Poster Award Winner 2022: Hellen De Coninck’s Fiber Integration Achievement

From Polymers to Fiber Integration: KU Leuven Quest for Laser Sintering Enhancement

In this interview, we delve into the insights the Poster Award winner of 2022 Hellen De Coninck, a doctoral researcher at KU Leuven, as she discusses her groundbreaking work on integrating glass fibers into the laser sintering process. Through collaboration with her colleagues, Hellen has made significant progress in her research, presenting her findings at the Materials Forum 2022 and receiving the Poster Award. This interview offers a glimpse into Hellen’s journey and the challenges she encountered along the way.

During the interview, Hellen expresses her satisfaction with the teamwork involved in her research. As a researcher at KU Leuven, she collaborated with her colleagues to delve deeper into the integration of glass fibers and laser sintering. Together, they developed a robust deposition system that showed promising results. Hellen’s enthusiasm shines through as she recounts presenting her work at the SIM Materialsforum and receiving encouraging feedback from the audience.

Hellen participated in the Materials Forum 2022 and presented her poster showcasing the innovative work on integrating glass fibers into laser sintering. Her presentation stood out among the submissions, earning her the first prize and 750 euros in prize money. This recognition not only affirms the significance of her research but also provides valuable financial support to further her exploration of additive manufacturing technologies.

Hellen’s dedication to her field is evident as she discusses the challenges inherent in her research. Finding new materials suitable for laser sintering proved to be an obstacle. However, she adopted an innovative approach by working with polyamide twelve and considering the incorporation of fiberglass and carbon fiber. Her commitment to pushing the boundaries of knowledge highlights the importance of additive manufacturing and laser sintering in her specific field of study.

Do you want to discover the whole story? Be sure to watch the interview below and get to know more about Hellen’s research story!