Research

Group A - Mechanical and Intelligent Manufacturing

This group results from the recognition of substantial research led by several CEMMPRE members in the area of Mechanical Engineering. The research objectives primarily undertakeby Group A members are as follows:

• Human machine interaction
• Industrial engineering.

However, here will be strrong encouragement for collaborative research with members of Group B, especially focusing on the following topics:

• Computational mechanics
• Additive manufacturing (AM)
• Structural integrity
• Sensors and monitoring
• Joining
• Characterization of materials
• Production of materials and components.

Group A members are committed to achieve research excellence on an international scale and fostering high socieconomic impact. These corresponde to continuous developments in the following themes:

• AM technologies
• Collaborative and soft robotics applications
• Models for optimizing production, maintenance, logistics, and decision-making support
• Virtual models of manufacturing processes and mechanical components
• Experimental and numerical biomechanics
• Technologies for multi-material joining.

Moreover, the members from Group A will also be focused on Hot Topics, mainly extending their expertise in:

• Artificial intelligence to other fields (e.g. biomedical and materials engineering)
• AM to high entropy alloys and metamaterials
• Decision-making support models to environment applications (e.g. water, descarbonization).

GROUP B - MATERIALS AND PROCESSES

This group results from the recognition of substantial resarch led by several CEMMPRE members in the area of Materials Science and Engineering. The synthesis and processing of materials are also embraced within this field (Processes). The research objectives primarily undertakeby Group B members are as follows:

• Nano(bio)tecnhnologies
• Surface and interface engineering.

Additionally, other topics previously mentioned will serve as objectives to be collaboratively developed with members of Group A.

Group B members are equally committed to achieve research excellence through the development of advanced materials under scalable conditions, with a profound impact on societal challenges including health, energy, environment and sustainability. Continuous developments will be pursues in the following themes:

• AM technologies
• Advanced sensor systems
• Tribological and protective coating
• Develop tailor-made polymers new biobased polymers, and innovative biodegradable polymers
• Production of materials by bacteria and antimicrobial materials
• Advanced funcional materials and components.

The members from Group B will also be focused on Hot Topics, mainly extending their expertise in:

• AM to bioprinting, HEA and metamaterials
• Materials and surfaces to energy applications (batteries, H₂)
• Bioengineering and materials for environment applications (water, decarbonization).

Group B members are highly committed to pursue environmentally friendly developments, considering all aspects relevant for the potential environmental impacts of the new products, materials or processes.

CEMMPRE integrates a wide range of equipment available at the host institutions of its members.

The research carried out in CEMMPRE has led to stimulating new ideas for new materials, technologies, prototypes and products which have potential to be directly transferred to enterprises and to the market. One of the ways of interconnecting with the industry is through various collaborative projects, namely those led by national companies.

The transfer of research knowledge has been performed internally by UC Business, the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) of the University of Coimbra (https://www.uc.pt/en/ucbusiness/). Through the transfer of a wide range of knowledge to the benefit of Society, the mission of UC Business is to transform UC into an essential partner to the business sector, carrying out joint projects with different business structures (start-ups, spin-offs, SMEs, large companies and associations), within the multiple areas of knowledge of the University of Coimbra.

Externally to UC, the knowledge transfer from CEMMPRE has been boosted by IPN - Instituto Pedro Nunes. IPN is an interface Institution between the University and the Industry, in particular with its laboratories “LED&MAT - Laboratory for Wear, Testing & Materials” and “LEC - Laboratory for Electroanalysis and Corrosion”, headed by researchers from CEMMPRE. Besides the direct support of these laboratories to companies through services or technological driven projects, IPN promotes the dissemination of the results with the objective of creating interest in the stakeholders and entrepreneurs for launching new enterprises or reinforcing existing ones, for example through “IPN – Incubator” and “IPN – Accelerator”, respectively.