Sprint naar content

Research Projects

Back to SmartMan homepage

Castlab Experimental Garden
Traditionally, many spare parts are made and sometimes stored for decades. In some areas, however, the assets have a longer life than their spare parts. In the Netherlands this applies in particullair to rail infrastructure: both trains and railways. The project's focus is on creating spare parts on demand, wherever more efficient with different techniques than initially used. For example: a few pieces made by additive manufacturing instead of many by casting. One of the challenges is to produce spare parts that meet the standards applied to the first series. In addition, in many cases the specifications of the product are unknown. The activities of Castlab Proeftuin AM fit perfectly into the SmartMan program.
https://castlabproeftuin.nl/en/ 


Quick Response Manufacturing
Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) is a process model that focuses on lead time reduction in manufacturing. By implementing QRM, manufacturing companies can reduce lead times and produce the desired number of products faster. The QRM process is supported by digitization technology and factory automation.
https://fontys.nl/Innovatie-en-onderzoek/High-Tech-Systems-and-Materials/Robotics-and-adaptive-robotics/Onderzoeksprojecten/Flexible-Manufacturing/QRM4.0-Quick-Response-Manufacturing.htm


Topology redesign for AM
By assessing the topology of a part, one can improve its shape, especially in the case of accelerating parts. Topology optimization evaluates the amount and location of the material required to deal with a set of constraints defined by the creator. In addition, small, less clunky parts can prove beneficial in saving costs, including connected parts.