Rogier Nijssen
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RESEARCH AREA
Composites, or fibre-reinforced polymers, are being used in various fields because of their high performance-to-weight-ratio, geometrical freedom and resistance to environmental conditions. Within the research group ‘Inholland Composites’ (see inhollandcomposites.nl), the current main focus areas are:
- Automation of manufacturing processes
- The main ambition is to develop automation tools that help SMEs to convert from open-mould to closed-mould processes such as vacuum infusion, and that support the business case for vacuum infused products
- Repair of composites
- Here, the challenge is to prolong life of damaged composite products through (automated) repair
- Structural applications of bio-based composites
- Using bio-based materials might be beneficial for the life cycle cost of composites but there is lack of knowledge on their structural properties
- Hybrid connections – connecting composites to the rest of the world
- Composites need to be connected to other materials in many applications. Connection methods known from other fields (mechanical, adhesive, welding) require particular attention in composites.
The research agendas of TNO and Inholland Composites have a room for synergy and collaboration, as is done already in the AirTuB project.
RECENT RESULTS
- Automation of processes in vacuum infusion
- End effectors for fabric manipulation
- Automated infusion
- Augmented reality tools for fabric positioning, infusion tracking
- Repair
- Instructables for repair of carbon composite car frames
- Prototype repair robots for wind turbine and aircraft repair
- Bio-based
- Contribution to design and dissemination of first ever 99,9% bio-based composite bridge
- Replacement of traditional core materials with mycelium
- Hybrid connections
- Preliminary test results on hybrid bridge deck connections, PhD project on modelling of hybrid connections started
RECENT PROJECTS
- Airtub – Automated inspection and repair of wind turbine blades (HER)
- FIXAR – Future improvements in Sustainable Composites Automated Repair (SIA-RAAK-mkb)
- Growing Airplanes – mycelium as a replacement for traditional core materials (KIEM GOCHEM)
- ARCSIE – Augmented Reality Composites Student Infusion Exercise (Raak Top-up)
TOP PUBLICATIONS
- Nijssen, “Composieten – basiskennis”, Book, 2015