Frank Pfefferkorn

Frank Pfefferkorn is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Director of the Manufacturing Systems Engineering Program. He holds a Visiting Professorship at TU Wien (Austria) funded by the Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation. His expertise focuses on discrete metal part manufacturing processes, heat transfer in manufacturing, and advanced solid-state manufacturing techniques such as friction stir welding and laser remelting. He has pioneered research in smart manufacturing sensors, additive-subtractive manufacturing, and recycling of metal cutting chips via friction surfacing.

Education: PhD (2002) and M.S. (1997) from Purdue University, BS (1994) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Research interests span:

• Friction stir welding/processing
• Laser remelting for surface polishing/hardening
• Additive-subtractive manufacturing
• Sensor-integrated cutting tools
• Energy-efficient manufacturing
• Material flow visualization via X-ray imaging

Notable achievements include ASME Fellow (2023), CIRP Fellow (2021), and over 15 prestigious awards including the ASME Manufacturing Science & Engineering Conference Best Paper Awards (2016, 2022). His work bridges academic research with industrial applications, particularly in advancing AM technologies and sustainability.

Collaborations include strong ties with TU Wien through his visiting professorship and involvement with the Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office (AMNPO) during his 2015-16 Swanson Fellowship at NIST.

Current activities include teaching courses like M E 529 (Smart Manufacturing Processes) and supervising PhD/MS research in additive manufacturing, friction stir processes, and laser-based surface engineering.