The high-tech mechatronic industry in the Netherlands is highly competitive and requires machines to run with ever-increasing speed and precision. State of the art machines have practically reached the asymptote of high support stiff- ness with a low amount of mass. Hence, higher precision and short cycles activate high frequency modes that need to be suppressed in order to obtain the desired performance and further increase the bandwidth. If significant damping is required, common passive dampers will unfortunately add significant mass, because the amount of damping is proportional to the added mass. Additionally, they also provide poor performance in the presence of multiple and/or varying modes. Potentially however, active damping can be the solution when reduced mass is of main concern and multiple modes are present.

Unfortunately, current active dampers exhibit limited suppression when applied to systems with unwanted vibration modes that are dynamically varying and cover a wide range of frequencies (broadband). Additionally, active damping is limited by the actuator force. Therefore, there is a huge challenge in the design of an adaptive mechanism that is capable of suppressing varying broadband vibration modes.
This project proposes to combine the two engineering disciplines of mechatronics and metamaterials to create a mechatronic metamaterial (MetaMech) structure for active vibration suppression. This MetaMech structure is characterised by integrating a high number of small smart actuators in a distributed manner into spatially architectured flexible structures (compliant mechanisms). The goal of MetaMech is to overcome (i) the mass limitation in passive damping and force limitation in active damping by an optimized distribution of active and passive material into a lattice metamaterial structure; and to overcome (ii) the fundamental limitations associated with known linear damping methods to enable broadband and/or varying mode suppression by developing adaptive nonlinear vibration suppression methods.
Unique aspects of this project are the collaboration in a team and the immediate industrial relevance of the research. You will be part of a team of 2 PhDs who work together with scientists and research engineers from TU Delft and the companies involved i.e. ASML, VDL, Demcon and PI. This multi-disciplinary team setting provides a unique learning opportunity. Each of the researchers work on a dedicated part of the project, while at the same time closely collaborating with the rest of the team to ensure all parts will eventually fit together.

• Strong background in active/passive damping
• Capable of performing experimental research
• Capable of multiphysics modeling
• Familiarty with acoustic metamaterial/ Active metamaterial is a plus
• Appreciation of team work, good social skills, and ability to function in international circles involving experts from academia and industry;
• High proficiency in spoken/written English, and proven experience in preparing technical publications and project reports;
• Interest in contributing to the co-supervision of MSc graduation projects.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (salary indication: € 3.703 - € 4.670 per month gross). The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, a discount on health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

For international applicants, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service. This service provides information for new international employees to help you prepare the relocation and to settle in the Netherlands. The Coming to Delft Service offers a Dual Career Programme for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network.

This position is a temporary assignment for two years.

Delft University of Technology

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering

From chip to ship. From machine to human being. From idea to solution. Driven by a deep-rooted desire to understand our environment and discover its underlying mechanisms, research and education at the 3mE faculty focusses on fundamental understanding, design, production including application and product improvement, materials, processes and (mechanical) systems.

3mE is a dynamic and innovative faculty with high-tech lab facilities and international reach. It’s a large faculty but also versatile, so we can often make unique connections by combining different disciplines. This is reflected in 3mE’s outstanding, state-of-the-art education, which trains students to become responsible and socially engaged engineers and scientists. We translate our knowledge and insights into solutions to societal issues, contributing to a sustainable society and to the development of prosperity and well-being. That is what unites us in pioneering research, inspiring education and (inter)national cooperation.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering. Do you want to experience working at our faculty? These videos will introduce you to some of our researchers and their work.