5.7 million for innovation projects in East Netherlands

Five innovative projects from Overijssel, East Netherlands, are getting a subsidy from the European program OP-Oost 2014-2020. All projects are based in Twente and together they receive €5.7 million for further development. Total project cost: €11.2 million.

Op-Oost

The OP-Oost arrangement is a collaboration between the provinces of Overijssel, Gelderland and the European Union with the purpose of strengthening the regional economy. Innovation that should result in new products, smarter product processes and new business models.
OP Oost wants to stimulate entrepreneurs to contribute to the economy of the future: a smart and clean economy that enables sustainable growth and employment. The OP Oost’s aim is to increase the companies’ revenue from new products.

Fast3D – printing synthetic moulds

Fast3D is developing a 3d-printing technology for synthetic moulds. Nowadays, these casting moulds are often made from metal, and their manufacturing is expensive and time-consuming. Printing them with specially developed synthetics accelerates the production process and makes users less dependent on foreign suppliers.
The consortium: Bond high performance 3D technology (Enschede), Dumocom (Almelo), Demcon metal injection moulding (Enschede), AniForm Engineering (Enschede), Artecs (Enschede) and Saxion University of Applied Sciences (Enschede).

WELD4.0: the future of steel – independent machinery

The WELD4.0: the future of steel project develops an automated production line for (SME) steel manufacturers. The storing, recognising, transporting, welding and assembly of structural steel is based upon a smart manufacturing system. This enables machines to independently perform complicated operations with consistently deviating components.

The consortium: Voortman Steel Group B.V. (Rijssen), Singa (Varsseveld), Saxion University of Applied Sciences (Enschede), Tuinte Solutions (Enschede) and Reijrink Beheer (Hilvarenbeek).

Microcarriers for stem cell culture

The Advanced microcarrier for culture of induced Pluripotent Stem Cells project develops a new type of microcarrier suitable for the culture of specialised stem cells. Stem cells can offer a solution to many diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Stem cells are able to replicate themselves and can be transformed to specialised cell types. These cell types can be used, for example, in the screening of new medicine for such diseases.

The consortium: IamFluidics (Enschede), Scinus Cell expansion (Utrecht), River Biomedics (Enschede) and University of Twente (Enschede).

INSTANTane – measuring instrument physiotherapy

The INSTANTane project develops and tests a measuring instrument for rehabilitation after a knee surgery. The instrument measures rehabilitating patients’ motions. This motion analysis assists the physiotherapist with the treatment plan. It will improve the result of the treatment, shorten the duration of treatment and reduce the treatment costs.
The consortium: Roessingh Research and Development (Enschede), University of Twente (Enschede), Stichting Saxion (Enschede), Gable Systems (Hengelo) and Maatschap Topvorm Twente (Enschede).

Next gen PLD – improving superconductivity

Coating surfaces with a thin layer of material, so-called thin film deposition with Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD), is a technology that is used in the research of, amongst others, superconductivity and quantum computers. An important aspect of this process is the quality of the thin film. The higher the quality, the faster the conductivity. The ‘Next gen Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD)’ project integrates an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) in the coating system. Thus, information on the quality of the thin film is provided by a microscopic small needle during the coating process.
The consortium: Twente Solid State Technology, SmartTip, Universiteit of Twente en Stichting Saxion (all based in Enschede).