The Center Personnel

Dr. Ziv Brand is the Head of the Control Research Center and a senior lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at SCE - Shamoon College of Engineering, Be'er Sheva. His research interests include control systems engineering, active vibration control, magnetic bearings, structural dynamics, modern and optimal control, and AI-based control. His research activities integrate theoretical analysis, numerical simulations, and experimental validation, with a strong focus on the adaptation and implementation of control systems in engineering applications.

Dr. Brand completed his B.Tech. in Electrical Engineering and his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in control. He has over 22 years of experience in the industry, where he worked as a researcher in control systems and dynamics and held senior management positions.

Mr. Nikolay Razoronov - Laboratory engineer

Holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering. An expert in mechanical design and machining processes.

Mr. Nissim Levi

Holds a B.Sc. in Software Engineering. An expert in advanced mechanical design, with over 30 years of experience in numerical simulations, including multi-physics analysis. Additionally, he specializes in integrated software development for microcontrollers.

Mr. Tinnawat Hongphan

B.Sc. and M.Sc. degree in mechanical engineering. Tinnawat is currently performing his research work for his third degree at Chiang Mai University, on the subject of learning-based active vibration control strategies for thin-walled structures and application to chatter avoidance in turning operations, under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Matthew O.T. Cole of the Chiang Mai University and Dr. Ziv Brand.

Mr. Naor Nagar

B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering. Naor’s research focuses on AI-based control of complex thermal systems using numerical models. His work aims to develop adaptive control strategies for improved thermal system efficiency under the supervision of Dr. Efi Zemach and Dr. Ziv Brand.

Mr. Eyal Rokach Raiportnoi

B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering. Eyal’s research explores a Smart Turning Tool based on Adaptive Dynamic Programming (ADP) to enhance machining precision, stability, and tool lifespan by suppressing chatter vibrations. His study includes control scheme design, simulations, laboratory experiments, and real-world validation under the supervision of Dr. Ziv Brand and Prof. Dr. Matthew Cole.

Mr. Maor Lotem

B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering. Maor’s research focuses on enhancing active control of flexural vibrations using modified Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). His work aims to develop adaptive control laws for vibration suppression in systems with variable natural frequencies, improving precision and stability under the supervision of Dr. Ziv Brand.

Mr. Dima Kibin

B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering. Dima’s research investigates Model Reference Adaptive Control (MRAC) for vibration suppression in turning processes using piezoelectric actuators. The study aims to develop an adaptive control approach that adjusts to dynamic system changes, optimizing machining efficiency and stability under the supervision of Dr. Ziv Brand and Prof. Dr. Matthew Cole.

Mr. Michael Shapira

B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering. Michael’s research focuses on Active Vibration Control in Turning Tools using a Flexure Hinge Actuator Adapter. His work involves control design, MATLAB/Simulink simulations, and experimental validation. By using H∞ control and stability lobe diagrams, his study aims to expand the stability region of internal turning operations, enabling faster and more precise machining under the supervision of Dr. Ziv Brand.

Mr. Daniel Abecasiss

B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering. Daniel researches control strategies for active magnetic bearings in milling, focusing on suppressing chatter vibrations to enhance spindle stability under the supervision of Dr. Ziv Brand.

Mr. Dor Zipilevich

B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering. Dor researches active vibration control of coupled flexible structures using Genetic Algorithms (GA) to optimize actuator placement and control parameters for improved performance under the supervision of Dr. Ziv Brand.

Ms. Libat Kadovitz

Final-year B.Sc. student in Mechanical Engineering and first-year M.Sc. student. Her research focuses on enhancing milling process performance and robustness through computational and experimental analysis. She is developing active control strategies to reduce vibrations and improve machining stability under the supervision of Dr. Ziv Brand.

Mr. Gal Tamsot

Gal Tamsot earned his B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering and completed his M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering at the Control Research Center in 2025. His thesis, "Indirect PSO-Inspired Active Vibration Control for a Partially Submerged Smart Cantilever Beam," focuses on model-free active vibration control to mitigate unwanted oscillations in flexible structures where passive damping is impractical.

His research introduces a Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO)-based control strategy operating in the frequency domain to dynamically optimize control parameters. Using a Synthetic Proof Mass Damper (SPMD) and Randomized Inertia PSO (RPSO), the system achieves real-time self-tuning, improving robustness to uncertainties. Numerical simulations and experiments confirm its effectiveness in suppressing resonance frequencies, offering a lightweight and adaptive solution for applications in aerospace, naval, and precision engineering.

Mr. Itay Shafir

B.Sc. and M.Sc. degree in mechanical engineering. A senior researcher at the Nuclear Research Center and an expert in dynamics and modal analysis and testing. Itay is a research fellow at the Control Research Center.

Mr. Arnon Lewinstein

B.Sc. and M.Sc. degree in mechanical engineering. A senior researcher at the Nuclear Research Center and an expert in dynamics and modal analysis and testing. Arnon is a research fellow at the Control Research Center.