Technology Advisory Service integrated into Sirris Leuven Composites Application Lab

Since 1999, Sirris has operated a Technology Advisory Service for Composite Materials and Lightweight Structures (TAD Compolight), particularly to support the polymer composites industry in Flanders, but nowadays supporting the broader technological industry in Flanders.

The service was embedded within the Composite Materials Group of the Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering of K.U.Leuven.

Since 2009, the TAD Compolight has been incorporated into the Sirris Leuven Composites Application lab (SLC), a joint venture between Sirris and KU Leuven.

SLC currently has a staff of 6 people (about 5 fte) and is set to expand in 2011 when new lab facilities will come available. Currently and also in future, the infrastructure of the CMG group at KU Leuven and indirectly also of KU Leuven MRC, is available for applied research and expertise type of work. Currently, SLC is performing large collective research projects concerning the press/thermoforming of thermoplastic composites and bio-composites (CO-Pers and Cornet Nature Wins) as well as a new Cornet project concerning design with Carbon fibre composites (Demaco). Also, a TIS initiative concerning bio-polymers is underway (TIS Change2Bio). SLC resorts administratively under Sirris.

SLC is part of various technological supporting actions of Sirris.  Sirris is the knowledge centre of the technological industry in Belgium and is linked to AGORIA, which is the Belgian sectoral employers and trade organisation for companies active in the technological industry.

The Advisory Service aims at contributing to the transfer of knowledge and know-how from research institutes to industry, by:

1)  providing short term support, answering to direct needs
* provide practical information on materials, properties, processing techniques, existing products, their applications, their suppliers...
* give advise with respect to selections, decisions, potential causes of problems, potential solutions...
* performing and/or supervising analyses, measurements, evaluations, calculations, optimisations...

2) short to medium term support by performing product development projects
* KMO Innovatie Portefeuille and GTA projects: small proof-of-principle projects of up to about 10 consultancy days with 50- 80% subsidy from the Flemish government (IWT), which can start almost immediately upon decision of the consultant
* projects of a few months, with or without subsidy, performed at SLC or in cooperation with other composite consultancies

3) longer term support, answering to future needs

 *  informing about tendencies, new materials, processes, products, e.g. through regular organisation of seminars

*  guiding through the possibilities for technological research

 *  support in innovation project definition and organisation of projects

*  organisation of collective research projects

Contact: Dr.ir. Aart W. van Vuure
Sirris Advisor for composite materials and lightweight structures
p/a Katholieke Universiteit Leuven,
Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering
Kasteelpark Arenberg, 44, bus 2450, 3001 Heverlee (Leuven), Belgium
tel +32-16-32-13-08
fax +32-16-32-19-90
Mobile: +32-498-91 94 59
Aart.VanVuure@sirris.be

Or:
Dr. Markus Kaufmann
Lab Manager of Sirris Leuven Composites Application Lab
Celestijnenlaan 300C, bus 4026
B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium
Tel: +32- 498-91 94 91
Markus.Kaufmann@sirris.be