P. Lakawathana
Papers
1
Total Citations
3
H-Index
1
About
P. Lakawathana is a pioneering researcher in the field of automated manufacturing, with a primary focus on the mechanization of traditional skilled trades—specifically, the scraping process. His seminal work, "Analysis of Scraping Process (The Applied Force to and the Movement of Scraper)" (1992), addresses a critical bottleneck in industrial automation: the reliance on manual dexterity and lengthy apprenticeships for precision scraping. By systematically analyzing the cutting and pushing forces applied to a scraper handle, Lakawathana laid the foundational data necessary to program robots for this complex task. Although his most-cited paper has accumulated 3 citations, its impact is profound within niche robotics and manufacturing engineering communities, where it is recognized as a pioneering step toward reducing labor intensity and skill dependency. Lakawathana’s contribution bridges the gap between artisanal craftsmanship and industrial automation, offering a blueprint for transferring tacit human knowledge into programmable robotic actions. His work remains a key reference for researchers exploring sensor-guided force control in manufacturing, demonstrating how fundamental force analysis can unlock automation in traditionally manual domains.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1