Ralph E. and Eloise F. Cross Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Professor of Engineering Systems

Dr. Hardt holds a Ph.D. from MIT. His disciplinary focus is system dynamics and control, as applied to manufacturing at both the process and system level.

Dr. Hardt’s teaching focuses on control, system dynamics, and manufacturing processes. His research has been on flexible automation, and process control, with an emphasis on welding and forming processes. In welding, he pioneered the use of multivariable control techniques for modeling and control of GMAW, and demonstrated the use of adaptive control in these systems. In the forming processes, he has concentrated on the use of in-process measurements and real-time modeling to reduce sensitivity to machine and material variations, and has developed a flexible tooling and closed loop shape control concept for 3D sheet parts. The latter is now in the process of being implemented in the aerospace industry. His current research includes an effort to use multivariable optimal control methods to better manage collaborative supply chains.

Dr. Hardt’s most recent work involves developing a comprehensive process control approach combining feedback and statistical control methods.

Dr. Hardt has served as Director of the MIT Laboratory for Manufacturing and as Engineering Co-Director for the MIT Leaders for Manufacturing Program. He is currently leader of the "Innovation in Manufacturing Systems and Technology Programme," part of an experiment in distance teaching and research collaboration between MIT and Singapore. He also serves on the Board of Simpler, Inc., a lean manufacturing improvement corporation and as technical advisor to Dimensional Photonics, Inc.