PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ABOUT THE STUDY WILL HAVE THE PRESENCE OF INDUTRY REPRESENTATIVES FROM BOTH SECTORS, SUCH AS CAETANO AERONAUTICS, CRITICAL MATERIALS, INAPAL PLÁSTICOS AND SIMOLDES.

What are the main technological trends in the aeronautical and automotive sectors, in terms of new materials and production technologies, and what is the potential for cross sectoral technological transfer. These themes will be addressed during the presentation of the preliminary results of the European project AEROCAR, which will be held next Wednesday, April the 12th at 2:00 p.m., in B002 auditorium of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto.

Promoted by the Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (INEGI), with the collaboration of two Spanish technological research centres, the Automotive Technology Centre of Galicia (CTAG) and Leartiker, and also with the French research institute Rescoll, the AEROCAR project aims to create an international technology transfer network between the aeronautical and automotive sectors to maximize the impact of recent and future technological developments.

Luís Pina, researcher at INEGI and AEROCAR project manager, stands out that “the different priorities of these sectors, namely the relative importance awarded to the production times and costs, the innovation processes and the quality control procedures, lead to different integration strategies for the newly available technologies. It is, therefore, necessary to understand how each sector integrated them, to identify cross-sectoral transfer opportunities.»

According to the European Commission, the automotive industry generates a turnover of around 640 billion Euros per year, which represents 4% of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of the European Union (EU) and employs 12 million people, assuming a role of great importance as an employer of qualified personnel and as a driver of knowledge and innovation. The automotive sector is Europe’s largest private investor in research and development (R&D).

The aeronautics industry is one of the main high-tech sectors in the EU, employing more than half a million people in 2013 and generating a turnover of around 140 billion Euros.

Besides the companies’ representatives from both sectors, namely Caetano Aeronautics, Materials, Inapal Plastics and Simoldes, the results presentation session will also have presentations from representatives of the Portuguese cluster of the aeronautical sector (PEMAS) and of the Association of Manufacturers of the Automotive Sector (AFIA).

About INEGI: is an institute of new technologies, dedicated to research activities and technology-based innovation, technology transfer, consultancy and technological services, oriented to the development of the industry and the economy in general. With 30 years of experience, INEGI has 18 business units, which operate in a wide range of markets and sectors, namely: automotive and transportation; aeronautics, space and defence; metal-mechanics and industrial equipment; energy and environment; health; sport; and the sea economy. More information at: www.inegi.up.pt

About AEROCAR Project: It is a three year European project, co-funded by the Interreg Sudoe Program through the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER), which aims to create a network of technology transfer between the aeronautical and automotive sectors. The collaboration of companies and technological centres in Portugal, France and Spain will result in a constant synergy favouring the transfer of knowledge between both sectors. It will also contribute to improving the productivity of companies in the European Southwest space (SUDOE), thanks to the creation of new technologies, materials and processes. More information at: www.aerocar-sudoe.com