INDEX CARTIF, 25 years of service to companies General Information What is CARTIF? Members of the board CARTIF in figures Excellence Platforms and Associations
Economic Sectors Industrial Solutions Energy and Environment Constructions/ Infrastructures Health and Quality of Life Agro-food
Projects COLOR
BRESAER
LIFE NEXUS
DISCÓBOLO
AI4EU
GIRTER
LIFE BATTLE CO2
SIBLOQ
COPITO , el amigo interactivo de los mayores
CARTIF 25 YEARS OF SERVICE TO COMPANIES
The CARTIF Technology Centre has turned 25 years old. A quarter century of innovation, development and transformation of good ideas into reality. It is a long time of dedication of all its researchers and workers, to help companies and administrations to improve their processes, services and products, advocating for a more sustainable and responsable industrial sector with society and environment.
CARTIF was born thanks to a group of professors from the Department of Systems and Automation Engineering of the Higher School of Industrial Engineers of the University of Valladolid who decided to put their ideas into practice and promote aid to the industry of Valladolid and Castilla y León. During these years, it has maintained the same values and objectives with which it was born and the main one is to contribute to the development of its economic and social environment. Many hours of work and passion to grow year after year and become a becnhmark in research at a national and international level in favor of entities, cities and people. On the occasion of this anniversary, the centre held an emotional commemorative act on December 2 at its facilities in the Boecillo Technology Park. First, its general director José Ramón Perán wanted to thank the small group of entities and people that launched CARTIF in 1994 and the many who have passed throguh the centre and have contributed to date. The event brought together all the employees of the centre, main protagonists of the day, and had the participation of the president of the Junta de Castilla y León, Alfonso Fernández Mañueco, as well as the presence of other political authorities, the members of the Board of Trustees of the centre, various personalities from the Valladolid industrial sector and prominent members of the UVA, inseparable companion of CARTIF, among others.
José Ramón Perán expressed the good work of CARTIF in recent years, which has earned 192 million euros as a result of carrying out 1280 R&D&I projects contracted by companies or through public programs. The director also highlighted the figure of the centre as “the most effective tool to streamline the bidirectional scientific process that occurs between theory and practice”. Likewise, he expressed his intention to continue growing, increasing the workforce and improving the working conditions of all those who make up this great family. For his part, Mañueco wanted to recognize the innovative contribution of CARTIF in the autonomous community and announced that it will promote the creation of an autonomous pact for Science that will have research, development and innovation as a priority. “We want to unite the efforts of all administrations, organizations that work in research, technology centres and innovative companies to promote R&D&I to levels where we are homologated with the European Union”. The Chairman of the Junta also recalled the importance of the research and the cooperation between companies, both for the applied solutions of the industry and for the training of professionals demanded by the company, “ensuring technology transfer to all SMEs, productive sectors and provinces of Castilla y León”.
In short, an appointment that commemorated the evolution and growth of CARTIF, not only as a technological research and development centre, but also as a great family that persists despite economic adversities and that intends to continue being an example of commitment, effort and social responsibility for another 25 years.
GENERAL INFORMATION
A horizontal technology centre, specialized in providing comprehensive solutions to companies
Research to improve people´s quality of life
Its objective is to innovate for improving the productivity of the Spanish and European fabric
He has 25 years of experience in five sectors of activity: industry, construction and infrastructures, energy and environment, agro-food and health and quality of life.
Members of the Board _
Technology Advisors Dr. Fernando Aldama. Ex General Secretary of CYTED Dr. José Ramón Perán. CARTIF CEO
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Board Presidency. SEADM Vicepresidency CECALE Secretary Universidad de Valladolid Members Quesería Entrepinares, S.A., Acciona, Galletas Gullón, S.A., Dragados, Iberdrola, Grupo Siro, Productos Solubles, S.A., Bodegas
Matarromera
Associated Companies. Aciturri, Proingesa, Ayuntamiento de Boecillo, Maxam, Grupo Unicaja, Industrias Ríos, S.L., Carburos Metálicos S.A., Huercasa, DivisaIT
Our laboratories have accreditations to carry out trials in compound materials, paints, varnishes and pellets and non-metalic materials in accordance with the aerospace standard AS 7003.
In addition, the Centre has different certifications in quality, environmental management, R&D management and eco-design.
PROMETIA·
Mineral processing and extractive metallurgy for mining and
recycling Innovation Association
GBC· Green Building Council España EERA AISBL· European Energy Research Alliance EFFRA· European Factories of the Future Research Association ECTP· European Construction Technology Platform EU ROBOTICS· EU ROBOTICS Association ISES· International Solar Energy Society SPIRE· Sustainable Process Industry through Resource and Energy Efficiency BDVA· Big Data Value Association BIC· Biobased Industries Consortium CIGRE Comité España· International Council of Large Electric Systems AITADIS· Ibero-american of Support Technologies for Disability AVEBIOM· Spanish Association of Energy Valorization of Biomass AEC· Spanish Association of the Road CBECYL· Capital Goods of Castilla y León Cluster AEICE· Efficient Construction Innovative Business Association SIVI· Innovative Solutions for the Independent Life of Castilla y León Cluster AEI CIBERSEGURIDAD
Cibersecurity and Advanced Technologies Cluster
AER-ATP· Robotics and Automation of Production Technologies Spanish Association FACYL·
Castilla y León Automotive Cluster
AEDIVE· Electric Vehicle Infrastructure AEI ADABE· Association for the Diffusion of Biomass in Spain AIF· Iberian Association of Photocatalysis PTV· Technological Platform of Wine in Spain PTEA· Spanish Water Technology Platform PTEC·
Spanish Technological Platform for Construction
HISPAROB· Spanish Technological Platform for Construction SMART CITY VYP· Association for the promotion of the Smart City Valladolid and Palencia CONFEDEM· Confederation of Mining and Metallurgy Entrepeneurs LOGISTOP· Technological Platform in Integral Logistics, Intermodality and Mobility PTC· Spanish Road Platform THINKTUR· Tourism Technology Platform VITARTIS·
Association of the Food Industry of Castilla y León
BIOTECYL· Castilla y León Health Cluster PTEEE· Spanish Technological Platform for Energy Efficiency FOOD FOR LIFE MANUKET· Spanish Technological Platform for Advanced Manufacturing BIOPLAT· Spanish Technological Platform of Biomass
ECONOMIC SECTORS
Industrial Solutions Throughout these 25 years, CARTIF has established itself as one of the largest national benchmarks in the industrial sector, the centre´s main work axis. If something has defined the nature of this technology centre since its foundation, it is its firm intention of providing all kinds of industrial solutions to companies, administrations and clients to improve the efficiency of their processes, products and services, and thus enable the transition to the factory of the future. CARTIF works to achieve innovative enabling technologies that allow productive companies to advance in the application of this “Industry 4.0”. The centre develops economically viable and constantly updated lines of resarch according to the needs of an increasingly demanding market, improving the competitiveness of clients and facilitating their evolution. These lines incorpórate key aspects of the current industrial fabric such as flexible manufacturing, the efficiency of manufacturing processes, intelligent processes, collaborative robotics and avanced automation, among others.
Energy and Environment Another of the pillars that base CARTIF activity is its strong sustainable and ecological awareness. These 25 years the technology
centre has compiled
extensive experience in technologies, developments and projects that involve all agents of the value chain of the energy and environment sectors, preserving the final purpose of significantly reducing economic costs and the environmental impact in all its processes. CARTIF was one of the first centres in Spain to invest in R&D&I in renewable energies and biofuels, and currently has one of the most cutting-edge energy efficiency research groups in Europe. Among other fields, the centre works on the hybridization of technologies and the development of solutions that integrate generation with renewables at different scales, as well as on the implementation, together with public entities, of energy and climate policies, defining and/or evaluating urban and territorial planning strategies and developing tolos that help them achieve the objective.
Construction and Infrastructures As in the previous sectors, CARTIF maintains a sustainable and responsible will towards society in the field of Construction and Infrastructures. The centre has spent many years developing a line of research that integrates the concept of Smart construction, trying to respond to the changing needs of the market with the least posible climate impact. The teams for the integration of renewables in construction and rehabilitation of buildings work in this line, with special emphasis on those of Artistic and Cultural Heritage. All this is integrated, in turn, in the global concept of urban regeneration. The objective is to develop and implement strategic plans in cities based on these guidelines, improving their sustainability by adequately planning the energy transition and appropriate materials to carry it out, in the médium and long term. The same approach is applied in the study of the behaviour of infrastructures, logistics and transport, fields in which CARTIF stands out for its intelligent maintenance software and for the development of new materials with innovative properties.
Health and Quality of Life In recent years, CARTIF has had among its priorities improving people´s wellbeing and quality of life. Aware of the vital importance that the medical sector plays in the present and future of the populations, the centre works to provide health professionals with the most advanced tools given by engineering to improve the investigation, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, as well as to evolve the technological systems that are used in the numerous áreas of health and health. CARTIF addresses a wide range of medical fields, from projects on active aging within the philosophy of the silver eocnomy or “silver economy” to the field of robotics, which encompasses social interaction and the interaction of forces between robots and people, for the development of social or health care services. The “Decision Support” is also working, located in the social-care and management of resources and processes. The objective of all of them is to improve the health and quality of life of citizens, maintain long-term sustainability and preserve the efficiency of health and social care systems, as well as improve the competitiveness of the industry in this trascendental sector.
Agro-food
Today food has become one of the main concerns of populations, who, after times of greater scepticism, already understand the direct impact that it has on their health and well-being. This situation has prompted exhaustive controls of food production processes that guarantee maximum quality and complete safety in its composition. CARTIF has been offering solutions, on the one hand, to the industry, and on the other to consumers. In this way, the centre maintains a double commitment in this area, attending to market demands and the needs of end customers. With this premise in mind, the CARTIF research team optimizes production processes, develops new products and valorises agro-food waste, in addition to performing physical-chemical, microbiological and sensorial analyses. Thanks to these capabilities, the centre helps companies to obtain a differential factor with respect to their competition and to increase their level of innovation, always trying to obtain a healthy and sustainable diet as much as possible.
PROJECTS
Reduction of acrylamide in industrially processed foods The COLOR Project is a collaborative business initiative focused on solving one of the most important needs of the food sector today: the reduction of acrylamide in industrially processed foods. More important since 2018, when a law forced the sector to apply the necessary measures to mitigate the formation of acrylamide. This Project aims, on the one hand, to reduce the levels of acrylamide in biscuit products and fried potatoes to the lowest posible level and below the reference level established in the Regulation, and on the other, to obtain higher quality olive oils and concentration of polyphenols in order to counteract the formation of acrylamide in biscuit products and fried potatoes.
With that in mind, the project identifies those truly effective and industrially viable tools to reduce acrylamide and develop an indirect method that allows the detection and quantification of acrylamide in food quickly, easily and more economically than conventional analytical methods.
At the end of COLOR, it is expected to have obtained biscuit products and chips with a lower acrylamide content without compromising their safety, nutritional value ororganoleptic properties, as well as olive oils with a higher quality and concentration of polyphenols. Furthermore, the ultimate goal is to establish a fast and accurate analytical method for the determination of acrylamide levels in the production line, an extremely useful parameter for the food industry.
Potential of mini-hydro generation systems to recover untapped energy in water networks in European cities Water and energy are two of the most important resources of the 21st century. This nexus is specially critical in cities, due to demographic movements, economic growth or climate change. LIFE NEXUS will show the potential of mini-hydro generation systems to recover untapped energy in water networks in European cities. On the other hand, it will carry out the first European inventory of potential energy recovery locations and its technical and economic viability will be evaluated taking into account the regulations and characteristics of each country. The objectives of the project are: to analyze the technical-economic viability of a micro-hydraulic generation system located in the Porma water treatment plant in León (Spain), which will allow the installation´s demand to be covered with renewable energy, quantify the energy recovery potential in European cities, contribute to the objectives of making Europe a world leader in the transition to clean energy and icnrease the competitiveness and enhance the sustainability and resilience of urban water supply services.
For that porpose, LIFE NEXUS will develop a micro-hydraulic prototype (35kW), based on the innovative integration of a pump as a turbine (PaT) coupled to battery storage, and carry out the first European inventory on the potential of mini-hydraulic energy recovery in urban water networks. Likewise, it will try to replicate the LIFE NEXUS approach in 30 Followers in Europe.
Regarding the results that LIFE NEXUS intends to achieve at its conclusion, scheduled for 2021, it is mainly expected to generate 215 MWh/year of renewable electricity and a 100% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the ETAP, since the energy generated will cover the global demand of the installation. This would mean 140t of CO2 equivalent per year of operation. It also seeks to create a network in the field of micro/mini hydraulic power plants.
Analyse future research needs in AI and create an Ethics observatory that ensures human-centred AI. The AI4EU project, under the name of “Ecosystem and European Platform for Artificial Intelligence on Demand”, aims to provide users with AI-based resources that facilitate scientifics research and innovation, analyse future research needs in AI and create an Ethics observatory that ensures human-centred AI. The project consortium is made up of 81 European entities of all kinds, standing out powerful companies such as Allianz, Orange, Siemens or Unilever, as well as prestigious technology centres and universities throughout the continent. CARTIF, for its part, will mainly participate in the development of the EU Strategic Research Agenda for AI. He will collect and analyse the information and knowledge available in initiatives such as BDVA, SPIRE, EFFRA, euRobotics, and help identify the needs of end users, contributing his own experience in the development of AI applications.
The ultimate goal of this initiative is to mobilize the entire European AI community to deliver on its promises, both for the benefit of society and the European economy, through a leading European AI collaborative platform to Foster economic growth.
AI4EU aims to bring together all stakeholders through local events in different countries, position European AI at the Forefront of the international scene thanks to an AI fully integrated into human values and ethics, and identify technology gaps and initiate AI innovations through of research, innovation and application of efforts already made. In his way, European excellence and global leadership position in the main domains of AI research and applications would be strengthened.
The use of biomass as an alternative fuel allows a reduction in CO2 emissions The asphalt mix requires an energetically demanding process during its manufacture, with average temperatures of 160ºC, in order to favor the mixing and manageability of the product before being spread and compacted. These heating processes represent 50% of the CO2 eq emissions associated with the product from the extraction of raw materials until the mixture is located on the road and can be used. The LIFE BATTLE CO2 project has developed an innovative process in which the use of biomass as an alternative fuel allows a reduction in CO2 emissions and promotes the development of lowcarbon processes. The ultimate goal of this initiative was to change the asphalt mix manufacturing model, eliminating fossil fuels from the process and thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions. BATTLE CO 2 has developed versatile plant models using biomass as fuel, as well as standarized protocols for communicating environmental impacts.
To achieve this, the project has designed and manufactured prototypes for the use of biomass in asphalt plants, has integrated them into the industrial agglomerate plant, has carried out the technical and economic testing and validation section of the viability of the alternative process and has obtained the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for asphalt mixtures manufactured using biomass as an alternative fuel.
At its conclusion, LIFE BATTLE CO2 has more than served its purpose, making possible a more sustainable road network. This initiative, born in 2015, has succeeded in replacing around 80% of the fossil fuels used in the manufacturing process of the asphalt plant with biomass from sustainable forest mangement. In this way, it has reduced CO2 emissions by about 80% in the plant and around 45% in its global impact throughout its life cycle, from the raw materials stage to its commissioning. For all this, ASEFMA, the Spanish Association of Manufacturers of Asphalt Mixes, has awarded the project the “Best Environmental Practices 2019” award.
Building renovation envelope system The BRESAER project has designed, developed and demonstrated an innovative, profitable, adaptable and inudstrialized building renovation envelope system that improves the quality of the indoor environment by inceasing thermal, acoustic and lighting confort and air quality. We are talking about a state-of-the-art Building Energy Management System that measures and controls both the envelope and the energy consumption of the building through integrated control techniques. The innovative solutions developed by the project include.
Structural metal profiles to achieve a configurable system, easy to assemble and capable of supporting different enclosing components.
Multifunctional and multilayer insulating panels made of ultra-high performance fibre reinforced concrete, for the envelope.
Combined component of photovoltaic enclosure and solar termal air for heating and ventilation of interior spaces, termal insulation and electricity generation.
Lightweight and multifunctional ventilated facade module, with integrated photovoltaic system for electricity generation, and thermo-reflective and sel-cleaning coating.
Dynamic Windows with automated and controlled sealing and insulated solar blinds.
BREASER´s actions took place in a conference building on the campus of University of Burgos, a on-story building block with an area of about 550m2 . It has achieved a building with almost zero energy (total energy consumption less tan 60 kW/m2 per year) through the reduction of energy demand for heating by 30%, a contribution of solar thermal energy for the conditioning of the 15% and a contribution from RES for electricity generation of 75% of electricity consumption. CARTIF´s participation in the project is focused on the monitoring and design of energy management strategies. With regard to monitoring, the main objectives have been the design of the automation and information management network to calculate KPI´s as well as to evaluate the impacts. On the other hand, energy management strategies have been designed with the aim of balancing the different energy sources, prioritizing the use of renewables.
Detect both specific and longitudinal defects on the production of flat steel in the rolling process Today, in the lamination process, both hot and cold, factories only work on “long” elements and in the detction of point defects, not longitudinal defects, which means a technological delay. This is precisely the objective of the DISCÓBOLO project, co-financed by the Minsitry of Economy and Competitiveness through the call RETOS COLABORACIÓN 2016, which has managed to detect both specific and longitudinal defects on the production of flat steel in the rolling process, regardless of temperature. The initial objective of the inititative was none other than to develop products that enhance quality, efficiency and business competitiveness within the Steel sector, providing them with innovative tools that were key to comercial success both in the national and international markets, within the steelmaker sector.
For this, this project has successfully developed two prototypes, one for each lamination process, hot and cold. Both teams are based on the detection by means of induced currents and a flat rotating disk that locates, analyses and classifies the Surface defects on the flat product, to detect both point and longitudinal defects. DISCÓBOLO has concluded this 2019 fulfilling its purpose, which represents a revolution in the lamination process. It will reduce the costs derived from quality control systems that eliminate any defective product regardless of the fact that those rejected products can meet less demanding specifications, will offer a high-value-added rolling mill maintenance service for eddy current inspection systems, since the production inspection system can be used to detect anomalies in the rolling mil, and will eliminate any cold inspection after hot rolling, a very expensive offline cost.
Intelligent energy management tool and helps in the operation of district heating and cooling networks The GIRTER project has successfully developed an intelligent energy management tool and helps in the operation of district heating and cooling networks, which, based on adequate monitoring and the application of dynamic simulation techniques, optimizes the operation of generation systems and maximizes the integration of renewable generation sources and the use of residual heat from nearby processes. For this, the initiative has been based on the availability of the aforementioned resoruces, a prediction of the demand of the district users based on simulation and renewable production, which has optimized control decisions taking into account the state and costs of operation of the auxiliary support teams distributed in each supply point. Since its beginning, GIRTER has focused its activity on five premises:
The development of a demand forecasting service, based on the client´s profile and weather conditions.
The development of simplified models of buildings and generation systems.
The development of smart termal network management strategies.
The development of a heat generation management module.
The establishment of the instrumentation and the communication protocols of the different elements of the ring to carry out an intelligent mangement of systems.
With these guidelines in mind, it has developed the monitoring and control infrastructure and has carried out a proof of concept, as well as the validation of the prototype in demonstration pilots. GIRTER has achieved an intelligent management system for district thermal networks with polygeneration, new operation algorithms based on simplified models of buildings and generation systems and the optimization of energy consumption in the operation of thermal networks.
Innovative comprehensive management system applicable to a surgical block CARTIF is one of the entities that works in the development of the SIBLOQ project (Comprehensive Management of the Surgical Block), an initiative that combines knowledge and techniques of a scientific and business nature for the development of an innovative comprehensive management system applicable to a surgical block. This system proposes the use of technologies such as Big Data, Advanced Interoperability, Artificial Intelligence or Blockchain, in order to achieve a correct monitoring and optimization of the surgical block of the Hospital Clínico Universitario of Valladolid, the focus of action selected by the project. SIBLOQ, the result of a public-private cooperation between CARTIF and the companies COTESA, IDECAL and LEASBA, is based on three modules:
Patient Clinical Data Module: which integrates the information generated from the data collection systems and from medical devices, decision support (SDC), alarms and clinical alerts. The innovation in this first module is in advanced interoperability that combine Big Data and Artificial Intelligence techniques.
Traceability Module: which includes the monitoring and analysis of surgical processes. This module will allow integrating all the movements generated by the different participating agents, will enable their optimization, will identify bottlenecks and improvement actions. It has location information in real time, improving service times.
Informed Consent Module: in which it advance the concept of “informed consent”, associated with the new data protection law to include the management of operating permits for a patient´s clinical information through Blockchain technology.
The project will run for 30 months and has a Budget of 1,198,019€, co-financed by the Centre for Industrial Technological Development (competitive call Feder Interconecta 2018) and the consortium´s own companies. The collaboration model in which we are working is nourished by the Castilla y León Biotecyl clusters (Health Cluster of Castilla y León) and the SIVI Cluster (Innovative Solutions for Independent Living), which have the objective of promoting the improvement of the care that patients receive thanks to a technological improvement.
At CARTIF, we understand that our elders are a priority part of our society and deserve any benefit that our technologies and our work can provide them. For this reason, a group of researchers from our centre has joined forces with the Institute for Advanced Production Technologies of the University of Valladolid and the Lacort residence, in the municipality of Viana de Cega, to improve people´s well-being who reside in this place. From this collaboration was born “Copito”, a robot that is in charge of interacting with residents and helps them exercise their memory, improve mobility, avoid isolation or sedentary lifestyle, and even favours their sense of humour. The new tenant of the residence is able to remember the place of birth and the age of the elderly person they live with, ask how they are, inform them of the latest news or the weather and tell them a joke, among many other things.
“Copito” can teach them a whole series of specific physical exercises. Tasks with which they gain mobility in the neck, back, shoulders, arms and hands. He can also propose games and exercises to relate or retain concepts, to put their cognitive abilities into practice.
This nice “worker” has proven to be a very useful tool to entertain and keep these older people active both physically and mentally, and has achieved the most important thing of all: they are motivated and glad. As if he were your monitor, but virtual and with more endearing aspect, “Copito” has become the attraction of the Lacort residence, making the people who live there a little happier.