number 010. Special edition 20th anniversary. December 2014
20years@cartif.es
CONTENTS published Centro Tecnológico CARTIF Parque Tecnológico de Boecillo, 205, Boecillo Valladolid. www.cartif.es
staff CARTIF Communication Department
design www.typopotamo.com
photography Cover: Typopótamo inside pictures: CARTIF archive. Patricia Grande. Back cover picture: Typopótamo
a word from the CEO keywords talking with… CARTIF milestones the celebration new look
4 6 12 18 20 28
EDITOR’S NOTE In 2014 they are fulfilled 20 years of existence of CARTIF. The Center was born in 1994, driven by a group of professors from the School of Industrial Engineering at the University of Valladolid, with the aim to serve as a bridge between the academic institution and the business world, helping companies to advance technologically to achieve high levels of innovation and productivity and to start pioneering areas of research, being able to transfer this technology to companies. These two decades of work got reflected in
our figures. More than 1,100 projects carried out, a turnover of 145 M€, 400 direct jobs, 25 M€ invested in facilities and technology, more than 100 international projects carried out and an economic return for companies in our region that exceeds 200 M€. You will find more details about our history, identity, evolution, reason for being and way of working in the following pages. We trust that deceives so much like us and hope you will come along with us in every project we expect to carry out in the future decades.
2014
a word from the CEO Extracts from the speech given by José Ramón Perán on the anniversary of CARTIF I´d like to begin this speech recalling the institutions and companies that gave origin to CARTIF on October 7th 1994, and I would like to mention especially the University of Valladolid. It is also worth recalling all partners who signed the Charter for the CARTIF Foundation, and those that still remain as partners today. My most sincere thanks for all your support. All of them believed in applied research, and its transfer to business, industrial, agricultural or service activities, as the sure way to achieve technological and economic progress for enterprises and more efficient institutions. This is not only an end in itself, but it is also the way to generate the resources required to maintain an advanced, free and fraternal society.
The development of science and technology has given us all sorts of examples of circular advances
From a theoretical point of view, the basic knowledge of science gives the possibility of generating useful products and manufacturing processes more and more perfect. Applied Research in every field requires a level of theoretical and practical knowledge so high, that without them the accelerated pace of current progress could not be maintained. The development of science and technology
since the Industrial Revolution has given us all sorts of examples of circular advances in theory and in practice. The most effective tool to streamline the bidirectional process cited is undoubtedly the Technology Center. The tech center phenomenon began in Germany and soon spread to the rest of Europe. TNO in the Netherlands, VTT in Finland or Sintec in Sweden, plus recent openings in the UK, are good examples of that. Any human activity needs to follow some basic rules in order to be successful. To ensure upto-date knowledge, technology centers should be linked to universities. They need proper management, business oriented, efficient and austere. They should not rely on public funding alone, although this funding may allow advanced research to be done, provided that measurable results at a reasonable level are obtained. In the above mentioned European countries, this aid may vary between 30 and 40% depending on achieved goals. Now that we are currently 20 years old, I am confident that the group of men and women that constitutes CARTIF, their ability for working, their scientific preparation and emotional intelligence, as well as their collaborative spirit, will keep providing us with future celebrations of success. That´s the thing I´d like the most.
5
keywords
keywords excellence research 1.100 projects sustainable management
internationalization companies service
From the very beginning, the small group of university professors that gave origin to this place knew that CARTIF had to become the bridge between knowledge (university) and companies. The main objective was to enhance the technological possibilities of companies located in Castilla y Le贸n region, to obtain the continuous improvement of their competitiveness to put research in the service of the needs of businesses and society as a whole was the expected result. That would be achieved by focusing on applied research, result-oriented, clearly adjusted to the real needs of final consumers of technology. These 20 years of existence of CARTIF have coincided with a period very interesting from several points of view: historical, political, economic and technological, both in Spain and in the rest of the world. In the decade of the 90s, when CARTIF came into existence, Spain was going through a time of unprecedented bonanza: political stability, economic growth and global visibility. Good times to start an adventure like this: the creation of a technology center in a geographical region characterized by a low industrial profile.
Given that CARTIF was driven by teachers from the Industrial Engineering School of Valladolid, whose main areas of expertise were automation, robotics and mechanical engineering, the capabilities of the Center were directed towards the development of new manufacturing systems and processes and to develop prototypes and techniques ready to be transferred to the industry.
This has always been a tenet in CARTIF: investing in the best human knowledge and in state-of-theart technological equipment.
6
Just four years after its inception, the human team of CARTIF took advantage of the creation of Boecillo Technology Park and
keywords
CARTIF I building opening (1999)
moved from the dependencies of UVA to a new building specifically designed for R&D. By 1999, the Center’s staff was already over 100 people, and 4,500 m2 of the Center was occupied with the best equipment. This has always been a tenet in CARTIF: investing in the best human knowledge and in state-of-the-art technological equipment.
The structure of the Center was always a mixed model combining research center and business management. Researchers at CARTIF are characterized precisely for being very complete professionals, fully able to carry out real work while managing the financial and administration resources needed for project development, at the same time.
7
keywords
Robotics Lab (2001)
8
keywords
Internationalization
Therefore, the next step was taken in the obvious direction: internationalization. A new century began and with it, the DirectorateGeneral of CARTIF and its Board came together to create a department for International Projects with two scenarios of action: Latin America and the European Union. The first project came in 2001. The following thirteen years LIFE PROJECTS saw the figure CARTIF, reach 103. European entity with more The number of LIFE+ projects obtained EU co-funded and coordinated in 2012. projects rose In 2014, we have 10 rapidly, so the ongoing projects, 8 Center will close coordinated the year 2014 with 31 projects, coordinating 13 of them. Good results, especially in energy and environment areas, have succeeded in bringing CARTIF to the stated goal in the first Strategic Plan: to be an international reference center.
SMART CITY PROJECTS R2CITIES Countries: Spain, Italy, Turkey M2 of constructed area subject to intervention: 57.000 m2 Reduction energy use: 60% CITyFiED Countries: Spain, Sweden, Turkey Dwelling involved: 2.328 Beneficiary citizens: 7.000 REMOURBAN Countries: Spain, UK, Turkey 1st Ligthouse Project in Spain Dwelling involved: 1.100 Beneficiary citizens: 18.200 Electric vehicles: 150 Besides leading three major energy efficiency projects (including a Ligthouse project), one regarding the factories of the future and 10 LIFE projects, CARTIF participates in more than one score of organizations related to their lines of research; construction, infrastructure, energy, environment, industry, food, health and ICT. Another indicator of the importance of international affairs in the Center is that currently 19% of its workforce is involved in European projects.
FACTORIES OF THE FUTURE
Working meeting (2013)
REEMAIN Countries: Spain, Italy, Turkey Facilities involved: 192.000 m2 Total production: 18.000 Tm/year Employees: 1.700
9
keywords
Research
Although the business orientation of projects was always clear, CARTIF has always carried out its own R&D through more than a dozen research lines. The continuous training of research staff made possible to expand technology related areas of work. Three initial working areas were soon followed by other: energy, chemical processes, environment, biomedical engineering, structure control and computational intelligence.
five years have seen the most ambitious projects to date being managed and launched, impressive both for economic return and for their dimensions and technological challenges. For this reason a third, bioclimatic and especially dedicated building to accommodate pilot plants on an industrial scale was built.
MISSION to become an internationally renowned center for applied research, technological development and innovation in processes, products and systems, characterised by offering multidisciplinary integral solutions and the ability to anticipate the needs of society, university and the business world. In this way, in the middle of the 2000s decade, CARTIF had tripled both its revenue and the number of projects carried out, and doubled both its staff and the volume of its facilities. With a team of 200 researchers, more than 120 national projects, 9,000 m2 of facilities and a turnover of more than 14 Mâ‚Ź per year, the prospects for the following years were excellent. The economic crisis and the crisis in values that broke with force from 2008 onwards did stop that development and the prospects for further increase of workforce and facilities. However, six years later, CARTIF has managed to keep a sizable number of projects going on, compensating the decline in domestic demand with the European impetus. In fact, the past
10
Work area
keywords
Customers
Since its beginning, CARTIF has put itself to the service of the industry, being its premises to provide solutions, to solve problems, to innovate in processes and to achieve goals that may provide competitive advantage.
Energy facilities at CARTIF III building
SCR
An important part of CARTIF is the sustainable management of resources and the environment. Therefore, since its inception, the Center has implemented internal management systems aimed at reducing energy consumption and generating less waste. In 2008, this was the first technology center in Spain to obtain a certification on Ecodesign. This certification means that CARTIF provides added value in their projects, ensuring product and production processes sustainability, taking into account its whole lifecycle, from conception and design stages up to disposal and/or recycling. Even more, all three CARTIF buildings are equipped with the latest renewable energy technology. Geothermal, solar, wind and biomass sources of energy produce the power for facilities and equipment. The objective of a very low energy consumption building, 60 kw/h per m2 per year, is already a reality in these buildings.
Throughout these decades, CARTIF has had more than 300 customers, counting on companies and institutions. Large corporations like Acciona, Iberdrola or Dragados, leading companies such as Gullón, Collosa, Gonvarri, Renault or Aciturri; public companies like Metro de Madrid, Adif, Renfe, SACYL or DGT; SMES with big ideas and a desire for starting projects like SEADM, Proingesa, Carburos Metálicos… All of them are a part of the Center history through more than 1,000 projects carried out. Some projects were long and complex, others were shorter and simpler, all of them equally important for the team of professionals forming CARTIF. Thanks to all of them for their confidence and encouragement, especially to those who took part in its Board.
CARTIF’s booth in an international biomass fair (2008)
11
talking to
talking with… CARTIF Deputy Heads of Unit «Our bet for the internationalisation of activities related with energy fields, has allowed us to obtain more than 20 international projects (coordinating 6 of them) in just 7 years. Our aim must be that these projects suppose more than 60 % of the Center activity in 2020» - Sergio Sanz. Energy -
«Executing large projects with companies gave us great visibility and the access to leading technology. We are a reference center in the fields of industrial maintenance, simulation and predictive diagnostics» - Javier Olmos. Industry -
«What makes us special is the ability to deliver comprehensive solutions thanks to our holistic perspective: there is only one CARTIF, but for every project, each one of its 7 divisions adds up to the result» - Nuria García. Agrofood and environment -
«The best thing we have achieved in these years is the confidence generated in R+D+i among companies and the consolidation of an efficient, eager to innovate workforce» - Marta Galende. Health and quality of life -
«The change in the economic situation has compelled us to further strengthen our capabilities to survive by our own means. The most important milestone for us is the next project we endeavour» - Fernando Gayubo. Construction and infrastructures -
12
talking to
INDUSTRY Francisco Javier Olmos
Automation and control processes Division Head of Unit. With 16 years of experience as a researcher in CARTIF, Javier Olmos joined the Center at its beginning. His lines of research are deeply connected to manufacturing and industries, with an interest in process and systems automation and productivity improvement.
In his opinion, the most important milestones reached by CARTIF during these 20 years have been R&D projects developed with some large companies such as Campofrio, Iberdrola, Renault and Gull贸n. In those projects, his area of knowledge developed state-of-the-art technology in aspects such as industrial maintenance, predictive diagnosis, hydroelectric power stations maintenance or factories of the future. He feels particularly proud of one of the products created in the center: the integrated manufacturing management system (SAGIT).
Asked about more than 1,000 projects carried out in these years, he would choose as most representative two projects related to process automation (ATENEA and MACOVEN), one dealing with industrial laser (LASHARE), one about factories of the future (REEMAIN) and the last one about electromobility within the Smart City Initiative (REMOURBAN).
Asked about the future challenges of CARTIF for the next five years, Olmos points out a dual objective: to meet the needs of the industry market through the generation of specific products and to keep current high level in research to allow participating in strategic projects.
13
talking to
ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT Sergio Sanz
Energy Division Head of Unit. Sergio Sanz has 14 years of experience as a researcher in CARTIF, and has spent last 8 years as manager of the Energy Division. His field of work has experienced major changes in recent years, especially with the transition from researching in renewable energies to setting up a line of energy efficiency in buildings, this deemed strategic for his Division, being a confluence point of ICT and renewable energy lines.
Asked about projects carried out, he points out several as most representatives: AMIHOGAR, first project on development of ICT solutions for achieving intelligent environments in home environment; REFSOL, our most prominent international experience in Latin America, a project that addressed the development of innovative solutions in the field of refrigeration with solar energy. 3ENCULT, energy efficiency for buildings of cultural heritage, it meant our first important participation in FP7 projects. DIRECTION, a demonstrator of solutions for high-rated energy efficient new buildings, first European project coordinated by our division and R2CITIES, a large-scale demonstration of energy-efficient rehabilitation of residential neighbourhoods, our first Smart Cities coordinated project.
14
About the milestones reached by CARTIF in these 20 years, Sanz notes the initiative to create a center with the aim of filling the gap between university and industry, connecting the R&D dots in a more dynamic way; a second stage comes with the move to the Boecillo Technology Park and the establishment of a policy for infrastructure acquisition, which provided the commissioning of 3 sustainable buildings, and then the internationalization effort, its takeoff meant a radical change in funding and it has positioned CARTIF as a reference center at European level in programmes such as LIFE or Smart Cities.
Among the future challenges CARTIF will be facing during the next five years, Sanz notes maintaining the current presence of the center in Europe and increasing activities in Latin America, in addition to adapting the management model to a changing and extremely competitive environment, that will enable future consolidation of work teams and improving the operational structure of the Center.
talking to
AGROFOOD Nuria García
APS Division Head of Unit. With 14 years of experience as a researcher in CARTIF, Nuria Garcia manages the largest Division inside the center, gathering together projects related to agrofood, industry application of chemical processes and sustainable management.
Among the projects carried out, she would highlight several of them for different reasons: DIANA was a great example of public-private collaboration to obtain healthy products through the inclusion of new formulations of natural antioxidants derived from plant and agrofood industry by-products. Thanks to the FENIX project, we worked for the first time as a RTO, providing services to many companies in the same sector that were joining efforts in these initiatives to maximize results, which implies a change in philosophy for the industry. In this case, the common objective was various developments in the field of road paving. HIGEA allowed the Food Area to include, for the first time, clinical trials with the products developed in a project, to show the beneficial effect for health in humans. BIOREF was the first project on bio-refineries coordinated by CARTIF. RESCATAME, having been chosen as one of the best 6 LIFE Environment projects in 2013.
From her point of view, one of the milestones of CARTIF in these 20 years has been “the key consolidation of our participation in European programs and our presence in structures where priority lines of research are decided. Our facilities growth contributed to that, mainly the construction of building 3 to allow us to work in semi-industrial scale. Another milestone was to become the European entity that most European projects of the LIFE+ program got in the 2012 call for projects”.
Speaking of future challenges for the next five years, she agrees with the majority of her colleagues: “to keep our level and position in Europe and expand our international presence”. And she adds another challenge: to make sure our developments will reach the market, for the society as a whole to benefit from the R&D.
15
talking to
HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE Marta Galende
ICT Division Head of Unit. With 15 years of experience as a researcher in CARTIF, Marta Galende manages two areas of knowledge related to ICT implementation: an area deals with infrastructure management, the other area deals with social and health projects and the improvement of quality of life for citizens.
Among the projects carried out, she would single out CIBIC and OPTIRAIL, projects in which we applied knowledge-based intelligent systems to a real-world problem (the maintenance of railway infrastructures). In the “Human and Social factors� field , she chooses ISOLPEM project to develop a tool to support social and job market integration for people with mental illnesses. Special mention also goes to CARTHOS, the system that served as basis for the development of the guides of interoperability on HL7 in the environment of the Regional Health Service supplies and for the PHYSIOBOT neurorehabilitation platform, a CARTIF development that improves the treatment of patients who have suffered a stroke.
16
In her opinion, the milestones of the Center so far have been to create confidence among companies in the R&D as a source of progress, letting them see the multiple benefits of innovation; and the high level of collaboration attained with other reference research centers, which has given us visibility in our lines of research and knowledge.
Speaking of future challenges for the Center, she marks the same challenge: the definitive consolidation of CARTIF as a leading research center in Europe.
talking to
Among the projects carried out in this time, he notes the first project carried out with CAMPOFRÍO, which resulted in the design and construction of a flexible robotic cell for the automatic molding of boneless shoulders and hams; the strategic contract with GONVARRI, which consolidated industrial CARTIF , addressing visual inspection in lines of treatment of steel derived products; the ROBOHOTEL, in which we developed “Sacarino”, a robot with social skills, able to interact with the people, designed for service in hotels; RENERPATH, our first European project, where we helped obtain an energy rehabilitation methodology , parallel to architectural, for buildings of cultural interest; and SORTi , which will address the development of optical systems for the identification, monitoring and management of labour risks in the rehabilitation of buildings and infrastructures.
CONSTRUCTION AND INFRASTRUCTURES Fernando Gayubo
Robotics Division Head of Unit. With 17 years of experience as a researcher in CARTIF, Fernando Gayubo manages a very transversal area of knowledge inside the Center, as it interacts with industries , construction and infrastructures.
Among the most important milestones he would highlight the move to Boecillo Technology Park, which allowed grouping teams of researchers within a suitable environment; continued success in competitive calls; the first international project that opened for us a necessary path; the change in the economic situation that has forced us to further strengthen our capabilities; and the first 20 years of work and success.
Speaking of future challenges, Gayubo bets to continue making progress toward excellence, to continue learning to support the companies we collaborate with and to consolidate our role in national and international projects.
17
CARTIF milestones 20 years of work 1st LIFE project. 1st coordination of an European project
Workforce grows and reaches 100 people. More than 1Mâ‚Ź in turnover
Our facilities grow bigger. Commissioning of CARTIF 2 building
First Strategic Plan First European project awarded
Construction of first building at Boecillo Technology Park begins
We promote the creation of VITARTIS, an agri-food cluster Move to CARTIF 1 building
CARTIF is founded by 20 companies together with a group of university professors
International expansion in Europe begins
Participation in large European platforms starts
Commissioning of CARTIF 3 building
Granted first Smart City project coordinated by CARTIF Record number of LIFE projects awarded and coordinated in the same call We promote the creation of Smart City VyP
n
CITyFiED begins, the most ambitious project ever coordinated by CARTIF Record figures reached: 200 researchers and 14 Mâ‚Ź annual turnover
RESCATAME LIFE project, coordinated by CARTIF, best Environment project 1st Lighthouse project won in Spain. Coordinated by CARTIF
the celebration
the celebration So was our 20th anniversary act
TomĂĄs Villanueva, regional Economy Counsellor
CARTIF’s CEO during his speech
20
the celebration
Energy Division researchers
Overall look
21
the celebration
Dr. Perán with CARTIF’s Board members
APS Division researchers
22
Biomedical Engineering Division researchers
the celebration
ICT’s Division researchers
Overall look
23
the celebration
Departments Directors
Some of the guests
24
Official tour to the facilities
the celebration
International Projects Department staff
Departments’ staff
25
the celebration
Head of the Units with CEO
Automation Division researchers
26
Official tour to the facilities
the celebration
Mechanical Engineering Division researchers
Robotics Division researchers
27
new look
new look These are some of the logos design by our staff for our 20 years
Adult category winner
Child category winner
28
new look
29