TANIQ Turns 20
TANIQ, the Dutch engineering company that pioneered robotic automation for reinforced rubber and composite manufacturing, is marking its 20th anniversary.
Founded in 2006 as a spin-off from the Aerospace Faculty of Delft University of Technology, TANIQ began with the ambition to apply engineering and automation principles to solve complex design and manufacturing challenges in the rubber industry. Twenty years later, this has resulted in a unique technology platform, combining inhouse developed CAD/CAM software TaniqWind, with robotic systems. These systems are designed for rubber winding, filament winding and Automated Fiber Placement (AFP), providing automated manufacturing solutions for reinforced rubber and composite products.
TaniqWind Pro – TANIQ’s powerful in-house developed filament winding software
“When we started, many reinforced rubber products like dredging hoses, air springs and pipe-plugs, were fiber-reinforced by manually applying fabric sheets. We saw an opportunity to optimize these fiber constructions using aerospace engineering principles and automate the process with fiber winding machines. Although the industry was using CNC machines, we believed robots would offer more capabilities and flexibility. That was the start of our robotic winding technology,” says Sören Blomaard, co-founder and director of TANIQ. He adds: “Working together with clients, we extended robotic winding to materials including rubber, tape, and metal wire. This meant we could automate the application of all the different materials used in their composite products. After 20 years of developing robotic winding technology, in recent years we have seen the industry shift toward demand for more advanced automation using robots.”
This collaborative approach has since become central to TANIQ’s work in the rubber industry. Today, the company is a turn-key supplier that helps clients optimize product designs and develop automated production processes and equipment. Instead of automating the manual process, TANIQ uses an integrated approach by optimizing the design first, then making it suitable for automated production. Having in-depth knowhow of the products and the automation systems makes TANIQ a unique partner to complete these projects in minimum time and costs.
TANIQ’s Scorpo Taurus Robotics – automated production for large size products
Around 2017, the company expanded into the composite industry in response to the growing demand for advanced filament winding software for hydrogen storage pressure vessels. TaniqWind Pro became a core part of this development, providing software for the design and manufacturing of filament-wound composite products. As the company’s work in composites grew, it became clear that products such as pressure vessels and rocket components often require multiple materials and manufacturing processes. Traditionally, these processes rely on separate software and machines. Drawing on its experience with multi-material automation in the rubber industry, TANIQ developed a solution that combines filament winding and AFP within a single software environment and robotic system. The system can automatically switch between processes, allowing different reinforcement strategies to be integrated into one manufacturing workflow. More recently, the solution has been extended to include the application of rubber layers, following requests from clients working on rocket applications.
TANIQ’s Multi-Process Solution – combining filament winding, automated fiber placement, and rubber winding, all within a single software and robotic cell
Behind all these technologies are the people who make them possible. Over the past 20 years, TANIQ has brought together a team with expertise, knowledge, and experience across different fields. Together, they remain a driving force behind the company’s development and progress today.
As TANIQ enters its third decade, the company will continue building on the knowledge and experience gained over the past 20 years. It will further develop its single system solutions, combining advanced software and robotics. To achieve this, TANIQ will strengthen its collaborations with clients to understand their requirements and translate these insights into powerful tools that engineers love to work with.
About TANIQ
TANIQ is a Dutch engineering and technology company specializing in advanced software, robotic manufacturing systems, and integrated production solutions for reinforced rubber and composite products. Founded in 2006 as a spin-off from the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at Delft University of Technology, TANIQ helps manufacturers transform complex, knowledge-intensive production processes into controlled, repeatable, and scalable digital workflows. From its headquarters in Rotterdam, TANIQ serves customers worldwide across industries including aerospace, energy, hydrogen storage, industrial manufacturing, marine, mining, and infrastructure.