Research assignment – R&D – EGP Anti-Pulsation Optimization

The R&D department Rubber Process & Tire Technology (RPTT) serves as a research and technology group to support other departments within VMI in topics related to rubber processing and tire technology. In that role RPTT researches current and potential promising topics relate to processing rubber compound. It additionally supports product groups to make the right design decisions to shape rubber in the right way in their machines.

External gear pumps (EGP) are a type of positive displacement pump used in a wide range of applications. VMI uses it during the production of rubber tires. The EGP is used to pressurize the rubber compound before it is extruded to rubber strips and wound around a drum to create a layer of the tire.

The incorporation of an EGP into the process offers two significant benefits: it enables the process to achieve higher pressure (P2) while maintaining a lower rubber temperature. However, the geometry and rotation of the EGP cause a pulsation in the strip cross section. This can result in a volume change of the extruded strip of up to 15%. Several factors, such as number of teeth of the EGP, its shape, its rotational speed, material properties of the rubber compound and the temperature of the rubber, can also affect the pulsation and can be used to modify it.

You will explore different ways to improve the current anti-pulsation method present in VMI machines, as well as gain deeper understanding on how different physical parameters affect the efficiency of the current anti-pulsation software.

You will work on the following tasks:

• Develop a method to characterize the efficiency of the current anti-pulsation algorithm. This can be done by means of pressure, volume measurements or a different method;

• Description of the relationship between physical properties such as temperature, rubber density or viscosity in the efficiency of the current algorithm and in the efficiency of the proposed anti-pulse shapes;

• Description of advantages and disadvantages of the tested anti-pulse shapes;

• Precise description of the behavior of P2, the causes for its pulsation, the influence of P2 on P1 and documentation of time series of several tests. This in order to achieve knowledge that future employees of VMI can use to tackle further challenges.

• You are a last year bachelor student or a master student in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics or similar;
• You are looking for an internship between 5 and 6 months with a start date as early as July;
• You are looking for an internship of 40 hours per week. For this internship, it is possible to be working partly at home on the assignment;
• You have a basic level of programming and elemental bachelor level mathematics and physics;
• You would like to improve your data analysis skills and will learn how to deal with large amounts of data using a software (Matlab or Python);
• You are creative, proactive, solution-oriented, analytical and research-oriented person.

We give you the opportunity to join a cozy team for six until nine months. You will have the opportunity to carry out challenging research in which you can add real value to the organization. For this internship you will receive an internship allowance and a travel allowance.

In addition to our own internship program, you will have the opportunity to participate in a Master Class at Perron038.

These Masterclasses are organized each time by different companies and relate to soft skills, but can for example also be about LinkedIn, project management and job application tips.

VMI is one of the partners at innovation center Perron038 in Zwolle. Various technical companies work together here in the field of Technology and they share knowledge and experiences with each other in an inspiring environment. At the training sessions & Tuesday afternoon drinks at Perron038 you will also meet students from the other companies in the region. Want to know more about Perron038? Read more

With your internship at our company, you make a valuable contribution to our organization. Your input and ideas help us achieve our goals and improve our services.

As an intern, you will bring:

• A fresh perspective and new ideas that help us improve our processes;
• An opportunity to inspire and motivate our employees with your enthusiasm and energy;
• A change to enrich our culture and values with your unique perspective.

Interested?

Have you become interested and do you think you are the student we are looking for?

Then apply immediately!

A screening test may be part of the application procedure.