At the intersection of cutting-edge research and practical engineering lies DEMO, the Service for Electronic and Mechanical Development at Delft University of Technology. Whether it’s building an advanced radar system or controlling a wind tunnel experiment, DEMO plays a vital behind-the-scenes role in turning ambitious research ideas into functional, real-world solutions. In this article, we explore DEMO’s expertise, their long-standing use of NI LabVIEW, and the collaboration with CN Rood. Rein van den Oever, head of DEMO – location EWI, shares his insights into how this team drives innovation at one of Europe’s leading technical universities.
Engineering Solutions at the Heart of Delft University of Technology
DEMO is an essential support service of the university operating from multiple locations across the campus. The team assists researchers in developing complex experimental setups, prototypes, and custom hardware and software. “The expertise of DEMO is mainly rooted in the mechanical and electronic engineering realm,” says Rein van den Oever. “It ranges from the very small to the very big and from quite simple to very complex setups.” DEMO’s team includes both electronic and mechanical design engineers, backed by advanced manufacturing capabilities. While their main focus is on supporting internal researchers, DEMO also takes on select external projects.
LabVIEW as a Key Development Platform
LabVIEW has been a central part of DEMO’s toolkit since 2003. Especially in projects that demand short development cycles and flexible data acquisition, LabVIEW, often paired with National Instruments’ compact-RIO hardware, is an ideal solution. “LabVIEW has been used more in projects where relatively short development times are important and where the form factor of the end solution is less important,” Van den Oever explains. Applications include fatigue testing setups, V-track test system, wind tunnel control, motion control of the TU-Delft Parsax radar and general data acquisition setups.
DEMO also helped restart the TUD LabVIEW User Group (TUD LUG), hosting meetups for researchers and developers. “We gladly accepted the invitation of NI, because we value a lively community where researchers and developers can exchange ideas and knowledge to support and boost research.”
A Strong Collaboration with CN Rood
As part of its continued development, DEMO works closely with CN Rood for the procurement of National Instruments products and general technical support. “We have already ordered several products from CN Rood and are very satisfied with their service and know-how,” says Van den Oever. CN Rood has proven to be highly capable in addressing general questions and providing solid guidance on NI products. “For deep technical support, we can still rely on the expertise available directly from National Instruments,” he adds. This dual approach ensures that DEMO can continue to deliver reliable, high-quality solutions while benefiting from both local service and specialized global support.
English (UK)