Plasma-aided manufacturing, the use of electrically charged particles in the manufacturing process, is used for producing new materials with unusual and superior properties, for developing new chemical compounds and processes, for machining, and for altering and refining materials and surfaces. It has direct applications to semiconductor fabrication, materials synthesis, welding, lighting, polymers, anticorrosion coatings, machine tools, metallurgy, electrical and electronics devices, hazardous-waste removal, high-performance ceramics, and many other items in both high-technology and the more ''traditional'' industries. This paper describes the activities of the National Science Foundation's Engineering Research Center for Plasma-Aided Manufacturing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and at the University of Minnesota. Participation includes a consortium of more than 30 industrial corporations.
