On Friday, July 12, it rained cats and dogs in the Northern Netherlands. Endless rain showers suggested it was mid-November rather than midsummer. Yet it was very busy at the Zernike Campus in Groningen. Not only did many Hanze students receive their diplomas in a festive setting, but the final step of the 7^e cohort of the Master Honors program 'HighTech Systems & Materials'.

This afternoon was reserved for the final presentations of the 3 student teams that had worked on a relevant topic with three ICD companies since the beginning of November 2023. Thanks to a nice mix of specific training, all teams were able to tackle real, multidisciplinary high-tech issues.

It Astron team developed a new sensor that could measure gravity waves underground in the field, near the many LOFAR antennas. Thanks to this sensor, a prediction can be made of sunbursts, which often significantly disrupt astronomical measurements. The prototype built was low-cost but robust and could provide its own energy. After testing, the system appeared to function well. There is therefore a good chance that version 2.0 will actually be applied.

Team Philips worked on a secret new feature of one of Philips' consumer products. It was crucial to get a functioning model. Students have made extensive use of 3D printing to compare different solution concepts. In short, a real project as Philips engineers approach this, but sometimes with a little more time.

The third team got to work BD Kiestra where research was conducted into the recycling options of components and parts at the end of their lifespan. This was not only a technical assignment, but also involved the design of a new Supply Chain process. In this new process, an initial disassembly will take place on location in the future, with the most important parts being harvested for transport to Drachten.

After the summer, the FSE faculty and the ICD companies will prepare for the next round. So are you interested? You can register from September 2024.

All engineers enjoyed working with the students!
Our thanks go out to Tom Middelburg, Katya Loos, the companies Astron, BDKiestra and Philips.