MASTERS ONLY (Starting in Feb '27? Scroll down)
Are you looking for the opportunity to apply your Master’s knowledge to a real-life challenge within a company? The IEM Project gives you the opportunity to work on a concrete consultancy project in which you can make a direct contribution to an organisation while gaining valuable practical experience alongside your studies.
The projects below will start in week 42 and run for approximately 14 weeks. Each student spends approximately 140 hours on the project and receives 5 extracurricular ECTS WMIE024-05 upon successful completion. Most projects are carried out by a team of two students; the Polomnis project will be carried out by one student.
Students work in duos independently on their project while collaborating directly with the participating company. In addition to the project experience, the IEM Project also includes our reward trip to Tanzania*.
Apply before the 30th of September 18:00! Not available for the October round? Students interested in participating in the February 2027 round can also indicate their interest through the application form.
Projects first round:
1.Lotus Bakeries Nederland B.V. | Feasibility Study and Business Case for a Professional Production Planning Tool
Project Description:
Within Lotus Bakeries Nederland B.V., production planning at the production sites in Sint Johannesga, Enkhuizen, and Geldrop is currently supported to a large extent by Excel and the local knowledge of planners. The planning methods and level of complexity differ between the bakeries and have not yet been compared in an integrated way. As a result, there is limited insight into the main bottlenecks, differences, and improvement opportunities at each site, while the planning process remains relatively dependent on individual planners.
Lotus Bakeries Nederland B.V. therefore wants to investigate how production planning can be organised in a smarter, more efficient, and more scalable way. The project will first focus on analysing and comparing the current planning processes and identifying the most significant improvement opportunities. Subsequently, different solution directions will be explored, including traditional planning tools, AI agents, workflow automation, and other digital solutions. The fit with the future IT landscape, including SAP S/4HANA, will also be taken into account.
An important part of the project is quantifying the potential business value. The study will assess to what extent improvements could contribute to, for example, fewer product changeovers, better line utilisation, higher output, and reduced dependency on individual planners. Based on these findings, the most promising solution directions will be further developed and compared as the basis for a substantiated business case and future decision-making.
2.Frisia Zout | Technical and Economic Feasibility Study of Energy Recovery Using Pressure Retarded Osmosis
Project Description:
Within its production process, Frisia Zout has access to a highly concentrated brine stream and a significantly larger cooling water stream taken in from the harbour. According to the currently available information, the brine flow is approximately 20–35 m³/h, while around 5,000 m³/h of cooling water is available. Frisia Zout wants to investigate whether the large concentration difference between these streams can be used to recover energy through Pressure Retarded Osmosis (PRO). The generated energy would preferably be used directly within the existing production process.
The project focuses on a technical and economic feasibility study of PRO. It will investigate how much energy can theoretically and practically be recovered, how the composition and potential contamination of the process streams may affect performance, which modifications to the existing process would be required, and what investment and operational costs would be associated with implementation. The aim is to provide Frisia Zout with a well-founded basis for deciding whether further engineering, a pilot installation, or continued development of PRO is worthwhile.
3.Polomnis BV | Feasibility Study of Sustainable Alternatives for Polyester Safety and Information Panels (1 student)
Project Description:
Polomnis BV, based in Kampen, produces polyester safety, information, and route panels, among other products. These panels are strong, lightweight, and have a long service life, but they are difficult to reuse at the end of their lifecycle. At the same time, sustainability is becoming increasingly important for customers and in tender procedures. Polomnis therefore wants to investigate how a more sustainable alternative could be introduced alongside the current polyester product within approximately one year.
The project focuses on a technical and economic feasibility study of materials that could partially or fully replace polyester. Different material alternatives, including potentially hemp-based materials, will be assessed based on technical properties, sustainability, safety, costs, and applicability within the current production process. The aim is to identify one or more promising material directions and define concrete next steps toward material testing, prototyping, and further product development.
4.Nieland SMI | Further Development of a Measurement and Projection System for Automated Cold Forming of Metal Plates
Project Description:
Nieland B.V. is working on the further automation of a cold-forming press for metal plates, including applications in the shipbuilding industry. The current process is highly dependent on experienced operators, who manually move the plate through the press and use their knowledge and experience to determine how it should be further formed. Nieland has already developed a functional R&D model using multiple Time-of-Flight cameras, point cloud measurements, and initial tests with projection technologies.
The project focuses on further development toward a Proof of Concept and prototype. As several technical challenges are still open, the students will determine together with Nieland at the start of the project which one or more subtopics will receive the main focus.
- Possible research directions include:
- Optimising the alignment and positioning of the TOF cameras;
- Improving the quality and reliability of the point cloud;
- Matching the point cloud with the CAD model;
- Investigating the influence of different lighting conditions and production environments;
- Developing a suitable method for projecting information onto the plate for the operator;
- Designing the interaction between the operator and the measurement and projection system;
- Investigating which data should be collected and analysed during practical testing;
- Applying knowledge of material deformation, strain, and plate thickness;
- Exploring further automation of moving the plate through the press.
Application Process:
Interested in joining the IEM Project? Apply through the Google Form below. Within the form, you can indicate your preferred case or cases. Please upload your CV and motivation letter, in which you explain your relevant skills, experience, and motivation for participating in the IEM Project and your preferred project(s). Interviews will take place on 2nd, 5th and 6th of October for the cases starting in October!
Apply before Wednesday 30th of September 18:00 via:
https://forms.gle/Cex5gn8W9X1aaJPh6
*A €750 personal contribution is required as a temporary emergency fund for the trip. The intention is that this amount will be returned to you after the trip and once your project has been successfully completed, provided the emergency fund has not been needed.
Students starting in Feb '27:
Are you interested in participating in the February 2027 round instead? We encourage you to apply now as well. This does not commit you to participating in February. Your application simply helps us get a better understanding of the potential candidates, their interests, and their skills. This allows us to take these preferences into account when acquiring and selecting suitable cases for the February round.
