Bert Lauwers

About

Bert Lauwers is a leading researcher in advanced manufacturing and industrial robotics, with key contributions in robotic force control and additive manufacturing. His work bridges the gap between academia and industry, focusing on practical, high-impact solutions. His most cited paper, "Implementation of Industrial Robot Force Control Case Study: High Power Stub Grinding and Deburring" (2006, 37 citations), demonstrates the successful integration of external sensor systems for high-bandwidth force control in industrial robots, enabling precise tasks like grinding and deburring. This work, stemming from a joint industry-academia project, has significantly advanced robotic machining capabilities. More recently, Lauwers has pioneered Wire and Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM), as highlighted in his 2020 paper (23 citations), which develops low-cost production processes for prototype metal components. By leveraging existing welding technology, WAAM offers a material- and cost-efficient solution for medium to large parts, making it accessible to small and medium enterprises. Additionally, his earlier work on CAD/CAM-based collision-free robot programming (2001) laid groundwork for automating complex machining tasks. With a career spanning over two decades, Lauwers continues to shape the future of manufacturing through innovative, industry-relevant research.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Implementation of Industrial Robot Force Control Case Study: High Power Stub Grinding and Deburring

   37 citations · 2006
2. 2
   Development of low-cost production process for prototype components based on Wire and Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM)

   23 citations · 2020
3. 3
   CAD/CAM based generation of collision free robot programs through the integration of a virtual machining environment

   3 citations · 2001

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links