Innovation and Product Development

A novel Cobalt-free Lithium-ion battery technology that overcomes many of the current shortcomings faced by Electrical Vehicle (EV) batteries via the enhancement of each component in the battery system in a holistic manner. The COBRA project develops a new unique battery system that merges several sought-after features, including superior energy density, low cost, increased cycles and reduced critical materials. The proposed Li-ion battery technology will be demonstrated at TRL6 (battery pack) and validated on an automotive EV testbed. The innovation promoted by the project ensures an easy adaptation to production lines and scale-up to contribute to [...]

Development of new models and methods to improve the design capabilities of the hybrid boxes, such as the wings of the airplanes, formed by metallic panels and composite materials components. INNOHYBOX project, coordinated by Eurecat, investigates the thermo-mechanical behaviour of hybrid boxes with the purpose to optimize them by developing a new robust and experimentally validated design. Currently, it is usual to use a combination of metallic and composites materials in the construction of airplanes wings, but it is necessary more knowledge about the hybrid structure to avoid disadjustments between the components, causing thermal stresses and [...]

Innovative and affordable solutions for advanced car body shells manufacturing and lightweight material strategies for railways, innovative doors and train modularity. The CARBODIN project, coordinated by Eurecat, has the objective to contribute to the next generation of passenger trains that will be lighter and more energy and cost efficient than the current ones. An important step for that is the use of composite technologies, which still face barriers for full implementation such as their high cost. Another important aspect is the modular design of interiors and low-cost manufacturing of vehicles part. The Composites Materials Unit of Eurecat [...]

New deep energy renovation processes and methodologies to improve the energy performance and renovation of buildings. StepUP project aims to develop cost-effective solutions and technologies to transform the deep renovation market and make buildings decarbonisation a reliable, attractive and sustainable investment. To achieve this, StepUP uses continuous feedback loops and promotes an iterative deep energy renovation approach, based on Big Data, which minimises performance problems, reduce financial barriers and optimises investments. The solution developed by StepUP will target three different types of structures: multi-family residential dwellings, public non-residential buildings and rental private office buildings. Besides, the [...]

European Open Innovation Test Bed (OITB) driving competitiveness to the sheet metal forming industries. The FormPlanet project responds to challenges of the sheet metal forming industry, optimizing the development, design, production and performance of high-strength metals while reducing production costs and time-to-market for sheet products. FormPlanet, coordinated by Eurecat, is developing new material characterisation techniques and new modelling approaches to predict the performance of pieces and possible defects in an initial design state. Apart from this, FormPlanet also offers innovative and transversal services related with the compliance with regulations, access, the traceability of material data and [...]

Printing of 3D products through recycled CFRPs and polymers to demonstrate the repurpose of these type of materials. Repair3D, through advanced nanotechnology solutions and additive manufacturing (AM), allows to reuse and recycle these materials in an innovative way and minimize the waste generated by plastics and CFRPs. The application of this project can increase the recovery rate of polymers up to 40% and monetary saving related to recycling up to 50%, while decreasing in half the cost of production and raw materials. The innovations launched by Repair3D could create a new paradigm of the recycling, applicable [...]

Study of the suitability of a green roof manufactured with cork by-products generated during the manufacture of cork stoppers and/or in the wine-making process. The CORCHACTIVO project has demonstrated the viability of cork as a substrate and/or support for green roofs. In the case of green roofs, as in the case of wetlands, cork can be used as a substrate, allowing the decontamination of building wastewater and improving energy efficiency, thanks to the insulating properties of the material. The use of cork is proposed in order to take advantage of its multiple properties and to find [...]

Modular container that passively maintains the temperature of the product inside it for a minimum of 5 days, equipped with intelligence and remote control. The container is specially designed for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, which need to transport products (chemicals, vaccines, tissues, clinical trials, etc.) at a stable temperature during handling in order to maintain their integrity and quality. The CoolPackaging 4.0 solution allows you to send items that need temperature control without special precautionary measures, increasing safety while lowering costs. In addition, there will be savings from reuse and less product waste. CoolPackaging 4.0 [...]

Innovative Gamification for Skiers system that will enable skiers to compete with each other, climb up the resort’s ranking and win prizes for their achievements and classifications. SKIWEARABLE II is a continuation of the SKIWEARABLE project, which developed a silicone wristband that allowed skiers to access mountain resorts and monitor their physical activity. SKIWEARABLE II has enhanced the wristband by implementing a gamification system with a potential market of 100 million skiers over 5,000 ski resorts. As well as being a gamification device for skiers, thanks to the development of new Big Data tools for the [...]

CAR2CAR-LOFE aims to develop a low-frequency (LF), V2V (vehicle-to-vehicle) communication system: a new type of network through which autonomous vehicles can communicate with each other to make more information available on their surroundings and improve safety for drivers in the event of an emergency, such as a road accident, an accident where a vehicle leaves the road, or an obstacle in the road. During the project, antennae and an innovative electronic communication system will be developed to maximise the communication distance between vehicles while fulfilling the requirements of this application and upholding safety standards. Meanwhile, to [...]

ECOFIBRA is designing and testing a composite material with advanced mechanical properties made in an additised thermoplastic mould from recovered cellulose fibre. The project will also examine options regarding the application of cellulose fibre to new products and new circular economy business models and will optimise recyclable paper’s journey from the disposal point to the management centre through the design of a stackable container made from the generated composite material. ECOFIBRA will also develop a raw material quality measurement system to improve the quality of the final material. The results of the project will be applied [...]

INNOFORMIN implements an innovative sheet forming center, which will integrate incremental and stretched deformation systems, with the aim of creating a hybrid technology that combines the technologies of Incremental Sheet Forming (ISF) and Stretch Forming (SF). The combination of Incremental Sheet Forming (ISF) technology, which allows the processing of metal sheets by cold deformation, with the aim of manufacturing pieces with a low initial investment, and Stretch Forming (SF), a process applied to the production of prototypes of single pieces or short series that uses the same tooling as the ISF processes, allows to increase the [...]

The aim of this project is to update and adapt the Catalan electronic invoicing solutions to the new European Union standard EN 16931 in order to have a common electronic invoicing rule in Europe and to facilitate its use in the public and private Catalan sector. EUeInvoicing.cat solutions allow the main entities that issue and receive invoices in Catalonia representing the public and private sector to update their existing eInvoicing systems. In the public sector, the electronic invoice delivery point e.FACT, from CAOC (Consorci Administració Oberta de Catalunya), and the invoice receipt system, of the Barcelona [...]

Skiwearable is a silicone bracelet to allow skiers access to ski resorts and monitor their physical activity. The wearable is able to obtain records of the physical activity and position of the skier without disturbing the skier. Skiwearable incorporates a GPS for tracking skiers and RFID tags. The device also connects via Bluetooth with an app where you can download the data from the trackings and is compatible with the Skitude platform, the partner in charge of the product’s exploitation. Compared to other physical activity monitoring devices, Skiwearable is specifically designed for skiers. Among its benefits, [...]

Development of a new biomedical implant based on optogenetics technology – the combination of genetics and optics techniques to control and monitor activities of cells in a living tissue with light to activate cells to produce themselves the necessary drug (interferon-ß (IFN-ß) protein in this case) – that can be applied to improve the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis ,improve the quality of life of people affected by this disease and reduce the side effects of current treatments. Optogenerapy project t is led by Eurecat and counts on the participation of eleven partners from seven different European [...]