Unit for Innovation and Research in Engineering

Introduction

Mission Statement 

Our mission is to seek applied innovative solutions by integrating scientific knowledge and engineering principles. Our goal is to develop practical applications, addressing real-world challenges to solve industrial challenges and improve people's quality of life. 

Vision Statement

Our vision is to be a leading R&D unit in applied research and engineering sciences, recognized for our cutting-edge innovation, transformative technologies, and impactful solutions. We strive to be at the forefront of applied scientific advancements, driving innovation, and shaping the future of industries by delivering sustainable, efficient, and reliable materials and engineering solutions, while addressing society’s challenges. 

Core Values

1. Innovation: We promote a culture of curiosity, creativity, and open-mindedness, encouraging novel approaches and out-of-the-box thinking to solve practical problems, improve processes, enhance performance, and contribute to the well-being and progress of society. 

2. Excellence: We strive for excellence in everything we do, from applied research to engineering solutions. We pursue the highest standards of quality, rigor, and reliability to deliver impactful results on industries and society. 

3. Collaboration: We embrace collaboration and actively seek partnerships with industry, academia, and other research organizations. By working together, we leverage collective expertise and resources to accelerate innovation and address complex challenges. 

4. Ethic: We uphold the highest ethical standards, promoting transparency, honesty, and accountability in our research, collaborations, and intellectual property management. Trust is the foundation of our interactions and partnerships. 

5. Sustainability: We are committed to promoting sustainability and minimizing our environmental footprint. Our applied research and engineering solutions prioritize resource efficiency, waste reduction, and the development of environmentally friendly materials and technologies. 

6. Continuous Learning: We embrace a culture of continuous learning and development, promoting the growth of our researchers and engineers. We encourage ongoing education, knowledge dissemination and sharing, and the adoption of emerging technologies and methodologies. 

Through our mission, vision, and core values, we aim to be a trusted and respected R&D Unit that leads the way in applied materials and engineering sciences, driving innovation and delivering solutions that positively impact industries, economies, and the world.

Objectives and strategy for 2024-2030

The main goals of the UnIRE are to produce, disseminate and transfer interdisciplinary applied knowledge in the scientific field of Engineering and promote the sustainable development of the industry, services, and education sectors at national and international levels. In line with the European Union's (EU) new research and innovation program, the scientific approach followed by UnIRE is driven by major societal challenges and contributesto the consolidation of an innovation landscape based on the integration of business, research, higher education and entrepreneurship. Facing sustainability as a core issue for societal development, the research conducted in this unit is also fully in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN) 2030 agenda, namely on the themes of Quality Education (SDG 4); Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7); Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9); Sustainable Cities and Communities (SGD 11); Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12); and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17).   

In this context, the objectives and strategy of the UnIRE will be focused on leveraging scientific knowledge and engineering principles to develop practical solutions taking advantage of the multidisciplinary competences of its members. Some key objectives and strategies are as follows:

1. Applied Research and Development

• Conduct applied research to bridge the gap between fundamental scientific knowledge and practical applications.

• Identify industry-specific challenges and opportunities.

• Collaborate with industrial partners.

2. Technology and Product Development

• Design and develop new materials, components, and systems.

• Optimize existing technologies or processes to enhance efficiency, durability, or cost-effectiveness.

• Use advanced modelling, simulation, and prototyping techniques.

3. Industry-Specific Applications

• Address industry-specific challenges by applying materials and engineering sciences.

• Develop materials with specific properties for targeted applications, such as lightweight biocompatible materials for fuel-efficient vehicles.

• Adapt existing materials or technologies to meet industry standards, regulations, or safety requirements.

4. Process Optimization and Efficiency

• Improve manufacturing processes, techniques, or equipment to increase productivity, reduce costs, or enhance quality control.

• Implement lean manufacturing principles, automation, or data-driven approaches.

• Conduct research on process optimization, including supply chain management, logistics, and sustainability.

5. Collaborations and Partnerships:

• Collaborate with industry stakeholders, academic institutions, research organizations, and government agencies to access specialized expertise, resources, and funding.

• Participate in joint R&D projects, consortia, or technology clusters to pool knowledge and resources, foster innovation, and share best practices.

• Forge strategic partnerships with industry leaders, suppliers, or customers.

6. Intellectual Property Management and Commercialization:

• Protect intellectual property through patents, trademarks, and copyrights.

• Evaluate the commercial potential of research outcomes and develop strategies for technology transfer, licensing, or spin-off ventures.

• Work closely with business development and marketing teams to identify market opportunities, conduct market research, and develop commercialization plans.

7. Sustainability and Environmental Impact:

• Develop environmentally friendly materials, processes, or technologies.

• Conduct life cycle assessments to evaluate the environmental impact of materials, products, or processes.

• Collaborate with sustainability-focused organizations or initiatives to integrate sustainable practices into materials and engineering solutions.

8. Continuous Learning and Talent Development:

• Foster a culture of continuous learning, innovation, and knowledge sharing within the R&D unit.

• Invest in the professional development of researchers and engineers.

• Stay updated with the latest advancements in materials and engineering sciences.

Regarding the knowledge domains of design, materials, and manufacturing, the scientific objectives are as follows:

• Develop new metal alloys and drive their industrial application. For example, the development of an Al-Li master alloy with a high concentration of Li via high energy milling, intended to be added to a casting in order to adjust its composition quickly and accurately will be a research focus. This will expand the industrial applications of these alloys that are currently constrained by the high reactivity of Li during melting and casting.

• Produce and characterize recycled cementitious products and unconventional concrete products, contributing to the circular economy. To boost the construction and demolition waste valorisation by exploring the innovative development of new sustainable products. This includes high-quality recycled aggregate and eco-efficient recycled binder, and their application in new green building products. 

• Develop new manufacturing processes and enlarge the application of existing processes to new materials and material combinations. An example of this is the development of more efficient components/structures with tailored properties by combining dissimilar materials (dissimilar metals, metal/polymer, metal/ carbon fibre-reinforced polymer, etc.) using solid-state joining processes (friction stir welding, explosion welding, magnetic pulse welding, 3D printing-supported joining, etc.).

• Develop a customizable 3D scaffold for Bone Tissue Engineering (BTE) with biofunction beyond state-of-the-art. Fused filament deposition technology combined with Finite Element Analysis will be used to produce BTE scaffolds with hierarchical structure and multiscale pore network. This combination allows advantageous definition of structure architecture, determinant for scaffold’s degradation, cell proliferation and mechanical properties. A nano/submicron pore network is engineered by mimicking biomorphic demineralization. The proposed processing route foresees better recreation of natural bone structure hierarchy and is expected to modulate scaffolds closer to mechanical and biochemical stimuli of in vivo cells, overcoming current BTE drawbacks.

Research objectives in the fields of industrial management and control systems are as follows:

• Understand (principles and models) and support (methods, tools, and technologies) for collaborative networks and distributed systems applied to industry and services such as manufacturing systems and supply chains. Applying the collaborative networks paradigm to other domains, e.g., active ageing, and management of energy production.

• Design models, methods, and tools, that support the development of industry and services 5.0. Development of reference models for the implementation of Industry and services 5.0.

• Develop decision support tools in a VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) context. Develop reference models and real-time decision support technologies and contributions to define a sounder theoretical foundation for the area.

• Design of robotics and automated system, addressing the industry 4.0 concepts. The research will focus on the advanced design of robotics and automated devices and the corresponding control and supervision architectures.

• Development of supervision systems applied to industrial processes and building automation with the aim to achieve remote supervision, intelligent automatic controland interoperability between different technologies.

• Design of a dual-arm hydraulic manipulator for cargo transfer. The proposal of a dual-arm hydraulic manipulator concept for cargo transfer between semitrailer trucks and last-mile vehicles is currently an ongoing project.

Research objectives in the fields of environment, sustainability, and energy are aimed at addressing various challenges related to environmental conservation, sustainable development, and efficient use of energy resources:

• Pulsed power technology and applications. Using Pulsed Electric Fields (PEF) or Pulsed Magnetic Fields (PMF), the main objectives are as follows:

o Concerning technology, the development of Pulsed Power solid-state generators, with an emphasis on implementation predictive maintenance, increase reliability, modularity approach and decrease of generator costs;

o Concerning applications, several areas are important and gather the skills of the team:

▪ Biomedical applications using PEF, with a focus on Cancer Therapy;

▪ Environmental applications using PEF, with a focus on water quality and pollution control, sustainable sanitation solutions, sustainable water use and reuse in urban areas, and water-energy-food nexus;

▪ Food processing methods using PEF, focusing on increasing the yield of added value components extraction and inactivation at low temperature to maintain the organoleptic properties of fresh food;

▪ Recycling of metals, using PMF, for separation of metallic components from electronic equipment;

▪ Material engineering, using PMF, for metal forming, crimping and welding;

▪ Energy applications, using PEF, increasing the electrical efficiency in the process of hydrogen production, focus on the electrolysis process.

• Renewable Energy Technologies: Develop and improve technologies for renewable energy generation, e.g., H2. Research will be focused on enhancing efficiency, reducing costs, and exploring innovative approaches.

• Energy Efficiency and Conservation: Identify and promote energy-efficient practices and technologies across various sectors, e.g., buildings. 

• Energy Storage and Grid Integration: Investigate advanced energy storage solutions to overcome intermittency challenges associated with renewable energy sources. 

• Circular Economy and Waste Management: Investigate approaches for transitioning from linear to circular economies. Research objectives include waste reduction, sustainable material management, and eco-friendly production/consumption development.

In the field of informatics systems and digitalization research will be focused on the development of an open common conceptual modelling languages aligning business with technology towards vendor-agnostic products/services integrated lifecycle management, as well as on creating the foundations for the concretization of the Model Driven Development (MDD) vision on the integrated digital, under agnostic concretization actors (products/services vendors/providers), aiming to achieve the following objectives:

• Promote the adoption by public administration and industry of an Informatics System of Systems (ISoS) framework.

• Develop foundations for an open Business System of Systems framework for an open organization’s IT (Information Technology) area.

• Develop an open cloud-based distributed operating system for agnostic IT distributing computing infrastructures.

Strategy Implementation for 2024-2030

UnIRE organization

UnIRE will be headed by an Institute Coordinator who, together with a Coordinator Committee (4 researchers, one from each of the main research areas) will be responsible for the organization of the Institute. This includes budget management, institutional representation, the definition of the main research areas, allocation of equipment and other resources to specific projects and preparation of the action plan and progress reports for evaluation. The Coordinator Committee will be supported by a Research Office responsible for organizing meetings, identifying funding opportunities and assisting with the submission and processing of applications. Moreover, UnIRE will be further supported by the institutional Support Offices that are staffed with personnel experienced in the day-to-day management of research projects and the related administrative, financial, quality management, legal and technical aspects. Financial issues are discussed at the Coordinator Committee meetings, where Project PIs present accounts for review, approval, and further planning of activities. The Scientific Committee of UnIRE (including all the PhD integrated researchers) meets twice a year to approve the action plan and progress reports. Members of each research area meet monthly to present and discuss their work, problems, methodologies, and new ideas.

To achieve UNIRE's objectives, UnIRE will be organized around four research areas: design, materials, and manufacturing; industrial management and control systems; sustainability, environment, and energy; informatics systems and digitization. These main areas aim to accomplish the interdisciplinary applied research goals, as follows:

1.​Design, materials, and manufacturing 

Integrating design, materials, and manufacturing is crucial for successful product development. Design decisions influence the selection of appropriate materials, while manufacturing processes determine how those materials are shaped and assembled to create the final product. Contribution from these three areas is essential to ensure that the product meets functional requirements, aligns with the intended design, and can be manufactured efficiently and economically. 

2.​Industrial management and control systems 

These include the set of tools, processes, and technologies used to manage and control various aspects of industrial operations, contributing to the optimize production processes, enhance efficiency, improve quality, and ensure safety. Effective industrial management and control systems enhance productivity, optimize resources, and ensure operational excellence. They provide insights into the performance of industrial processes, enable active maintenance, reduce downtime, and drive continuous improvement. Implementing control and supervision systems, addressing the industry 4.0 concepts, is essential for companies to stay competitive and adapt to changing market demands, providing innovative solutions for several areas of society.

3.​Sustainability, environment, and energy 

Integrating sustainability, environment, and energy is essential for achieving a greener and more sustainable future. This includes implementing sustainable industrial practices, promoting renewable energy adoption, conserving natural resources, minimizing pollution, and adopting circular economy principles. Governments, businesses, communities, and individuals all have a role to play in creating a sustainable society that balances environmental protection, social equity, and economic prosperity. Collaboration, innovation, and education are key drivers in addressing these interconnected challenges and building a sustainable and resilient future for all. 

4.​Informatics systems and digitalization  

These are reforming how we store, process, transmit, and utilize information, transforming industries, businesses, and daily life, and offering numerous benefits and opportunities. Informatics systems and digitalization have profoundly impacted society, driving innovation, productivity, and connectivity. They have transformed industries, created new business models, facilitated remote work, enhanced communication, collaboration, and enabled personalized experiences. However, challenges such as data privacy, cybersecurity, and the digital divide need to be addressed to ensure equitable access and responsible use of these technologies.  

Although structured in these areas for a better allocation of the specific research objectives, infrastructures and human resources, all the areas are interconnected and in line with the mission of the research unit. The activities conducted in each area are essentially focused on medium/high-TRL research, following a problem-solving approach, with a short/medium-run impact on industry and services.  

Ethical issues

UnIRE will be a research unit to be installed at ISEL; thus, as far as ethics issues are concerned it will be supported by the Ethics Committee created by Dispatch No. 52/P/2021, of May 7th, from the President of ISEL. Its activity is supported by the Regulation published through the Dispatch n.º 9039/2021 published in the Republic Diary, 2nd series, n.º 177, of September 10th, 2021.  ISEL's Ethics Committee's mission is to promote ethical standards that must be respected in the exercise of the activity to be carried out, to promote reflection,and to contribute to the definition of appropriate guidelines for the establishment and consolidation of a policy to safeguard ethical and deontological principles, namely in the areas of scientific research, teaching and interaction with society.

However, the researchers working within the UnIRE will also be subject to the following rules of conduct:

1. Research activities must be planned and conducted based on research questions/problems that allow adding relevant knowledge on a given topic ordeveloping new methods/instruments with potential for application;

2. The relevance of research can also be justified in situations of proven pedagogical-educational value for training and instructing students, researchers, or other stakeholders, even if achieving an original contribution on a given topic is not the main focus of the research activities;

3. Research that does not present any original contribution to the advancement of knowledge or the empowerment of individuals and communities is not considered ethical, insofar as it constitutes a waste of resources and devalues the contribution of participants;

4. Research carried out through studies without validity and with serious methodological flaws is also not considered ethical. In addition to wasting resources and devaluing the contribution of participants, it can result in erroneous data and results, and its dissemination may have potentially harmful implications;

5. Research data must be made available to anyone who intends to replicate the study or work on the results, subject to any limitations imposed by specific legislation and by the general principles of confidentiality, protection, and security of participants;

6. Researchers must publish and disseminate the results of their research work in an honest, transparent, and rigorous manner;

7. The results must be published as soon as possible, fulfilling the original contribution to which the research is made, except for commercial or intellectual issues that may justify the delay in publication, for example, concerning patent applications;

8. Authorship must be defined taking into account original and significant participation in the research, namely: significant contribution to the research design, data collection and analysis, interpretation of results, discussion, writing and/or revision of the manuscript;

9. When defining authorship, any factors that do not relate to direct and significant participation in research activities should be considered irrelevant, such as: academic or professional status, title or hierarchical position, general supervision of a research group without specific contributions to the project, provision of research space or equipment, funding or financial compensation, text editing, or any other similar ones;

10. The work and collaboration of actors who do not meet the authorship criteria must be recognized whenever justified, and if this is consented by the actors themselves, in a footnote or specific sections for the purpose (e.g. acknowledgments);

11. Any financial and material support for research and publication must be correctly mentioned and acknowledged;

12. All authors must disclose the existence of potential conflicts of interest (e.g., having a financial or affiliative interest concerning the research results);

13. All authors must be fully responsible for the contents of the publications, unless it is specified that their responsibility is limited to a specific part of the study and publication;

14. The order of authorship must be agreed upon by all, right at the beginning of the project or manuscript preparation, without prejudice to subsequent redefinition when justified;

15. The first author should be considered the one who contributed most to the research activities (generally considering the research design, data collection and analysis, interpretation of the results and discussion) and who assumes the main responsibility for writing the manuscript;

16. In the case of publications that are substantially based on a thesis or dissertation content, it must be assumed that the students are the ones who contributed the most to the respective research activities, and that they assumed responsibility for writing the publication. In this sense, they should be listed as first authors in accordance with the previous paragraphs, except in exceptional circumstances;

17. All stakeholders with responsibilities for planning, managing, conducting, or disseminating science must recognize that there are practices that should be qualified as research misconduct;

18. Recognizing these practices, they must also repudiate them, as they promote a deliberately false representation of reality, go against the fundamental principles of the scientific process, and compromise the contributions made by research as a whole;

19. The most egregious practices that should qualify as research misconduct include: data fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism;

20. Data fabrication consists of creating false data (e.g. responses from participants; observational records) or other research materials (e.g. informed consent);

21. Falsification consists of distorting, manipulating, omitting or altering research data, results or materials;

22. Plagiarism is improperly using or appropriating ideas, processes, intellectual property, or other work without proper credit or reference to source or original authorship.

Plan of Actions

To accomplish its strategic objectives, it is essential for UnIRE members to develop or reinforce the following issues:

• Participation in international panels and scientific societies;

• Participation in research project;

• Participation in evaluation committees;

• Organization of international conferences and workshops;

• Participation in scientific committees;

• Participation in academic juries;

• Publications in high-impact journals.