Over the past period, we have been working hard on expanding our laboratory, resulting in a significant increase in lab facilities and the installation of multiple industry-sized machines. This development allows TPAC to better serve its role as an R&D partner for businesses and its role in education! Additionally, TPAC is celebrating its 10th (!!) anniversary this year. [...]

In recent weeks, the expansion of TPAC's laboratory has been in full swing. We've relocated machinery from our original laboratory to create space for new, industry-sized equipment that is already eagerly waiting to be employed! The lab's floor has been reinforced to accommodate a delivery: of a KUKA robotic arm with an impressive 4.8m range. Paired with [...]

This project contributes to the objectives of the European Green Deal. The plastics recycling industry still has a long way to go to become fully circular. Many companies share problems in different variations. Used foils and thin-walled plastics (Post-use Plastic Foil or PPF) are a substantial obstacle to the circular economy, as they represent a large share of [...]

Our new laboratory space (290 square meter) is almost finished. This will allow TPAC to move its labscale- and test-equipment to the new lab space, reserving the current lab space for industrial equipment, allowing for trials closer to industrial reality. The new laboratory space will be operational in September. Furthermore,  a Kuka robot with a CEAD extruder [...]

Auteur: Jos Eertink            Photography: Thomas Busschers            Date: 4 July 2022            Source: Saxion News At Saxion’s Lightweight Structures research group (better known as TPAC- ThermoPlastic composites Application Center), flax fibres form the basis for sustainable sheet material, and composite tapes made of recycled plastic [...]

Today first year's Mechanical Engineering students from Hogeschool Saxion came to visit TPAC for a short introduction of the research group and a tour of the lab facilities. In the following weeks they will be involved in (injection moulding) practical training.

On BNR Eyeopeners, Ferrie van Hattum talks about composites and how they are more and more used in different industries. To listen to the complete podcast, click here.

In the past months, TPAC has worked closely together with CIM Fieldlab, Brink Climate Systems and Hogeschool Saxion students looking into the possibilities of recycling Brink's air filters as part of creating a circular business model. The project offered the students a challenging real-life industrial problem to be solved in intense collaboration, under the supervision of Harrie van Bommel, Marco Del Vecchio and [...]

On 16 May 2022 TPAC received the formal approval for the RAAKPRO project “New Generation Stiffened Thermoplastic Composite Products” from RegieOrgaan SIA. The project has a lead time of 4 years and will start per 1 July 2022. On the 30th of June a pre-kick-off meeting was organized at TPAC together with the consortium partners. It started with [...]

The Dutch Association of Universities of Applied Sciences recently published its new Strategic Research Agenda for Universities of Applied Sciences 2022-2025. The agenda outlines how UASs can further boost the impact of applied research in the years to come. In the agenda, TPAC features as an example of a center for applied research with impact on society. [...]

Rivers full of floating plastic, huge piles of household plastic waste. Is it possible to develop circular solutions in the east of the Netherlands to combat the worldwide surplus of waste from thin plastics and films? TPAC researcher Rik Voerman was on air with 1Twente, to explain how decentralised recycling could be the solution to these problems. [...]

Auteur: Anne Hurenkamp            Date: 12 October 2021            Source: Saxion News Enschede - Rivers full of floating plastic, huge piles of household plastic waste. We know the worrying images from the media. Is it possible to develop circular solutions in the east of the Netherlands to combat the worldwide [...]

Marco Del Vecchio and Ilse ten Bruggencate presented their research work during SAMPE Europe 2021, a conference for materials and process engineering, which was held from 28-30 September. Marco Del Vecchio presented his scientific paper entitled Use of construction waste in wood fibre composites in the session “sustainability & recycling”. Marco has been working on the processing [...]