Expertise

The INEGI - Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering from the University of Porto is an industry-oriented Research and Technology Organization considered one of the most effective in transforming R&D investment in economic and social value.

INEGI’s current activity in the surface transports area, and particularly concerning the automotive sector, explores innovative approaches to enable greener, safer and more competitive solutions tackling knowledge from multidisciplinary R&D areas, namely:

- Materials Processing: Composites processing, metal casting, metal sheet forming, metal-composites hybridization, additive manufacturing, joining technologies, and material properties customization;

- Advanced Monitoring and Structural Integrity: design, validation and inspection of mechanical structures; Instrumentation of systems, structures and components; custom advanced monitoring and inspection solutions; computer vision; design of quality control/assurance systems; numerical simulation of static and dynamic systems’ behaviour; failure analysis; custom mechanical validation; ageing tests; ND inspection; materials joining;

- Mechanical Transmissions: Basic tribology on lubricated Hertzian contacts; Gear Tribology (low-loss torque gears, micro-cavitation damage models) and Bearing Tribology (effects of grease and oil formulations on friction loss of torque, wear, strength and reliability). Lubricants (grease, oil, water-based) to improve motor efficiency and reliability;

- Vibrations and Acoustics: Numerical and experimental analysis of the vibration of structural elements with low degrees of freedom, in (non)linear regime; modal analysis;

- Life Cycle Assessment: In-house developed digital data gathering inventory platform and tools and holistic methodologies for performance assessment of vehicle’s structural components or systems (such as storage systems, at cell, module and pack levels and the corresponding integration), in the operational, economic, environmental, and social vectors; Eco-Efficiency and Sustainability assessment methods based on primary datasets over the full TRL scale;

- High-Performance Computational Tools: New design methods intertwining mechanical, electronic and computer engineering, under a common framework of cognitive decision-support systems based on algorithms for intelligent data modelling and optimization;

- Ergonomics, Injury Biomechanics and Passive Safety.

Participation in EU Projects and International Activities

Relevant projects with application in the transport / automotive sector:

H2020

MAREWIND - MAterials solutions for cost Reduction and Extended service life on WIND off-shore facilities

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/952960

IClimaBuilt - Functional and advanced insulating and energy harvesting/storage materials across climate adaptive building envelopes

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/952886/es

LEVEL-UP - Protocols and Strategies for extending the useful Life of major capital investments and Large Industrial Equipment

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/869991

EMB3Rs - User-driven Energy-Matching & Business prospection tool for industrial Excess heat/cold Reduction, Recovery and Redistribution

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/847121

INEGI coordination

LAY2FORM - Efficient Material Hybridization by Unconventional Layup and Forming of Metals and Composites for Fabrication of Multifunctional Structures

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/768710

INEGI coordination

SMARTFAN - Smart by Design and Intelligent by Architecture for turbine blade fan and structural components systems

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/760779

INEGI coordination

MODCOMP - Modified cost effective fibre based structures with improved multi-functionality and performance

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/685844

DeMAnD - Dynamic aircraft material property Database

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/717172

INSCAPE - In situ manufactured carbon-thermoplast curved stiffened panel

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/686894

ECO-COMPASS - Ecological and Multifunctional Composites for Application in Aircraft Interior and Secondary Structures

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/690638

MAESTRI - Energy and resource management systems for improved efficiency in the process industries.

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/680570

FP7

ENLIGHT - Enhanced Lightweight Design for application in structural vehicles parts of future volume produced Electric Vehicles.

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/314567

EUCARBON - European Space-Qualified Carbon Fibres and Pre-Impregnated Based Materials

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/284500

INEGI coordination

CleanSky II

PASSARO - caPAbilities for innovative Structural and functional teSting of AeROstructures