Mihaela Vlasea

Mihaela Vlasea
Associate Professor
Location: EC4 1011
Phone: 519-888-4567 x48329

Biography

Additive manufacturing is rapidly changing the manufacturing landscape. Dr. Vlasea’s research focuses on innovative design, process optimization and adoption of new materials for powder bed fusion and binder jetting additive manufacturing processes. The research goals are to bridge the technological gaps necessary to improve part quality, process repeatability and reliability.

Research Interests

  • Additive manufacturing
  • Advanced manufacturing
  • Powder bed fusion
  • Binder jetting
  • Process modeling
  • Digital design optimization
  • Process optimization
  • Process modeling
  • Data analytics
  • Monitoring and controls strategies

Scholarly Research

Dr. Vlasea’s research focuses on innovative design process optimization and adoption of new materials for powder bed fusion and binder jetting additive manufacturing. Her research goals are to bridge the digital and technological gaps necessary to improve part quality process repeatability and reliability. She is currently the Associate Research Co-Director of the Multi-Scale Additive Manufacturing (MSAM) Lab at the University of Waterloo. Dr. Vlasea is also involved with the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) on the Additive Manufacturing Technical Advisory Group and the SME Digital Design and Manufacturing Advisory Committee. Dr. Vlasea has also a member of the ASTM F42 standards committee on AM technologies Standards Council Canada ISO/TC 261 - additive manufacturing committee.

Industrial Research

Dr. Vlasea collaborates closely with industry partners across the additive manufacturing supply chain to provide holistic solutions to current economic and environmental sustainability challenges in additive manufacturing technology adoption. Industry collaborations with powder producers such as RioTinto, Metal Powder Works, AP&C Powder Metallurgy enable solutions ranging from low-cost material systems, environmentally-friendly powder synthesis approaches, to powder solutions for high productivity and high quality part production. Collaborations with applications-focused industry such as Dana Canada Inc., MIBA Sinter Austria, Borrum Energy Solutions, The Barnes Global Advisors, etc. drive advancements in design innovation and process optimization to create disruptive products and novel applications. Additionally, collaborations with industry partners that support characterization, sensors, and instrumentation for additive manufacturing such as Xiris Automation, Fijifilm VSI, continues to empower robust quality assurance and process intelligence pathways.

Education

  • 2014, Doctorate Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Canada
  • 2011, Diploma Space Studies Program, International Space University, France
  • 2008, Bachelor of Applied Science Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Canada

Awards

  • 2022/05 AMNOW Metals Challenge – Phase 1 and Phase 2 | Technical challenge for deployment of artificial intelligence and data analytics to metal additive manufacturing industrial datasets.
  • 2022/04 President’s Excellence in Teaching and Research Award
  • 2022/04 Engineering Society's Igor Ivkovic Teaching Excellence Award
  • 2022/02 University of Waterloo 2021 Department Teaching Recognition
  • 2021/06 Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) 20 Most Influential Academics
  • 2021/05 Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Digital Manufacturing Challenge – 1st Prize
  • 2021/02 University of Waterloo 2020 Department Teaching Recognition
  • 2020/10 Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer (OYME) Award
  • 2020/09 University of Waterloo 2020 Faculty of Engineering Distinguished Performance Award

Service

  • 2022/01 – present Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics (WISA) Associate Director
  • 2022/01 – present Engineering Graduate Studies Committee (EGSC) MME Faculty Representative
  • 2016/01 – present Faculty of Engineering, Women in Engineering, Faculty Rep
  • 2017/01 – present TronCon Mechatronics Engineering Alumni Symposium Event Advisor
  • 2017/01 – present NSERC HIAM Conference Event Advisor

Professional Associations

  • 2021/01 – present Rapid Prototyping Journal – Regional Editor
  • 2016/05 – present SME Additive Manufacturing Community Advisor
  • 2016/01 – present SME Digital Design and Manufacturing Advisor
  • 2020/04 – 2021/05 Society of SME Additive Manufacturing Community Advisor – Chair

Teaching*

  • ME 739 - Manufacturing Processes Topics
    • Taught in 2024

* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.

Selected/Recent Publications

  • Marotta T, Mihaela Vlasea, Stewart McLachlin. (2024) Applications of Auxetic Structures in Orthopaedics: A Scoping Review. Bioprinting 44 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bprint.2024.e00375
  • Taherkhani K, Patel S, Honarvar F, Alimehr P, Langridge E, Amini MH, Vlasea M. (2024). Detection of traceability features embedded into metal additive manufacturing components by phased array ultrasonic testing. ASME Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4067328
  • Yang M, Keshavarz M, Patel S, Wang W, Zou Y, Vlasea M. (2024) Microstructural Evolution in Laser Powder Bed Fusion of Water-Atomized High-Carbon Low-Alloy Steel: Analysis of Melting Mode Effects. Journal of Manufacturing Processes. 127 (160-173). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmapro.2024.07.094
  • Rezaei A, Karimi P, Xu J, Habibnejad-Korayem M, Mohammad-Nejad A, Keshavarz MK, Moverare J, Vlasea M, Sadeghi E. Influence of powder particle size distribution on the creep performance of Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb alloy fabricated via electron beam-powder bed fusion. Materials Today Communications. 40 (109794). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtcomm.2024. 109794
  • Yang M, Yan J, Peng P, Enrique PD, Keshavarz MK, Vlasea M. (2024) Surface Functionalization of Binder Jetted Steels through Super-solidus Liquid Phase Sintering and Electro-spark Deposition. Surface & Coatings Technology. 487 (130994) https://10.1016/j.surfcoat.2024.130994
  • Tianyi Lyu*; Mohsen K Keshavarz; Sagar Patel; Michel J.R Haché; Changjun Cheng; Xiao Shang; Mihaela Vlasea (2024) Melting mode driven tuning of local microstructure and hardness in laser powder bed fusion of 18Ni-300 maraging steel. Materialia. 35 (102-113) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtla.2024.102113
  • McGregor M, Patel S, Zhang K, Yu Adam, Vlasea M, McLachlin S. (2024) A Manufacturability Evaluation of Complex Architectures by Laser Powder Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing. ASME Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering. 146 (061007-1) https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4065315
  • Yang M, Keshavarz MK, Mihaela Vlasea, Amin Molavi-Kakhki. (2024) Towards full-dense high geometric fidelity parts via binder jetting and controlled sintering. Journal of Manufacturing Processes. 115 (2024) 180–191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmapro.2024.02.028
  • Zhang J*, Patel S**, Liu Z*, Lyu T*, Wang Y*, Hua Y*, Wang W*, Hattrick-Simpers J, Vlasea M, Zou Y. (2024) A data-driven framework to improve the wear resistance of a low-alloy steel fabricated using laser powder bed fusion. Journal of Manufacturing Processes. 115 (2024) 56–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmapro.2024.01.083
  • Osezua Ibhadode, Issa Zachary Rishmawi, Mark Kirby, Mihaela Vlasea, Sooky Winkler. (2023) Topological Fidelity of Additively Manufactured AlSi10Mg Gyroid Structures. Journal of Manufacturing Processes. 108 (2023) 671–684. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmapro.2023.11.033
  • Karimi P, Keshavarz M, Sadeghi E, Habibnejad M, Vlasea M. (2023) Interplay of process, microstructure, and mechanical performance in electron beam-powder bed fusion of Ti48Al2Nb2Cr. Journal of Additive Manufacturing. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2023.103811
  • Zhang K, Hickey JP, Vlasea M. (2023) An analysis framework of additively manufactured deterministic porous structures for transpiration cooling. Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-023-08481-5
  • Yang M, Keshavarz M, Vlasea M, Molavi-Kakhki A, Laher Martin. (2023) Supersolidus liquid phase sintering of water-atomized low-alloy steel in binder jetting additive manufacturing. Helyon Journal. 9 (3):e13882. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13882
  • Patel S, Chen H, Vlasea M, Zhou Y. (2022) The influence of laser beam focus in laser powder bed fusion – a study on high reflectivity alloys. Journal of Additive Manufacturing. 59 :103112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2022.103112.
  • Chen H, Patel S, Vlasea M, Zhou Y. (2022) Enhanced tensile ductility of an additively manufactured AlSi10Mg alloy by reducing the density of melt pool boundaries. Scripta Materialia. 221:114954. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scriptamat.2022.114954.
  • Rishmawi I, Rogalsky A, Vlasea M, Salarian M, Bakhshivash S. (2022) The effects of heat treatment on tensile and thermal expansion behaviour of LPBF Invar36. Journal of Materials Engineering & Performance. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-022-07013-x.
  • Rishmawi I, Rogalsky A, Vlasea M, Molavi-Kakhi A. (2021) Comparison of the master sinter curves of water- and gas-atomized AISI 4340 low-alloy steel in binder jetting additive manufacturing. Journal of Additive Manufacturing. 48 (A): 102381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2021.102381
  • van Houtum GJJ,Vlasea M. (2021) Active learning via adaptive weighted uncertainty sampling applied to additive manufacturing. Journal of Additive Manufacturing. 48 (B):102411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2021.102411
  • Shanbhag G, Wheat E, Moylan S, Vlasea M. (2021) Effect of specimen geometry and orientation on tensile properties of Ti-6Al-4V manufactured by electron beam powder bed fusion. Journal of Additive Manufacturing. 48 (A): 102366. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2021.102366.
  • Shanbhag G, Wheat E, Moylan S, Vlasea M. (2021) Data related to the effect of specimen geometry and orientation on tensile properties of Ti-6Al-4V manufactured by electron beam powder bed fusion. Data in Brief. 39:107613. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2021.107613.
  • McGregor M, Patel S, McLachlin S, Vlasea M. (2021) Architectural bone parameters and the relationship to titanium lattice design for powder bed fusion additive manufacturing. Journal of Additive Manufacturing. 47: 1022273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2021.102273.
  • McGregor M, Patel S, McLachlin S, Vlasea M. (2021) Data related to architectural bone parameters and the relationship to titanium lattice design for powder bed fusion additive manufacturing. Data in Brief. 39:107633. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2021.107633.
  • Shanbhag G, Vlasea M. (2021) “Powder Reuse Cycles in Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion - Variation of Powder Characteristics”. Journal of Materials, Special Issue Materials Research Considerations for Metal Powder and Wire-Based Additive Manufacturing Processing. 14 (16): 4602. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14164602.
  • Ertay DS, Naiel AM, Vlasea M, Fieguth P. (2021) Process performance evaluation and classification via in-situ melt pool monitoring in directed energy deposition. CIRP Journal of Manufacturing Science and Technology. 35: 298-314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cirpj.2021.06.015.
  • Honarvar F, Patel S, Vlasea M, Amini H, Varvani-Farahani A (2021). Non-destructive characterization of laser powder bed fusion components using high-frequency phased array ultrasonic testing. Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance. 30: 6766-6776. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-021-05988-7.
  • Msiempba K, Wang M, Vlasea M. (2021) Geometrical Degrees of Freedom for Cellular Structures Generation: A New Classification Paradigm. Journal of Applied Sciences. Special Issue Design for Additive Manufacturing: Methods and Tools. 11: 3945. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11093845.
  • Ertay DS, Kamyab S, Vlasea M, Azimifar Z, Ma T, Rogalsky AD, Fieguth P. (2021) Towards Sub-Surface Pore Prediction Capabilities for Laser Powder Bed Fusion Using Data Science. ASME Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering. 143:071016. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4050461
  • Fayazfar H, Rishmawi I, Vlasea M, Salarian M, Bakhshivash S. (2021) Custom Electropolishing of Additively Manufactured Ti-6Al-4V Complex Structures. Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance. 30: 2245-2255. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-021-05512-x
  • Brock L, Ogunsanya I, Asgari H, Patel S, Vlasea M. (2020) Performance and Properties of Additively Manufactured and Cast Aluminium Alloys for Fluid Power Applications. Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance. 30:760-782. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-020-05403-7.
  • Patel S, Rogalsky A, Vlasea M. (2020) Towards Understanding Side-Skin Surface Characteristics in Laser Powder Bed Fusion. Journal of Materials Research. 35:2055-2064. https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2020.125.
  • Naiel M, Ertay DS, Vlasea M, Fieguth P. (2020) Adaptive Vision-based Detection of Laser-Material Interaction for Directed Energy Deposition. Journal of Additive Manufacturing. 36: 101468. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2020.101468.
  • Shanbhag G, Vlasea M. (2020) The effect of reuse cycles on Ti-6Al-4V powder properties processed by electron beam melting. J of Manufacturing Letters. 25:60-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mfglet.2020.07.007.
  • Wheat E, Shanbhag G, Vlasea M. (2020) The Master Sinter Curve and its Application to Binder Jetting Additive Manufacturing. ASME Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering. 142 (10): 101002. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4047140.
  • Ertay DS, Vlasea M, Erkorkmaz K. (2020). Thermomechanical and geometry model for directed energy deposition with 2D/3D toolpaths. Journal of Additive Manufacturing. 35:101294. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2020.101294.
  • Salarian M, Hamed A, Vlasea M. (2019). Pore space characteristics and corresponding effect on tensile properties of Inconel 625 fabricated via laser powder bed fusion. Materials Science & Engineering A. 769:138-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2019.138525.
  • Patel S, Vlasea M. (2019). Melting modes in laser powder bed fusion. Materialia. 9:100591. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtla.2020.100591.
  • Rishmawi I, Salarian M, Vlasea M. (2018). Tailoring Green and Sintered Density of Pure Iron Parts using Binder Jetting Additive Manufacturing. Journal of Additive Manufacturing. 24: 508-520. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2018.10.015.
  • Asgari H, Salarian M, Ma H, Olubamiji A, Vlasea M. (2018). On thermal expansion behavior of Invar alloy fabricated by modulated laser powder bed fusion. Journal of Materials & Design. 160: 895-905. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2018.10.025.
  • Ali U, Mahmoodkahni Y, Shahabad I, Esmaeilizadeh R, Liravi F, Shedaeian E**, Huang KY, Marzbanrad E, Vlasea M, Toyserkani E. (2018) On the measurement of relative powder-bed compaction density in powder-bed additive manufacturing processes. Journal of Materials & Design. 155:495-501. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2018.06.030.
  • Rogalsky A, Rishmawi I, Brock L, Vlasea M. (2018) Low cost irregular feed stock for laser powder bed fusion. Journal of Manufacturing Processes. 35: 446-456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmapro.2018.08.032
  • Wheat EG, Vlasea M, Hinebaugh J, Metcalfe C. (2018) Data related to the sinter structure analysis of titanium structures fabricated via binder jetting additive manufacturing. Data in Brief. 20:1029-1038. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2018.08.135
  • Wheat EG*, Vlasea M, Hinebaugh J, Metcalfe C. (2018) Sinter structure analysis of titanium structures fabricated via binder jetting additive manufacturing. Journal of Materials & Design. 156: 167-183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2018.06.038
  • Liravi F, Vlasea M. (2018). Data Related to the Experimental Design for Powder Bed Binder Jetting Additive Manufacturing of Silicone. Data in Brief. 18:1477-1483. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2018.04.068
  • Liravi F, Vlasea M. (2018). Powder bed binder jetting additive manufacturing of silicone structures. Journal of Additive Manufacturing. 21:112-124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2018.02.017
  • Sheydaeian E, Fishman Z, Vlasea M, Toyserkani E. (2017). On the effect of throughout layer thickness variation on properties of additively manufactured cellular titanium structures. Journal of Additive Manufacturing. 18:40-47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2017.08.017
  • Sheydaeian E, Vlasea M, Woo A, Pilliar R, Hu E, Toyserkani E. (2016). Effect of glycerol concentrations on the mechanical properties of additive manufactured porous calcium polyphosphate structures for bone substitute applications. Journal of Biomedical Materials Res Part B: Applied Biomaterials. 105(4):828-835. https://doi.org/10.1002/jbm.b.33616
  • Vlasea M, Pilliar R, Toyserkani E. (2015) Control of structural and mechanical properties in bioceramic bone substitutes via additive manufacturing layer stacking orientation. Journal of Additive Manufacturing. 6:30-38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2015.03.001
  • Vlasea M, Pilliar R, Toyserkani E. (2014) Effect of greyscale binder levels in additive manufacturing of porous scaffolds with functionally-graded mechanical properties. Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology. 12(1): 62-70. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijac.12316
  • Vlasea M, Shanjani Y, Bothe A, Kandel R, Toyserkani E. (2013) A combined additive manufacturing and micro-syringe deposition technique for realization of bio-ceramic structures with micro-scale channels. International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology. 68(9-12): 2261-2269. DOI: 10.1007/s00170-013-4839-7
  • Vlasea M, Toyserkani E. (2013) Experimental characterization and numerical modeling of a micro-syringe deposition system for dispensing sacrificial photopolymers on particulate ceramic substrates. Journal of Materials Processing Technology. 213(11):1970-1977. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2013.05.011
  • Vlasea M, Shanjani Y, Basalah A, Toyserkani E. (2011) Additive manufacturing of scaffolds for tissue engineering of bone and cartilage. International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Systems. 13(1): 124-141.

Patents

  • van Houtum GJJ, Vlasea M. (2021). Method and system for active learning. US Provisional Patent filing TBD-21-0009 (K8002539USP).
  • Toyserkani E, Vlasea M, Shanjani Y. (2014). Systems and methods for AM of heterogeneous porous structures and structures made therefrom. Canada. WO 2014110679 A1. 2014-01-17.

In The News

Graduate studies