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Research Projects

RESEARCH THEmes

The research within Production Technology covers different aspects of an engineering structure, from its design, its manufacturing, to its performance and to its ‘in use’ condition. All these aspects are interrelated.

Processing and Product Performance of lightweight advanced materials in structural applications characterise the main research themes of the Production Technology group.

In our view processing and performance can be optimised after thorough analysis and modelling in combination with a solid experimental programme. The experimental programme identifies the operating mechanisms, establishes relevant material property data for the modelling steps and provides data to test the accuracy of the models proposed. An integral approach is pursued, taking into account the interrelations between the geometric design, the production process and the material properties. 

Via this page, more details about the projects revolting around the PT research themes are accessible. 

Research Centre

The research in Processing and related Performance in Thermoplastic matrix composite materials has led to the creation of the ThermoPlastic composites Research Centre (TPRC), an open research centre founded by Boeing, Fokker, TenCate and the University of Twente.

Current Projects

Under construction, more projects will be listed.

Aeromo2 Cleansky 2
AEROMO2 is part of the CleanSky 2 MANTA project, with as main aim to support the development of an active morphing winglet demonstrator within the Airframe ITD.
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AMPèRE
Induction welding is a key technology for the aerospace industry to assemble larger thermoplastic composite structures from smaller components. The process currently lacks maturity as it fully relies on laborious and expensive trial-and-error procedures for the definition of processing windows. Predictive induction welding simulations are therefore required to significantly increase process understanding and reduce the process development time and costs.
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PERFECT
Process simulation software on hot press forming are an invaluable design tool for industry to reduce development time and costs in particular and to broaden the use of continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastics in general. PERFECT aims to improve the predictive quality of these simulations, focusing on the prediction of defect generation during forming.
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PRECISE-AFP
In-situ consolidation during fiber placement has the potential to serve as a cost-effective single step manufacturing process of thermoplastic composite structures. This research aims to improve the process reliability by providing novel insights in the relation between the composite material and the AFP process, working towards a material-centric process control system.
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Enlighten
Thermoplastic composites (TPC) are best suited to reduce the weight of load-carrying structures in the transportation sector, as they offer a 30% light-weighting potential, together with a good set of properties and the invaluable opportunity to be recycled. However, the integration and assembly of individual TPC parts is not at a proper level of maturity, particularly in fusion bonding. Enlighten aims at resolving this problem by establishing the scientific principles for a physics-based joining technology, taking into account the generic process-structure-performance relations.
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Saed
The SAED project aims to exploit the advantages of the recently introduced Friction Screw Extrusion Additive Manufacturing (FSEAM) process. The solid-state nature of the FSEAM process enables the deposition of difficult to print, high-strength aluminium and magnesium alloys providing a highly refined forging microstructure with promising properties.
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Completed Projects

Under construction, more projects will be listed.

Print4All
In this project the first steps towards a robust and versatile additive manufacturing approach for high-strength aluminium and magnesium alloys have been made. The solid-state nature of the in-house developed Friction Screw Extrusion Additive Manufacturing (FSEAM) process enables the manufacturing of builds with a refined microstructure free from process and metallurgical problems such as porosity, cracks and preferred orientation. Future research aims at thorough process understanding to optimize process and microstructural control.
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EcoMold
Bond development between metal and composite is governed by several effects, i.e. mechanical interlocking, physical adhesion and, if possible, chemical bonding. The effect and magnitude of the contribution of the latter two to the overall hybrid bond performance is currently not well understood, despite it being of pivotal importance for the development of hybrid bonds that fail cohesively. Thus, the primary aim of this project is to optimize the hybrid joint, based on a proper understanding of mechanisms governing the hybrid interface development and performance.
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Cobracomp
COBRACOMP will focus on the development of a new high performance multilayer triaxial braiding process allowing fast, automated and repeatable manufacturing of composites reinforcements. During the project, two innovative braiding machines will be developed to manufacture two innovative textile braid architectures, as well as digital simulation and part design tools.
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Defect-free manufacturing of thermoplastic composite structures
Processing of continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic structures involves a number of manufacturing steps, which include for example blank consolidation and press forming to manufacture clips and brackets which are then used to connect autoclaved stiffeners and skins via a welding process. Processing defects such as fiber wrinkling, dry spots or delaminations may occur during this processing cycle.
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Toosder
The ultimate objective of this project is to put forward tool surface designs (textures/surface treatments) with improved release properties (reduced adhesion), extended lifetime and reduced costs as well as low environmental impact. This requires fundamental understanding and quantification of the underlying mechanisms, e.g. mechanical interlocking, physical and chemical bonding, which play a role at the polymer-metal interface.
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Safe-Ride
Composite parts are generally overdesigned and, therefore, not optimal in weight reduction. Safe-Ride aims at developing a new predictive design tool that improves the predictability of part performance substantially.
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Faith
The aim of this project is the development of new analytical design tools that allow direct prediction of the short-term (impact), and long-term (fatigue, impact after ageing) performance of load-bearing TPC’s.
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Vacuum-Bag-Only Consolidation
This project combines AFP to lay-down tape material at a cost-effective rate with an affordable post-processing step to ensure proper consolidation.
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