TM1-Passive Damping in Mechatronics Systems by Means of Polymers – Part 1
TA1-Passive Damping in Mechatronics Systems by Means of Polymers – Part 2
Dr. Ir. Ing. Theo Ruijl and Ir. Ing. Pieter Wullms (MI Partners)
Tuesday, October 27, 2026 (8:00 AM – 12:00 Noon)
Tuesday, October 27, 2026 (1:30 PM – 5:30 PM)
Performance requirements for dynamic positioning systems continue to become more stringent. Damping is a highly effective and robust method for improving dynamic behavior, and it can be implemented either actively (e.g. feedback control) or passively. In many applications, passive damping provides an excellent alternative to active solutions, or as a complementary approach to enhance overall system performance. In particular, passive damping can be used to suppress resonances that limit controller bandwidth and to increase system robustness.
The focus of this tutorial is on viscoelastic material damping, on the reason of simplicity, cost and robustness compared to other passive damping principles.
Viscoelastic materials have long been applied in a wide range of damping applications. However, in many cases, design approaches have relied on empirical methods or trial-and-error, as performance requirements were less stringent. In high-end performance applications, the complexity, requirements and conditions are such that extensive modelling is necessary, and predictability of the final performance is crucial for a successful design of the entire system. This tutorial focusses on visco-elastic material properties, modelling, and designing with viscoelastic materials in a predictable manner.
- Understanding of the dynamic behavior of viscoelastic materials, including frequency- and temperature-dependent properties
- Experimental characterization and dynamic modeling of viscoelastic materials
- Dynamic system modeling incorporating viscoelastic materials
- Design principles and practical implementation of tuned mass dampers with damping
- Illustrative case studies spanning both low-frequency and high-frequency applications
- Active participant involvement through worked example cases, including hand calculations
- Demonstration of representative viscoelastic materials and practical design implementations
The tutorial covers the following key topics:
Learning Outcomes:
The course covers the basics on visco-elastic material properties, relevant for damping applications in mechatronic systems. It offers the participant a methodology for designing with visco-elastic materials, in a predictable manner on system- and on component-level.
Intended Audience
The tutorial is aimed at engineers and physicists, dealing with vibrations and resonances in precision machine design and seeking passive damping solutions by means of polymers. The emphasis of the tutorial is to apply passive damping with visco-elastic materials in a predictable manner, to significantly improve dynamic system performance.
Dr. Theo Ruijl studied Mechanical Engineering in Eindhoven (The Netherlands) receiving his MSc in Tribology in 1994. Within the Mechatronics Department at Philips Research he made his Ph.D. on the design of an Ultra Precision CMM. For more than 30 years he has been active in de development of high-end mechatronic systems for all kind of precision application e.g. in the semi-conductor, scientific and medical industry. Theo is a member of the ASPE College of Fellows. He joins the Euspen Council for many years, where he co-initiated in 2006 the Special Interest Group of Thermal Effects in Mechatronics Systems, and a member of the ASPE College of Fellows. After working at FEI Electron Optics, he joined in 2010 Mi-Partners, a Dutch engineering company in Eindhoven, focusing on mechatronic development, where he holds the role of CTO. Since the beginning of joining Mi-Partners, he initiated the competence of passive damping with polymers. Several projects has be done successfully since then, showing that this technology can be used in high-end mechatronic applications in a systematic and predictable approach. Theo teaches over 20 years several classes in the field of Mechatronics Systems Design: tutorials and technical courses at universities related to Dynamics & Control, Thermal, Metrology, and Damping with Polymers.
Pieter Wullms obtained his MSc degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Eindhoven University of Technology (The Netherlands) in 2011.
Following the completion of his master’s thesis at MI-Partners, he joined the company in 2011, where he currently holds the position of Mechatronic System Architect. Since 2016, he has also been leading the Passive Damping Competence within MI-Partners. His work focuses on high-performance systems, and he has been actively involved in the development and delivery of training programs related to polymer-based passive damping.