The Eurecat technology centre has signed up to the Spanish Aerospace Technology Platform to help drive European R&D and innovation aeronautics projects with its technologies and innovations in autonomous aerial vehicles, metallic and composite materials, advanced manufacturing, printed electronics and artificial intelligence.
Specifically, the technology centre is a member of the Spanish Aerospace Technology Platform’s working group on Autonomy, which targets roadmaps for developing drones, urban aerial mobility and autonomous aerial vehicles, while also taking part in the association’s innovation initiatives and bringing its technological developments in materials and digitalisation geared towards aeronautics.
“The aeronautical industry has huge potential to make headway in innovation in metallic and composite materials with the development of lighter and stronger materials for structures to achieve significant efficiency, durability and sustainability improvements,” points out Antón Gorostiaga, Head of Aerospace Business Development at Eurecat.
Eurecat thus joins the technology centres, companies, business organisations, innovation bodies and universities in the innovation ecosystem of the aeronautics and space value chain which are part of this association and multidisciplinary work forum to furnish a joint strategic response to the industry’s innovation, growth, competitiveness and sustainability goals.
In aeronautics, Eurecat develops innovative solutions in complex projects from the conceptual design phase to the critical design phase and the subsequent manufacture of prototypes for ground or flight test benches. It also innovates in metallic materials such as titanium or aluminium alloys, nickel superalloys and thermosetting and thermoplastic composite materials, implemented using compositronic technology which reduces the weight of components and large structures in which sensors are inserted.
Both compositronics and plastronics, technologies in which Eurecat is a first mover, bring together electronics and plastic and composite materials for large-scale manufacturing of high added-value products with high-performance functional surfaces whose applications include aircraft, train and car interiors.
It also rolls out advanced manufacturing technologies and solutions to ramp up the digitalisation, competitiveness and sustainability of the aeronautical industry including the development of lightweight composite structures for its energy transition.
The Spanish Aerospace Technology Platform drives research, development and innovation in the aeronautical and space industries in Spain to step up R&D and innovation investment and make both sectors more competitive internationally. The association is a meeting and cooperation forum for companies, business organisations, technology centres, research bodies and universities in R&D and innovation in the value chain of the aeronautical and space industries which fosters partnerships to pinpoint and advise on technological needs and unlock the generation of domestic and European R&D and innovation projects of excellence.
