International Federation for the Promotion of Mechanism and Machine Science

International Federation for the Promotion of Mechanism and Machine Science
Name	International Federation for the Promotion of Mechanism and Machine Science
Founded	0 1969
Headquarters	Paris, France
Key people	Marco Ceccarelli (President, 2022-2025)
Website	https://www.ifcomm.org/

International Federation for the Promotion of Mechanism and Machine Science. It is a global non-governmental organization dedicated to advancing the fields of mechanism theory, machine science, and robotics. Established in 1969, it serves as the principal international body fostering collaboration among researchers, educators, and industry professionals. The federation promotes the development and application of knowledge in mechanical engineering and related interdisciplinary sciences.

History

The organization was formally founded in 1969, emerging from earlier international collaborations among scientists in the field of kinematics. Key figures in its establishment included scholars from institutions like the University of Belgrade and the Polytechnic University of Turin. Its creation was closely tied to the long-running International Conference on Mechanisms and Machine Science, which began in 1965. Early leadership involved prominent engineers such as Ernst Kreuzer and Bernard Roth, who helped shape its initial statutes and global outreach. The federation was admitted to the International Council for Science in 2000, recognizing its scientific standing.

Objectives and mission

Its primary mission is to promote research and education in all aspects of mechanism design and machine theory. A core objective is to facilitate the exchange of scientific information through major conferences, including the World Congress on Mechanism and Machine Science. The federation actively encourages the application of theoretical advances in practical fields like automotive engineering, aerospace engineering, and mechatronics. It also aims to establish standards in terminology and methodology within the discipline, collaborating with bodies like the International Organization for Standardization.

Organizational structure

The supreme governing body is the General Assembly, composed of delegates from each member organization. Executive authority rests with an elected Executive Council, led by a President; notable past presidents include Kenneth J. Waldron and Jadran Lenarčič. Day-to-day operations are managed by a Secretary-General, with the permanent administrative office located in Paris. The federation comprises numerous Technical Committees focused on areas such as gears, robotics, and computational kinematics. National and regional member organizations, such as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, form its foundational network.

Activities and publications

Its flagship event is the quadrennial World Congress on Mechanism and Machine Science, hosted in locations like Beijing, Guanajuato City, and Kraków. The federation also sponsors or endorses numerous specialized symposia, including the International Conference on Robotics and Automation. It is the publisher of the prestigious journal Mechanism and Machine Theory, a primary archive for research in the field. Other key publications include conference proceedings from events like the European Conference on Mechanism Science and a series of authoritative reference books.

Member organizations

Membership is constituted by national or regional scientific societies, not individuals. Key founding members include the Association for the Promotion of Mechanism and Machine Science from Germany and the Chinese Mechanical Engineering Society. Other prominent members are the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Institution of Engineers (India), and the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers. The federation also maintains collaborative ties with major institutions like the French National Centre for Scientific Research and the Italian National Research Council.

Awards and recognitions

The highest honor bestowed is the IFToMM Award of Merit, recognizing lifetime achievement in the field, with recipients such as Giuseppe Bianchi and Ferdinand Freudenstein. The IFToMM Young Investigator Award encourages early-career scientists from institutions like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology or the University of Tokyo. The federation also presents the IFToMM Honorary Member distinction and bestows prizes for the best papers published in Mechanism and Machine Theory and presented at the World Congress on Mechanism and Machine Science.

Category:Engineering organizations Category:International scientific organizations Category:Mechanical engineering