Abstract This Special Section of the ASME Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering (JMSE) presents the leading research advances from the 21st ASME International Manufacturing Science and Engineering Conference (MSEC 2026), sponsored by the Manufacturing Engineering Division (MED) of ASME and held June 14 to 18, 2026, at The Pennsylvania State University in State College, PA. The conference received 280 paper submissions, including 71 brief papers and 209 full-length technical papers, of which 246 were accepted after peer review. The technical program also featured 121 poster presentations, industry presentation-only contributions, a Doctoral Symposium, presentations of recently published JMSE papers, and a student design competition. Authors represented 20 countries and regions across six continents, and the accepted work was organized into 29 symposia under nine technical tracks. From the accepted papers, symposium organizers invited 17 top technical papers for full submission to JMSE, the highest number to date. After an additional round of journal review, 15 papers were compiled for publication in this Special Section. The selected papers cover the breadth of the ASME MED, including additive manufacturing, advanced materials manufacturing, biomanufacturing, life cycle engineering, manufacturing equipment and automation, manufacturing processes, manufacturing systems, nano/micro/meso manufacturing, and quality and reliability. As a leading international forum held annually, MSEC serves as a global bridge among industry, government laboratories, and academic institutions. This Special Section brings together these advances and offers a platform for researchers and practitioners to share their findings and practical innovations.
Ping Guo (Fri,) studied this question.