Nine nominations for Wim van der Hoek Award 2025

This year there were no fewer than nine nominations for the Wim van der Hoek Award. The former Philips engineer and professor by special appointment at Eindhoven University of Technology passed away in 2019 at the age of 94, but his ideas are still taught and his name lives on in this eponymous prize. The jury for the award received nine nominations for students from one university of technology and three universities of applied sciences who applied existing or new design principles in their graduation work in an appealing way. The award will be presented for the 20th time on Thursday 13 November under the auspices of DSPE (Dutch Society for Precision Engineering). The award ceremony will take place in Den Bosch (NL) during the second day of the Precision Fair.

The Wim van der Hoek Award – also known as the Constructors Award – was introduced in 2006 to mark the 80th birthday of the Dutch doyen of design engineering principles, Wim van der Hoek. The objective was, and continues to be, to promote and stimulate the discipline of mechanical engineering. This award includes a certificate, a trophy produced by the Leidse instrumentmakers School and a sum of money sponsored by DSPE.

Best graduation project

The Wim van der Hoek Award is presented every year to the person with the best graduation project in the field of design in mechanical engineering at a university of technology (TU) or a university of applied sciences (UAS) in the Netherlands or Belgium. Criteria for the assessment of the graduation theses include the quality of the design, its substantiation and innovativeness, as well as its suitability for use in teaching design principles. This year the jury, under the presidency of DSPE board member Jos Gunsing (MaromeTech), received nine nominations, submitted by the graduation supervisor/professor of each student concerned. The nominations came from TU Eindhoven and Avans, Fontys and Utrecht UAS.

Candidates

Luuk Bolhuis (Utrecht UAS)	Grasping marine environments WASP – Design of a robotic arm to perform research with the Robosub AUV “Luuk has worked in a multidisciplinary team on the development of a hydraulic robotic arm for an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV). With his technical skills, he oversaw the entire project and designed and implemented various components. He distinguishes himself with his technical expertise, willingness to learn, team spirit and willingness to share new knowledge. Luuk combines analytical thinking with practical implementation skills and an open, collaborative personality.”
Kevin van den Boom (TU Eindhoven)	Mechatronic design of a 3-DoF long stroke motion stage actuated via a vacuum feedthrough for E-Beam applications “Kevin has worked on the mechatronic design of a long-stroke positioning system for electron microscopy with three degrees of freedom. He designed a parallel manipulator consisting of four SCARA robots. Kevin carried out his project very independently and demonstrated exceptional analytical and design skills. A good example of this is the introduction of internal degrees of freedom to overcome overdetermination, thus achieving predictable dynamic behaviour.”
Deveron Gibbes (Fontys UAS)	Compliant end effector – Design, realisation and implementation of a two-axis compliant end effector with pick-and-release mechanism for automated magnet stacking “Deveron has achieved a fantastic result with his graduation project. He’s a highly motivated, friendly and cheerful young professional who tackles technical challenges with enthusiasm. He addresses problems head-on, uses his communication skills to consult with colleagues and utilises his strong technical background to bring a project to a successful conclusion.”
Diederik van Inzen (Fontys UAS)	Design of a 1 DoF flexure guide in a passive seismometer “Diederik has designed and built a hyper-sensitive 1-DoF leafspring guide for the Einstein Telescope, intended for use in a seismometer. This technical and creative feat demonstrates not only his innovative strength but also his ability to structure complex problems and arrive at a working solution. He combines analytical skills with perseverance and high personal standards. Diederik works in a goal-oriented, logical and structured manner, while also maintaining an eye for collaboration and the greater good.”
Sef van Lier (Fontys UAS)	Design of a 3-DoF Load Cell for Dynamic Stiffness Analysis of Viscoelastic Materials “Sef has clearly analysed a complex issue and translated it into a concrete and usable design. His project revolved around a clear and well-thought-out design, in which he applied fundamental design principles in a logical manner. He is a pleasure to work with, has an open and constructive approach, and thus contributes to a positive and professional work environment.”
Wietse Maas (TU Eindhoven)	Concept optimization of system dynamics of a wafer metrology tool “Wietse has worked on optimising a system dynamics concept for a wafer-metrology system. He further investigated two damping principles and ultimately developed a completely new design principle in the ‘Design for Damping’ category. His design resulted in a patent application. He demonstrated his ability to successfully complete a broad mechanical engineering design project, combining mechanical design with theoretical and experimental analysis.”
Lars Markus (Avans UAS)	Low-Vibration direct-drive canned motor for a tesla Pump “Lars has completed a complex project at a high-tech company that attaches high value to design principles. He developed an innovative engine concept that in a smart way integrates multiple functions into an elegant and technically sophisticated design. Lars excels in practical research, with a pragmatic approach and in-depth knowledge of the subject matter. As chair of the student association, he also contributed to fostering connections between students among themselves and with the teaching staff.”
Stijn Nulle (Avans UAS)	High acceleration 1 DoF stage – High acceleration, high precision “Stijn has developed system dynamics, control engineering and drive technology for his project. His results also include detailed, in-depth solutions based on design principles. He is enthusiastic and possesses excellent communication and stakeholder management skills. He is also a co-founder of the student team Advantix, which is developing a race car to compete in Formula Student.”
Niek Wubben (Fontys UAS)	Development of an Automatic Detector Exchange System for Philips IGT Machines – A Medical Robotic Tool Changer “Niek has developed a system for an IGT (Image Guided Therapy) machine with challenging repeatability requirements. He came up with an elegant concept based on a garden-hose connector. His design avoids complex geometries and can be produced using conventional manufacturing techniques. Niek has a good technical insight and picks up new knowledge very quickly. He is very decisive and results-driven, and looks at a problem from multiple aspects, which yields a more complete solution”

The presentation will be on Thursday 14 November, 4:15 p.m., at the Precision Fair in the Brabanthallen in Den Bosch (NL).