Material and Composites Processing Research Group

The Material and Composites Processing Research Group is dedicated to developing and advancing material processing techniques and modern manufacturing engineering. We focus on studying the physical principles that govern manufacturing technologies and use our findings to design and optimize novel material processing techniques for the production of new products and their end-of-life recycling. Our group employs a combination of numerical simulations and experimental analyses to gain a comprehensive understanding of the behaviour of materials and processes, often at full scale. Ultimately, our goal is to apply our research to a wide range of application areas to help drive innovation and progress for efficient and sustainable production. 

PI: Michael Sandberg

Areas of expertise:

• Materials: Thermoset and thermoplastic polymers, composites, fibrous materials, and some other non-metallic and natural materials;
• Processes (examples): Injection moulding, liquid composite moulding, additive manufacturing, curing and conversion of polymers, rapid manufacturing techniques;
• Physics: Material flow (low Re), heat transfer, process-induced stresses and deformations, time- and temperature-dependent constitutive modelling; 
• Techniques: Numerical simulations (commercial software + in-house code); experimental analyses (coupon, component, and full-scale tests); co-development of tools for cyber-physical systems (digital twins); 
• Application areas: everything from small plastic toys to enormous wind turbine blades. 

Open student projects:

We have a number of open MSc, BSc, and BEng student projects about:

• Multiple projects in polymer/polymer composite additive manufacturing (in collaboration with Grundfos)
• Multiple projects in numerical modelling and experimental analysis of the pultrusion process (impregnation flow, heat transfer and resin cure, in collaboration with Fiberline Composites). 
• Prediction and analyses of fibre orientation and die swell in short fibre polymer extrusion.
• Analyses of capillary action in liquid composite moulding.
• Theoretical and experimental assessment of void formation in composite manufacture.

You are also welcome to suggest your own project idea.

Please contact Michael Sandberg (ms@mpe.au.dk) for more info.

Open positions and collaborations: 

Please contact Michael Sandberg (ms@mpe.au.dk) if:

• you are a company or institution that is interested in collaborating within the area of expertise offered by the Material and Composites Processing Research Group; or
• you are interested in conducting a student project (BEng, BSc, or MSc), pursuing a PhD degree, or finding a postdoc position. 

Please note that calls for fully funded positions are always posted on the MPE Department Vacancies page.