NEOHIRE project holds its fourth Consortium Meeting

Last April, the NEOHIRE Consortium, formed by 10 partners, met at KOLEKTOR premises in Essen (Germany) to analyze the evolution of the project. Members of the Advisory Board and the Technical Monitor also were present at this meeting. The progress made so far in the project was presented to them and they gave their recommendations to continue the lines of research initiated.

NEOHIRE aims to reduce the dependence on magnet material for the manufacture of electric motors and generators. In this scenario Cidaut presented the status of the Work Package 3 of the project, which is related to the design, modeling and simulation of a novel full-scale wind turbine generator using the magnets developed in the project.

For more information on NEOHIRE, please visit http://neohire.eu/

The VALORCOMP project reviews its results until the first quarter of 2019

On March 29, 2019, coinciding at the end of the first quarter of the year, the VALORCOMP consortium met to monitor all its activities. This time, the meeting was held at the University of Valladolid at its headquarters of the School of Industrial Engineering. As usual and once demonstrating the cohesion of the working group, representatives of the whole consortium attended: Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB, Principal Beneficiary), CIDAUT Foundation, University of Valladolid (UVa), Resíduos do Nordeste (RN) and Nertatec.

The topics discussed during the meeting were related with the technical, the coordination and communication committees.

Within the technical committee, the main objective of the meeting was to share the progress of the work in each of the aspects of compost use in the framework of the project. CIDAUT presented the results obtained in pelletized compost tests on a real scale, which have been very satisfactory. Likewise, the preliminary results of the pilot scale tests of fluidized bed gasification were shown and the next realization of combustion tests in updraft boilers was proposed. IPB made a presentation on the progress of the modeling of the adsorption process for the separation of CO2 using the activated carbons of activity 2 and it was proposed to carry out validation tests. In the framework of activity 2, the results of carbonization of the compost were shown using two different techniques: hydrotreatment (HTC) and functional carbonization by TEOS and EDTA. Activity 2 concluded with advances in the use of compost in construction materials and the results of temperature tests. Within activity 3 of agronomic use, the UVa presented the results of nutrients extraction using microwaves with water and KOH and it was carried out a comparison with the conventional method. The results seem very promising with this new technique fulfilling the criteria for its use as a liquid fertilizer. The realization of a global technical-economic balance of the process is proposed. On its side, IPB made a review of the characterization of leachates obtained at Residuos do Nordeste plant, highlighting its great heterogeneity and its use as fertilizer. Given the progress of the project, Nertatec made a presentation of the tasks addressed in activity 4 where a collection of waste generation data has been done in Castilla y León waste treatment plants. It intends to be extrapolated to the area of Portugal where the project is being developed. The content of the data sheets elaborated in the activity was explained in order to collect the information of the processes studied and evaluate their potential application.

In relation to communication activities, it was reviewed the publications generated during the project and the next congresses where the results of VALORCOMP will be disseminated. Likewise, it was proposed to hold two workshops of dissemination of the results on dates close to the end of the project. One of them will be held in Spain in July and the other one will be held in the Portuguese area in September.

Finally all the partners were summoned to a next meeting in July 2019 in Valladolid with two purposes: to carry out the follow-up meeting of the project and the workshops jointly.

This project is co-financed by the programme of cooperation INTERREG V-A Spain-Portugal (POCTEP) 2014-2020 and will run until September 2019. Project VALORCOMP aims to contribute cooperatively to solve cross-border problems in the valorisation of waste generated in the treatment of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste.

Bracketweld project: final results.

The Bracketweld project, led by the CIDAUT and granted by the clean sky programme JTI-CS2-2014-CFP01-LPA-02-03 GAP, number 686611, presented his final results on 28th frebuary 2019.

The general objective of the BRACKETWELD project has been to develop an innovative technology for the rapid assembly of thermoplastic supports so that there is an improvement in the integration of these materials, in particular supports of thermoplastics material as PEI, with the thermosetting composite components currently used in aircraft structures. It also seeks to be a greener, efficient and cost-effective solution than the current ones.

This innovative assembly technology is based on the idea of using the fast and efficient ultrasonic welding technology to assemble thermoplastic brackets to thermosetting composite structural components.

As thermosetting materials cannot be welded, a thermoplastic surface media has to be strongly attached to the thermosetting composite structure by a co-curing process, being this surface media used as an anchor interface for the latterly welding of the thermoplastic brackets by any fusion bonding technique, and especially by the ultrasonic welding.

The key challenge for the development of this innovative technology will be the development of the appropriate surface media that must be compatible with the typical thermoplastic materials used for the injection of brackets (PA, PEEK, PEI,..) while at the same time achieving a very high adhesion strength to the thermosetting composite laminate during the curing of the structural components.

With the objetive to achieve a succesful results, three great phases was developement:

In the first, an innovative test method was developed combining different mechanical and lab tests to analyze the performance of the co-cured welded joints. This test method was used to assess the compatibility and the behaviour of a large series of commericial references of surface medias, and also of in-house developed formulations for surface media.

The second was focused on the validation of  the conclusions obtained in the first part of the project . It was necessary implied a redefintion of the welding procedure and parameters. New samples were welded to validate the performance of the welding tool and ensure that the performance of the welded joints was not affected by this change.

And finally,in the third phase, the curved panels were produced, after the tooling design and manufacture, the chosen surface medias were co-cured and welders were used to manufacture a new series of curved panels. These welded joints were analyzed under different condtions (room temperature and hot and wet) and load cases (axial and transversal) comparing the performances of the joints versus those of the previous stage and the different load cases and situations. This analysis has resulted in a series of recommendations for the future market uptake of the project technologies.

The success in the development of the activities proposed in the BRACKETWELD contributes to the development of the rapid assembly process for the integration of brackets and fittings into structural thermosetting composite components leading to significant advantages related to the reduction in weight (associated to the change from metal to thermoplastic brackets), assembly costs and energy reductions compared to the current adhesive bonding methods, since is that there is no need for surface preparation, adhesives, and curing time nor expensive quality control procedures. To illustrate the magnitude of the benefits achieved by the development of this rapid assembly technology, it has to be considered the number of ten thousand brackets used today in the A350-XWB, and this allow us to contributed to the achievement the innovative assembly technology through the evaluation of the performance of the assembly itself in accordance with the specifications of typical aeronautical requirements used in the joined/bonded supports.

Much knowledge has been generated during the project that will enable the technology update in the future, though higher TRL levels call for larger experimental campaigns, and more robust manual welding tool design. This may be exploited not only for the specific application of System-Structure integration in aviation, but also for the general development of the welding capability for thermosetting composites that may be useful in other applications and sectors.

For instance, the laboratory characterization methodologies and the procedures for the elaboration of suitable surface media that have been developed in the project for the specific application of ultrasonic welding of PEI brackets will be also useful for:

  • the rapid assembly of thermosetting composite components with suitable surface medias using the welding techniques already industrialized for thermoplastic composites like resistance or induction welding,
  • the assembly of thermosetting composites with suitable surface medias to thermoplastic components or thermoplastic composite components,
  • the capability to manufacture hybrid components (thermoset composite-thermoplastic) by over-moulding a thermoset composite component having a suitable surface media with a thermoplastic material by injection moulding for an added functionality.

These potential new capabilities for thermosetting composite components will have a positive impact for the reduction of current assembly times and costs, increasing the number of applications of composite lightweight materials in Transport Sectors for reducing vehicle weights, fuel consumptions and emissions. For instance, in the Automotive Sector, where the need for lightweight materials is increasing and the use of composite materials will grow. The development of rapid and reliable joining technologies for thermosetting composite components may boost the current developments related to the use of carbon fibre composites in vehicle structures, since the assembly and repair of these structures is nowadays a handicap compared to the traditionally used steel and aluminium structures.

More information https://www.cidaut.es/bracketweld-project/about/

CIDAUT becomes associated partner of ARCADE

ARCADE (Aligning Research & Innovation for Connected and Automated Driving in Europe) is a Coordination and Support Action coordinated by Ertico under the Horizon 2020 Programme. The Consortium consists of 24 partners from 11 different countries. It is a 36 months project that started the 1st of October 2018.

ARCADE coordinates consensus-building across stakeholders for sound and harmonized deployment of Connected, Cooperative and Automated Driving (CAD).

ARCADE supports the commitment of the European Commission, the European Member States and the industry to develop a common approach to development, testing, validation and deployment of CAD in Europe and beyond.

The ARCADE project aims to establish a joint stakeholders forum in order to coordinate and harmonize automated road transport approaches at European (e.g. strategic alignment of national action plans for automated driving) and international level (in particular with the US and Japan). Towards this objective, ARCADE will organise the Second European CAD conference in 2019 and is open to associated partners beyond the confinements of the consortium.

Associated partners of ARCADE Project

ARCADE objectives are:

  • Cooperation between all CAD stakeholders(e.g. industry, research, member states, European Commission and international partners) from the different sectors (e.g. automotive, infrastructure, ICT and service provisions)
  • Coordination of cooperation efforts between all programmes, initiatives and projects, including national and European research programmes as well international cooperation activities
  • Exchange of knowledge, lessons andexperiences from past and ongoing activities at national, European and international level
  • Consensus buildingon CAD deployment scenarios and research needs for connected and automated driving

STEEL S4 EV Project has held its First Steering Committee Meeting

The six partners of the Consortium (Cidaut, IFEVS, Belgian Welding Institute, Lulea Technical University, Magnetto Automotive and thinkstep) have met at thinstep’s facilities in Stuttgart to discuss about the evolution of the project. STEEL S4 EV aims at putting high strength steel at the forefront of a new trend in electric vehicles: light vehicles with three or four wheels that comply with crash regulation and with more restrictive Euro NCAP demands. Weld joint design and welding methodologies research to keep material properties along the joints assuring robustness and long term durability. To do this cost competitively low investment manufacturing will be achieved by a modular and flexible structural design: a complex 3D skeleton frame of welded tubes, bent with high accuracy using programmed laser cuts will enable different vehicles sharing the same tooling.

Representatives of the six partners involved in STEEL S4 EV project

This is the First Steering Committee Meeting and it has been hold in the fifth month of the project. All the project activities are running in accordance to the timing. This time special attention has been paid to the input data needed for the Life Cycle Assessment.

SAFE STRIP Project crosses its Equator

The Safe Strip Consortium, formed by 18 partners, has met in Brussels with the Project Officer to analyze the evolution of the project. SAFE STRIP aims to introduce a disruptive technology that will achieve to embed C-ITS applications in existing road infrastructure, including novel I2V and V2I, as well as VMS/VSL functions into low-cost, integrated strips markers on the road; to make roads self-explanatory (with personalized in-vehicle messages) and forgiving (due to advanced cooperative functions) for all road users (trucks, cars and vulnerable road users, such as PTWs riders) and all vehicle generations (non-equipped, C-ITS equipped, autonomous), with reduced maintenance cost, full recyclability and added value services, as well as supporting real-time predictive road maintenance functions.

Different prototypes of the strips to be used in the user’s trials

In this scenario Cidaut presented the status of the sixth Work Package of the project, which is related to the users’ trials that will get into the crucial phase of the project in several weeks. In this Work Package, the C-ITS applications will be tested by different users, with different driving profiles in order to understand how is the answer of different drivers to the applications developed during the project.

The review meeting was a good occasion to show the actual status of the prototypes of the strips that will be used along the users’ trials.

MOVBIO disseminates the first results of the project

Last 12th December 2018, a practical training workshop entitled “LAST NOVELTIES IN THE ENERGY USE OF BIOMASS PRUNING” was held in Valladolid.

This workshop was organized by Fundación CIDAUT and was supported by INSTITUTO PARA LA COMPETITIVIDAD EMPRESARIAL DE CASTILLA Y LÉON (ICE) within the framework of Centr@tec Program. The following entities have taken part in the event: Instituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla y León (ITACYL), Sociedad Pública de Infraestructuras y Medio Ambiente de Castilla y León (SOMACYL), Centro para la Valorização de Resíduos de Portugal (CVR), Centro de Desarrollo de Energías Renovables del Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CEDER-CIEMAT), Fundación CIRCE and Agencia Energética Municipal de Valladolid (AEMVA) jointly with many interested companies: i.e Matarromera winerie, CONTRADI…

Several presentations were used to show the first results of the MOVBIO project as part of the agenda. These presentations were mainly referred to studies of pruning biomass potential in Castilla y León and northern Portugal, informing of the first conclusions obtained from the different energy recovery options for this kind of biomass.

SOMACYL has taken advantage of the event to comment its experiences in the use of biomass for district heating and Fundación CIRCE and CEDER-CIEMAT have explained their participation in European projects where the use of pruning biomass as a biofuel is also studied and promoted.

CIDAUT contributes to Circular Economy in the Automotive sector

With the aim of boosting the regional economy, the Junta de Castilla y León assumed the commitment through a Circular Economy Strategy in the government program presented by the President of the Junta de Castilla y León in July 2015. In this context, in order to help disseminate the circular economy and promote initiatives in cooperation, on November 29, 2018 it was held a conference. The objective was to contribute to knowledge, debate and exchange experiences about opportunities and challenges posed by a circular economy model for businesses and entrepreneurs of Castilla y León of the value chain of the automotive sector.

The first was focused on the analysis of the opportunities of the Circular Economy to the automotive sector through the elaboration of a questionnaire sent to the companies and relevant entities of the Castilla y Leon automotive sector. This analysis would be integrated into the global report that is being carried out by the work group of automotive Observatory of Castilla y León in 2018.

The second presentation had a practical application and addressed success stories in Circular Economy projects carried out by CIDAUT in the automotive sector. Circular Economy projects were presented in three fields: Packaging, Tire and Metal. These areas are perfectly aligned with the activities of CIDAUT and the proposed solutions can offer a competitive advantage for companies in the sector through the application of circular economy actions.

The day also brought together a group of companies and presentations aimed at highlighting the opportunities of the Circular Economy in the automotive sector. Representatives of Renault, Michelin, ABN PIPE SYSTEMS, N.C. Electronica S.A. and Fundacion Patrimonio Natural showed their activities and impressions in the field of Circular Economy.

Ultrasonic welding of thermoset materials to thermoplastic brackets through films: from flat to round samples

Brackets are small elements used as local links between aircraft structure, systems and cabin. Nowadays, most of the components of the structure are made of polymer composites, the majority of them being formed of carbon fibres reinforced thermosetting matrices. The state-of-the-art techniques for joining brackets or other small functional elements to these composite structural components are based on mechanical fastening and adhesive bonding. These joining processes are time consuming, and add significant labour and tooling costs to the assembly process, even for the attachment of such small components. Moreover, the adhesion strength achieved is often limited requiring dedicated surface treatments to be applied. An additional handicap for a strong adhesive bonding happens when the composite component is painted.

The Bracketweld project aims at contributing to the green and cost-efficient integration of systems and aircraft structures by the development of an innovative technology for the rapid assembly of thermoplastic brackets to thermosetting composite components currently used in aircraft structures. This has been done using the fast and efficient ultrasonic welding technology to assemble thermoplastic brackets to thermosetting composite structural components. As thermosetting materials cannot be welded, a thermoplastic surface media will be strongly attached to the thermosetting composite structure by a co-curing process, being this surface media used as an anchor interface for the latterly welding of the thermoplastic brackets by any fusion bonding technique, and especially by the ultrasonic welding.

The first two years of the Bracketweld project have been focused on the development of an innovative Test Method for the evaluation of different materials compatibility. The proposed welded joint combines a thermoset material with a film and a thermoplastic bracket, while the latter do not necessarily need to be the same material (because of cost or processability issues). This methodology is then the basis of the film quick down material selection ensuring a good level of adhesion with this welding method. This methodology was developed in pararell with the investigation, manufacturing and evaluation of the most appropriate surface media for the specific case under study in this project, including the formulation and development of custom surface medias at CIDAUT. Different material combinations were assessed with the Test Method.

The final year of this project has been devoted to the validation of the developed concepts. Having defined a robust and reliable test method, and chosen a film for the project use case, the validation of the methodology has been upscaled to a single curvature panel, from a machine assisted welding to a manual welding operation, and from room temperature and axial testing conditions to shear and hot/wet environments.

VALORCOMP project continues growing and launches brochure

On November 14, 2018, a new meeting of the VALORCOMP consortium was held to present the progress made within the framework of the project. The partners were kindly invited to attend the meeting at Resíduos do Nordeste facilities in Mirandela (Portugal). As usual, representatives of all partners attended the meeting: Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB, Project manager), CIDAUT Foundation, University of Valladolid (UVa), Resíduos do Nordeste (RN) and Nertatec.

The main objective of the meeting was to share the progress of the work in each of the aspects of use of the compost consider in VALORCOMP project. Thus, within the thermochemical use, the participants of CIDAUT presented their results highlighting the proper compost compaction and the start of the second action of this activity, the pilot scale tests. The IPB presented its results in the context of the use of compost as a material, highlighting the applicability of this material as a catalyst in oxidation processes for wastewater treatment and the possibility of using it as a raw material to be incorporated in ceramics instead of in cements.

For its part, the UVA has obtained a product that meets specifications as a fertilizer in the study of possible agronomic use. The process includes an extraction of organic matter with potassium hydroxide. Germination trials have been conducted using the fertilizer with positive results.

In the course of the meeting, the problem of bio-stabilized residue (composted waste from non-selective collection) was discussed at length. It was focused on the difficulty of using this waste derived from the future regulation of waste reduction to landfill, as well as increasing the percentage of waste prepared for recycling into the treatment plants. Selective collection was analyzed as a solution for obtaining a compost (and not bio-stabilized residue) from the organic fraction, questioning the feasibility of executing it, the cost it would entail for the citizen and if this could guarantee the quality of the compost.

In communication and dissemination activity, it was agreed to undertake a series of actions to strengthen the content of the project’s website and create a private area to encourage communication between project partners. On the other hand, the brochure design was approved to disseminate the project.

Finally, all the partners were summoned to a next meeting in March 2019 in Valladolid.

This project is co-financed by the programme of cooperation INTERREG V-A Spain-Portugal (POCTEP) 2014-2020 and will run until September 2019. Project VALORCOMP aims to contribute cooperatively to solve cross-border problems in the valorisation of waste generated in the treatment of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste.