Rate My Professor Akira Okada

Professor Akira Okada serves as Professor in the Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Division of Industrial Innovation Sciences, and Vice President at Okayama University since April 2025. A graduate of Okayama University, he obtained his Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering in 1992 and Master of Engineering in 1994 from the Faculty and Graduate School of Engineering, respectively. He later earned his Doctor of Engineering from Osaka University. Okada's academic career at Okayama University spans over three decades: starting as Research Assistant from 1994 to 1998, advancing to Lecturer from 1998 to 2006, Associate Professor from 2006 to 2011, and Professor since 2011. During this period, he served as Visiting Researcher at The University of Edinburgh from 2004 to 2005. He lectures courses including Manufacturing Practice, Information Processing, Fundamentals of CAD, Fine Nontraditional Machining, and High Energy Beam Machining.

His research centers on advanced nontraditional machining technologies, including electrical discharge machining encompassing die-sinking, wire EDM, powder-mixed EDM, and plasma behavior; electron beam processing for large-area surface smoothing, polishing, and additive manufacturing post-processing; laser processing for high-quality welding, peening, and micro-hole drilling; as well as biomachining and hybrid processes. As head of the Nontraditional Machining Laboratory in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Okada has produced key publications such as "High-efficiency finishing process for metal mold by large-area electron beam irradiation" (Precision Engineering, 2005), "Surface finishing of stainless steels for orthopedic surgical tools by large-area electron beam irradiation" (CIRP Annals, 2008), "High surface quality welding of aluminum using adjustable ring-mode fiber laser" (Journal of Materials Processing Technology, 2018), and "Surface smoothing and repairing of additively manufactured metal products by large-area electron beam irradiation" (CIRP Annals, 2021). His achievements include the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers Award (2022) for research on internal space formation by electrical discharge machining, Takagi Award (2015) from the Japan Society for Precision Engineering, and multiple recent Best Paper and Paper Awards from 2023 to 2025. Okada holds positions as Vice President of the Japan Society of Electrical Machining Engineers since 2024, Chairman of the Association for Advanced Machining Technologies since 2016, and former Chairman of the IJEM Editorial Board Committee (2013-2024).