Ever wondered how industrial print systems are made faster, smarter and more compact?
Are you interested in tuning control loops, improving experimental hardware and programming real mechatronic systems in a professional R&D environment?
 

Your assignment - context
Large-format print systems are used to produce applications such as posters, banners, self-adhesive graphics and wallpaper. Within Canon Production Printing we continuously explore new ways to add value to printed output and to extend what our industrial inkjet systems can do.

In this assignment you will work on embellishment processes that are being  used for large format printing. The current setup demonstrates the principle, but the next step is to bring the process towards full platform speeds while making the hardware concept more compact, robust and controllable.

The challenge is strongly mechatronic; examples are thin film handling, web transport, cartridge design, tension control, actuator behavior, sensor feedback and process timing all interact. You will investigate how the present hardware and control strategy can be improved, and you will validate your ideas through experiments on a dedicated test setup.

The specifics of your assignment may include
•    Characterizing the current embellishment setup and identifying speed-limiting mechanisms in web handling, thin film handling, tension control and process synchronization.
•    Tuning and improving control loops, web/thin film tension or actuator timing, using experimental data and system-identification thinking.
•    Improving the hardware concept to support higher process speeds and a more compact machine layout, including sensor selection, mounting/cartridge concepts, mechanical adaptations and cable/signal routing.
•    Programming and adapting control or data-acquisition software for experimentation, logging, visualization and repeatable test execution.
•    Designing and executing experiments to quantify process stability, repeatability, operating window and failure modes at increasing speed.
•    Translating the findings into practical design recommendations for the next iteration of the embellishment process.

Research areas
•    High-speed web and media handling: determine which mechanical or dynamic effects become dominant when moving towards full print speeds.
•    Control-loop performance: improve speed, stability and disturbance rejection without making the system overly sensitive or difficult to tune.
•    Compact hardware design: explore how the present setup can be simplified, integrated or redesigned while maintaining accessibility for tests and maintenance.
•    Process robustness: study what causes wrinkles, slip, tension peaks, misalignment or unstable transfer, and determine how to detect or prevent these issues.
•    Experimental validation: create a practical test approach with clear KPIs, logging, comparison methods and recommendations for follow-up development.

Deliverables
•    A structured report describing the analysis, experiments, control-loop tuning, hardware recommendations, and validation of results.
•    A working experimental improvement or prototype change, where feasible, including documented settings and software/scripts used during testing.
•    A concise design recommendation for bringing the process closer to full print speeds and towards a more compact module concept.
•    An end presentation for CPP colleagues and participation in the bi-annual poster presentation event.

Your profile - you are:
•    Currently studying HBO or WO mechatronics, mechanical engineering, systems & control, applied physics or a related engineering discipline.
•    Interested in the combination of mechanics, electronics, sensors, control engineering and practical experimentation.
•    Hands-on: comfortable working around experimental hardware and eager to build, test, debug and improve.
•    Able to program or willing to learn, for example in Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, PLC-style environments or similar tools used for data acquisition and control.
•    Critical toward experimental results, both in terms of measurement quality and engineering interpretation.
•    Available for an internship or graduation assignment of approximately 4 to 6 months for a minimum of 4 days per week.

What's in it for you?
•    A challenging assignment with skilled coaching in an industrial R&D environment.
•    The opportunity to work on a real mechatronic development problem involving mechanics, control, software and experimentation.
•    Internship / graduation compensation of €500,- per month.
•    Travel cost compensation if you don’t have an ‘OV-weekcard’.
•    The possibility to network with professionals inside and outside your field of expertise and join our “Young Canon” activities.

Your internship takes part in a varied and multi-cultural team that explores the boundaries of print technology and is eager to help. Usually we have multiple interns present working on various topics, so there is plenty of opportunity to exchange experiences and have a friendly chat.

Interested?
Are you interested in this assignment? Please click on the button 'apply now' where you can upload your resume and motivation letter. If you would like to receive more information concerning this assignment, please contact Karel Knechten (internship supervisor). If you have questions about internships in general, please contact careers@cpp.canon.