD Commission for Manufacturing and Production Systems at the Politecnico di Milano, Italy 2008
• Invited international member of the Flanders Mechatronics Technology Centre Scientific Advisory Board, Belgium 2008

Awards

Best paper prize by MCB University Press for ‘Lace cutting for the next millennium', Anbar Citation of Excellence, 1998.

Charles E. Ives award from the Society for Imaging Science and Technology USA for Best Engineering Paper in the Journal of Electronic Imaging for ‘Digital image processing and illumination techniques for yarn characterization’, 2006.

PE Publishing Award for the best paper published in 2007 in the Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part E, Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering for 'On planing machine engineering characteristics and machined timber surface quality' (Vol. 221, No. E1, pp 17–32).

Selected Publications

• Jackson, M.R., Preston, M.E. and Tao, L.G., ''Real-time cutting path determination using machine vision-based incremental pattern tracking'', Real-time Imaging, 2, 1996, pp 249-264, ISSN 1077-2014.
• Hynek, P., Jackson, M.R., Brown, N. and Parkin, R., ''Improving Wood Surface Form by Modification of the Rotary Machining Process'', Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part B: Journal of Engineering Manufacture, 218(B8), 2004, pp 875-887, ISSN 0954-4054.
• Tascioglu, Y. and Jackson, M. R., Mechatronic Design of a Novel Wood Moulder, Proceedings IMechE Part B: J. Engineering Manufacture, 220(6), 2006, pp 1-11, DOI: 10.1243/09544054JEM278.
• Yang, D., Jackson, M. R. and Parkin, R. M., Inspection of wood surface waviness defects using the light sectioning method, Proceedings IMechE Part I: J. Systems & Control Engineering, 220(7), 2006, pp 1-10, DOI: 10.1243/09596518JSCE175.
• Bamforth, P. E., Jackson, M. R., and Williams, K., Pulsed Laser Scalloping of Decorative Lace, Proceedings IMechE Part B: J. Engineering Manufacture, 220(11), 2006, pp. 1875-1887. DOI: 10.1243/09544054JEM661.
• Jackson, M. R., Hynek, P. and Parkin, R. M., On Planing Machine Engineering Characteristics and Machined Timber Surface Quality, Proc. IMechE Vol. 220 Part E: J. Process Mechanical Engineering, Vol. 221, E1, 2007, pp 17-32, DOI: 10.1243/0954408JPME100.

Publications

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Teaching Responsibilities

Responsible Examiner for Mechatronics Part D Module MEng Mechanical Engineering.

University Administration

Head of Mechatronics Research and Teaching Groups
Mechatronics Research Centre Manager

Links

Loughborough University Mechatronics Research Group: www.mechatronics.org.uk