DASM|XL
Delft Aerospace & Smart Manufacturing XLerator
The DASM|XL infrastructure supports the full development cycle for lightweight structures from molecular synthesis all the way up to pilot lines for robotic manufacture of components for mobility, energy transition and built towards strategic autonomy.
It is a unique facility in the world in the sense that all necessary infrastructure and expertise is at one location and at that location you find people from universities, research institutes and industries working together on the same challenge. With its location and set-up it can adopt to new developments, independent whether they are triggered by scientific break through, new technologies and changing societal needs. DASM|XL infrastructure is used for low-TRL academic research, mid/high-TRL applied research, education and training.
Infrastructure and User Services
The DASM|XL infrastructure covers two adjacent buildings: The Delft Aerospace Materials and Structures Laboratory (DASML, 3000m2) for developing and testing new materials, conversion processes and prototype products, and the Smart Advanced Manufacturing building (SAM|XL, 2000m2) with complementary smart manufacturing facilities for digitalisation, robotisation and scale-up.
An overview of the DASM|XL infrastructure is as follows:
- Chemical laboratory for making new molecules.
- Physical characterization lab
- Advanced engineering design and optimization software.
- Composite manufacturing equipment
- Dedicated composite welding facility:
- Mechanical testing, reliability and failure mechanisms:
- Cognitive robotics infrastructure: The cognitive robotic infrastructure ranges from small robots for training, student projects and ‘quick trials’ all the way to larger track-mounted robots, multi-robot cells and a 6m high gantry robot for product sizes up to 8x5m.
- NDT inspection robots
- Mobile robotics test track for benchmarking the accuracy/durability of various indoor tracking technologies
- A dual-robot cell for 3D printing of large complex parts using two robots at the same time.
- A 7x11m laser safe cell with a track-mounted industrial robot for using lasers to weld, cut and clean objects.
- A dual-bridge gantry robot with 2x300kg payload) and a working volume of 8x11x6m for large size component manufacture.
- A cobot exploration bench for pick&place of thin, flexible materials.
- A cobot exploration bench for mechanical assembly.
- A wide range of training robots.
- Large-size (10x10m) arena for AR/VR technologies.
- Manufacturing simulation, monitoring and control software.
- ‘Empty’ project space with industrial-grade electrical and ICT connections can be used for building dedicated full-scale manufacturing pilot lines.
Examples/description of the type of research
The DASM|XL infrastructure supports the full development cycle for lightweight structures. The focus is on accelerating the impact of research and development by fundamental research, supported by applied research; and applied research supported by fundamental research. Having a unique infrastructure where all relevant steps can be taken by researchers from all kind a disciplines and backgrounds (universities, institutions, industry) under one roof and one coffee-table fosters cooperation, collaboration, inspiration and dedication leading to the acceleration of the ‘greening’ of the society. The research within DASM|XL ranges from robotics, software, AI, Quantum Algorithms towards materials science, mechanics and design. This multidisciplinary research is supported by a team of 25-30 engineering specialists, available for the researcher from university and industry. This infrastructure is a backbone of a resilient Europe
How to access the infrastructure ?
Part of the vision behind the infrastructure is that people meet each other and inspire new ideas: different disciplines and different entities meet at one place and share a common vision. Therefore Physical presence (and thus access) is promoted.