Education
My work in education is centred around mechatronics, with a strong emphasis on design. This includes the design, realization, and validation of high-performance hardware, as well as the underlying design process. I also serve as coordinator for the Master's track Mechatronic Systems Design at TU/e.
The Mechatronic Systems Design (MSD) track within the MSc Mechanical Engineering programme prepares students to design complete high-performance systems. The track is built on the insight that (opto-)mechatronic systems must function at high speeds and with great accuracy, and that this is impossible to achieve without well-designed mechanics. Improving the mechanical design, and integrating it intelligently with actuation, sensing, and control, is what makes these systems work and what can make them many times better.
Students develop a fundamental understanding of mechanical construction principles, system architecture, and multidisciplinary design. They learn to apply this knowledge in concrete settings, working with advanced labs and industry-connected projects in the Brainport Eindhoven region.
Official track page ↗| Degree | MSc Mechanical Engineering |
| Credits | 120 ECTS |
| Duration | 2 years |
| Language | English |
| My role | Track coordinator |
The foundation of the track is a deep understanding of mechanical design principles, exact constraint design, flexure-based mechanisms, and structural dynamics. These principles are the basis for designing systems that are accurate, reproducible, and manufacturable.
Students learn to reason at the system level: how mechanical, electrical, and control subsystems interact, and how design decisions in one domain propagate across the others. This system-level thinking is central to building high-performance mechatronic systems.
The track covers actuators, motion control, and measurement systems as integral parts of the mechatronic system. Students develop the skills to select, size, and integrate these components in a coherent design with tight performance requirements.
Current teaching activities, covering both bachelor and master level courses. For the authoritative and up-to-date list, see the TU/e Research Portal.
A first-year core bachelor course introducing students to mechanical design thinking. I am responsible for the mechanical design part of the course, which covers approximately half of the content, forming the foundation for later courses in design principles and mechatronics.
A continuation of 4CA10 at a deeper level. Focuses on a thorough understanding of mechanical design principles and their application in precision systems. Core elective in the third year of the bachelor programme.
A project-based core elective in which students design and develop a mechatronic system. I contribute to the assessment of the project work, evaluating both technical quality and design process.
A master-level course on design principles applied to precision mechatronic systems. Previously called Applications of Design Principles, the course is being updated to better reflect modern mechatronic system design practice.
I supervise MSc and PDEng students on projects closely connected to my research pillars. Students interested in working on precision mechatronics topics are welcome to get in touch.
Projects focused on the design, realization, and experimental validation of high-performance mechatronic systems. Students work on integrated hardware concepts that push the limits of accuracy, throughput, or efficiency in demanding applications.
Projects that develop or validate fundamental design rules and principles in mechatronics. Topics include actuation principles, transmission design, structural dynamics, and mechatronic architecture, often with application to precision positioning systems.
Projects that apply mechatronic design principles in adjacent fields such as scientific instrumentation, medical technology, or large-scale research infrastructure. These projects combine hardware realization with cross-disciplinary system thinking.