Thierry Spaans Email & Phone Number

Alkmaar, Provincie Noord-Holland, Nederland

Eindhoven Area, Netherlands

PANalytical Eindhoven, manufacturer of X-ray analytical instruments, participates for its X-ray sources in the ‘Meerjarenafspraak Energie-Efficientie’ (MJA-3), an agreement with the Dutch government that is intended to regulate and stimulate energy savings. During this project, I used one of PANalytical’s key X-ray tubes to gain more insight in the direct and indirect energy consumption over the entire life cycle of the product. A dedicated methodology and structural approach for monitoring the total energy demand was established for the company. Various characteristics of materials, components, and processes have been identified to play an important role in the energy demand of manufacturing activities. The detailed results can help the company to determine conscious strategies and can be used to take energy-saving measures. In addition, the results support the monitoring and reporting of annual energy savings with regard to the ‘Meerjarenafspraak Energie-Efficiëntie’. Because reuse and recycling are both good measures for saving resources and decreasing the energy demand of manufacturing, preferred end-of-life strategies for the components and subassemblies of the SST-tube have been proposed using the results of the life cycle assessment. Also, a specific subassembly has been investigated and highlighted as suitable for reuse. By reusing this valuable subassembly in the future, PANalytical Eindhoven could save a lot of energy and money compared to a completely new X-ray tube.

Enschede Area, Netherlands

This project was conducted in the context of the bachelor assignment Industrial Design at the University of Twente. For the reason that few studies on openability of top seal packaging were done at that time and it was still unclear what causes the real problems with opening such packaging, the chair of Packaging Design and Management offered this bachelor assignment. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to identify the underlying problems with opening specific top seal packaging.The study consisted of three parts: Firstly, a theory about the problems with opening a packaging was drawn; secondly, the established theory has been verified through various user tests at care and elderly homes; and finally the results are processed into a final tool that can be used to check a specific top seal packaging on characteristics that may cause problems with opening. Therewith, this study offers a tool that can be used to reveal the causes of underlying problems with opening top seal packaging in an easy and transparent way. After further elaboration, I got the opportunity to apply the scientific method in practice at the Heinz Innovation Centre in Nijmegen, which is the biggest innovation center in Europe. Also, I was invited to hold a speech and to present my scientific research at the '2nd World Seminar on Accessible and Inclusive Design in Packaging' held in the BEST WESTERN PLUS City Hotel in the city of Gouda.

Master Of Science (Msc), Industrial Design Engineering

Main focuses (among others): Packaging Engineering, Sustainability, Brand Management, Cradle-to-Cradle, Life Cycle Assessment, Lean Six.

Bachelor Of Science (Bsc), Bachelor Industrieel Ontwerpen (Industrial Design)

Vwo, Nature & Technology

Subjects N&T: Dutch, Latin, French, German, English, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, History, Economics, Mathematics B.