Research

In the last part of MSc, you will be engaged in research that is typically embedded in ongoing research programmes of the research groups. Several MSc thesis projects are performed in collaboration with universities, research institutes and industry.

Some research topics require you to take certain elective courses, therefore orienting for a thesis topic and consulting with potential supervisors should be done at the beginning of your MSc programme.

Laboratories

The department has its own laboratory: the Delft Aerospace Structures and Materials Laboratory, where we offer our MSc students working on their thesis projects access to the most advanced facilities. The laboratory contains a wide range of specialist equipment with uses including:

• material characterization using visual methods like microscopes, physical methods, chemical analysis, nondestructive testing methods, etc.
• synthesis of materials, both on microlevel in our chemical laboratory and on macro-level in the composite laboratory
• manufacturing processes for the fabrication of parts and products. Examples include hot presses, resin injection techniques, filament winding, forming processes, processes for joining of structural elements, etc.
• testing of materials and structures for which a wide range of testing equipment is available to test materials and structures specimens
• in the workshop, a number of numerically controlled milling machines are used for the manufacture of any specimens, tools, dies or other test equipment that may be required.

The department is also closely tied to the collaborative research center for smart advanced manufacturing of lightweight structures (SAM|XL). At SAM|XL technology is being developed, demonstrated and de-risked for automated manufacture.