CPMT: Centre for Polymer and Material Technologies
The group is headed by Prof. Ludwig Cardon (group leader) and Prof. Kim Ragaert. Between them, main research lines are:The Center for Polymer and Material Technologies, CPMT, is located in Ghent University’s Tech Lane. The group specializes in polymer processing, from product and mould design, over prototyping, compounding and production to characterization and recycling. The CPMT location is home to the UGent Fablab and provides services for the industry, research and education.
Additive Manufacturing (prof. Cardon): This research line studies the selection and development of new polymer/composite based materials for powder bed fusion (Laser Sintering - LS) and extrusion (Fused Deposition Modelling - FDM). Also the development of printing heads is being studied and the use of AM metal inserts for mould making.
Sustainable Use and Recycling of Polymers and Composites (prof. Ragaert): In this research line, we develop the necessary scientific tools to enable the improved mechanical recycling of polymer-based materials. Research topics include the compatibilization of mixed recycled polymers, recyclability of additives, Design for and from Recycling, and recycling of multi layer packaging materials.
Advanced Polymer Processing (joint line): This research line investigates the use of conventional processing techniques (injection, blow/film/plate (twin/co)-extrusion, thermoforming) for advanced materials and/or applications. Current topics include conductive polymers, biomaterials and micro-fibrillar composites.
Location: Tech Lane Ghent Science Park – Campus A, Technologiepark 130, B-9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium
The expertise of “Ugent Industrieel Ontwerpen” focuses on the various aspects of the industrial design process and applies the pragmatic 'research through design' methodology. Making and optimizing prototypes is crucial in every design process.
The research themes of Industrieel Ontwerpen are:
Design for Collaborative Change: with the focus on the purpose of design as a communication tool to gather and share knowledge, to explore design possibilities, to learn, explore and to reach a conclusion on the design using practical design-related tools. With which methods can you quickly materialize new product ideas? Which methods are there to design new products more sustainable and modular? How do you ensure that the wishes and needs of your target group are correctly translated into a product design?
Design for User Experience – Shifting Interfaces: with the focus on the quality of interaction between products, people and systems. It fully encompasses all aspects, tangible and intangible, of future intelligent products as perceived by users. How do you design smart products? How do you achieve an intuitive interaction between user and product?
Design for Changing Production: with the focus on the challenges and opportunities of 'flexible manufacturing' and herewith the efficient use of rapid prototyping techniques. Can you design products that are produced both materially and digitally? What is the impact of VR on the industrial design process? How do new production methods and materials enhance product functionality and shape?
The activities of the MMS research group are related to the experimental study and the numerical modelling of the mechanical behaviour of materials and structures. Although in principle all materials are being studied, most of the current work is related to the dynamic behaviour of composite materials. Thereto the group has extensive experimental facilities and extensive numerical possibilities.
The group is also involved in impact and fatigue testing of composite materials, in non-destructive material characterization, in continuous inspection and monitoring of structures by means of optical fibre sensors, as well as in general experimental mechanics and advanced finite element studies.
The main industrial application areas are aerospace, automotive, wind and wave energy and sports.
Next to the research groups of the Ghent university association, we have a strong partnership with other relevant activities in the domain of polymer processing, prototyping and testing.
EMC research group
CAD for broadband interconnect
Modeling of large electromagnetic problems
Antennas and propagation
Remote sensing and inverse scattering
Metamodeling of complex systems
Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC), Signal and Power Integrity (SI/PI) - aware modeling and design
The Centre for Microsystems Technology (also known as "TFCG Microsystems Lab") is a centre for smart microsystems integration, focusing on design as well as technology research in 6 domains:
Advanced packaging
Stretchable microsystems
Polymer structuring and microfluidics
Polymer photonics and laser technology
Smart power
Display technology
The envisaged applications include ambient intelligence, telecom, energy, displays & lighting and biomedical & health. CMST is an associated lab of IMEC vzw.
