The European programme CRAFT (Research for SMEs) supports small groups of innovative SMEs in order to collaboratively solve technological problems. The projects have a relatively small time span and are aimed at the innovation needs of the participating SMEs. The participating companies are selected on how well their research results can be commercially exploited. The research is outsourced to multiple research institutes, companies and universities from different European countries.

Van der Meer & van Tilburg carried out the management of the JODIS (Joining Dissimilar materials) project. In this project, the process of the joining of steel and aluminium with the use of laser technology was researched.