TPRC is proud to share that Yannick Buser’s research on induction heating of thermoplastic composites has been published in the latest SAMPE Journal (July/August 2025 issue). This publication follows the recognition of the work with the Best Paper Award at last year’s ITHEC Conference.

Yannick's article, titled “Predictive Simulation of Induction Heating for Unidirectional Thermoplastic Composites – Characterization, Validation and Process Sensitivity”, focuses on modelling induction heating for unidirectional (UD) ply-based thermoplastic composites (TPCs).

While induction welding is a commercial success for woven fabric-reinforced TPCs, its adoption for UD ply-based parts significantly lags behind. This research addresses that gap by enabling physics-based simulations supported by reliable electrical characterization, essential for improving process understanding and streamlining the iterative parameter adjustments when materials or tooling change.

TPRC wins best paper award during ITHEC 2024 (picture: Oliver Saul)

Overview of the simulation model used for replicating the induction heating experiments numerically

The validated model enabled a sensitivity analysis of the induction heating patterns. This significantly enhances our understanding of the origins of process sensitivity in induction welding and suggests strategies to the industry for improving process stability. The findings are an important step for maturing induction welding.

This research was co-written by Erik Krämer, Remko Akkerman, and Wouter Grouve.

Read the full article

This is the second Best Paper Award for TPRC. The first was awarded in 2018 for Tjitse Slange’s research “Rapid Manufacturing of a Tailored Spar by AFP and Stamp Forming”, in which Yannick played a key role as a graduation student.