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CTAG participates in the LICORNE project


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CTAG participates in LICORNE (LIssage de COrdons Robotisé Novateur Expert), a H2020 European project that started in November 2015. With a budget of 2.8 M€, LICORNE is a two-year FTI, Fast Track to Innovation action.

The project aims to provide an automated commercial system to apply sealing mastic on the vehicle body automatically, using only the necessary material, removing excess material to use it in the following application.

LICORNE searches to develop an innovative self-adjusting process for the quality control of the PVC seal on the body, increasingly used in automobile manufacturing.

LICORNE aims to certify autonomously that each junction has a high quality assurance, through real-time analysis of small deviations, providing recommendations for better management of the system and allowing to anticipate defects.

CTAG collaborates in the optimisation of the automated process through the capture and analysis of the installation parameters. The objective is to ensure the quality of the application of the sealing material and the optimisation of material consumption. BIG DATA techniques shall be used, first, to determine the application parameters that are appropriate for each vehicle and, in a second phase, to advise modification of the application parameters in order to achieve the optimum process.

The rest of the consortium is made up of PSA Groupe (France) as coordinator and future user of the system, Clemessy (France), which will address path correction technology, RINGLER GMBH, which will develop the mastic bead application system so that a uniform application optimising the amount of material used is achieved, and the Institut de Science de Matériaux de Mulhouse – IS2M (France), dedicated to the use of plasma for modification of materials.

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CTAG participates in the INDUSTRIES DU FUTUR 2016 exhibition


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The INDUSTRIES DU FUTUR 2016 exhibition will take place next September 15th at PSA-Mulhouse, as a continuation of the NOVATECH-Journée de l’innovation technique et technologique organised in 2015.

This event will highlight the know-how and fields of research related to innovation and the industry of the future.

CTAG will participate for the second time with a stand and will hold B2B meetings.

 

PROXECTO COFINANCIADO

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CTAG participates once again in the Automotive Testing Expo Europe


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Once again we are pleased to announce that CTAG will be participating in the Automotive Testing Expo Europe, which will be held in Stuttgart from 31st May to 2nd June 2016. CTAG will be exhibiting in Hall 1, Booth 1552.

At the 18th Automotive Testing Expo Europe you will be able to see the very latest technologies and services that have been designed to ensure that the highest standards are met in terms of vehicle quality, reliability, durability and safety. Over 330 exhibiting companies will be out to demonstrate that their products are able to help with the ultimate aim of eliminating recalls. These must surely be the drivers of any successful car industry, and are essential for brand loyalty and brand protection as well as global sales success. For more information please visit http://www.testing-expo.com/europe/

CTAG will present its different laboratories’ capabilities to test equipment, systems and vehicle components. There will be a special focus on robots for mechanical durability integrated in complete car climatic chamber, multi-axis shakers in acoustic chamber, hot vibration and hot gas testing facilities, EMC chamber, HiL laboratory, driving simulator and test tracks equipped for ADAS / automated driving development and validation.

This participation is supported by the IGAPE, with the 2016 call for “ayudas para la ejecución de acciones de promoción exterior conjunta de las empresas gallegas”, co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund within the framework of the Operational Programme ERDF Galicia 2014-2020.

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The ecoDriver project comes to an end


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After more than four years of activity, the ecoDriver project has published its preliminary test results of 9 different assistance systems for eco-driving, in which 170 drivers participated in seven European countries, both in controlled and real driving conditions.

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The objective of the ecoDriver project is to develop the most effective feedback system (HMI) to get the driver to adopt a green driving behaviour in vehicles equipped with the project developments. The ecoDriver systems take into account vehicle data and environment and, based on these data, they perform energy calculations to recommend to the driver the optimal point, in order to drive as efficiently as possible. These recommendations are based on the optimal speed profile in each situation, gear shift, and behaviour generally based on the anticipation of the road circumstances.

The targets of the project are to achieve a significant reduction of fuel consumption, increase driving safety and reduce emissions of polluting gases.

CTAG’s role in the project

CTAG played an important role in the ecoDriver project, participating in most activities. In the development phase CTAG contributed to the energy rating system, foundation of the Full ecoDriver System (FeDS) for the calculation of the recommendations to the driver, and developed fully the programmed HMI on an Android Samsung Galaxy Note 2 device. The following image shows an example of the interface designed and programmed in the final version of the FeDS, presented at the final event held at the Mercedes Benz Museum in Stuttgart last March 17, 2016:

 

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CTAG led the development of this HMI application defining its final design, behaviour and operation logic, both for the first version, used during the road tests, and for the final version presented at the final event. Besides, CTAG directed all the planning, design and development of the road tests conducted with the systems developed by Daimler, BMW, FIAT, TomTom, CTAG and Ifsttar in seven European countries.

CTAG performed tests, both during the design phase and the testing phase, in the driving simulator, in Vigo and its surroundings (urban and interurban areas and highways) and on the recently built private test track.

In order to obtain the final results CTAG made a central server available to the project, where all the data collected during the tests were stored and managed. In addition, CTAG developed the tools to manage these data, generating the necessary indicators to evaluate the results.

Results

Average speeds in free driving are reduced around 3% when driving maintaining cruising speeds, and acceleration and deceleration intensity are reduced by 6%.

Regarding the main objective of the project, fuel reduction using the ecoDriver system was reached in figures between 13% and 20%, depending on how the driver followed the recommendations proposed by the system. As a result of this gas emissions were significantly reduced.

This project, with a consortium of 12 partners (BMW, CRF, CTAG, Daimler, ERTICO, IFSTTAR, IKA, Simotion, TNO, TomTom Telematics, Université de Leeds et VTI) was co-financed by the European Commission within the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development.

For more information please visit ecoDriver Project

 

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Participation in “DIANA”, ERDF-Innterconecta project


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The project called “DIANA – Development of a new concept steering-wheel with an ultra-compact airbag module and Integration of Advanced electroNic functions for Automated driving”, which started in 2015 and will end in 2017, has as its main objective the design and development of an innovative steering-wheel concept, with an ultra-compact airbag module, based on the requirements associated with innovative geometries and the integration of advanced electronic functions focussed on the gradual introduction of automated driving.

CTAG-IDIADA SAFETY TECHNOLOGY participates in this initiative coordinated by DALPHIMETAL ESPAÑA. Other companies taking part in the project are PSA PEUGEOT CITROËN and GRUPO MATRIGALSA, with the collaboration of CTAG-Automotive Technology Centre of Galicia.

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The project is funded by the CDTI (Spanish Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology) through the FEDER (ERDF)-INNTERCONECTA 2015 programme, it has the support of the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness), and is co-financed with the ERDF funds of the European Union.

Financiado por Ministerior-Economia-CDTI-FEDER

CTAG presents its latest developments in R&D&I on new materials at the JEC World Composites 2016


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The Automotive Technology Centre of Galicia will participate in the JEC World Composites Show & Conferences, which will be held at the Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Center from 8 to 10 March.

CTAG will take part in the exhibition at the Spanish Pavilion, Hall 5A, Booth C53, and will present its latest R&I work relating to new materials: biocomposites, nanocomposites, lightweight and high-performance composites, smart materials and plastronics.

This is the most important event in Europe concerning composites, where exhibitors will present innovations in different sectors such as the automobile, aerospace, building, civil engineering industry, etc.

For more information about the show please visit:Jec World 2016

This participation is supported by the IGAPE, with the 2016 call for “ayudas para la ejecución de acciones de promoción exterior conjunta de las empresas gallegas”, co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund within the framework of the Operational Programme ERDF Galicia 2014-2020.
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CTAG strengthens its participation in HORIZON 2020 projects


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HORIZON 2020 (H2020) is the European Union Framework Programme for Research and Innovation for the period 2014-2020. CTAG has gradually increased its international presence through European R&D projects: since 2007, participating in a total of 31 approved collaborative projects, with a return of more than 7 million Euros.

In addition, continuing its task of energising R&D&I activities within its industrial environment, CTAG supports companies that wish to participate in calls for European R&D&I projects.

To develop these actions, CTAG has the ”Plan Estratégico H2020”, which has received aid from the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness) through the Europa Centros Tecnológicos programme, within the Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica y de Innovación 2013-2016 (State Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation), for an amount of 143,900 Euros (ref.: ECT-2014-0094).

 

Co-financed by:

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DESERVE project’s last General Assembly held at CTAG


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The last General Assembly of the European Project DESERVE (DEvelopment platform for Safe and Efficient dRIVE) was held at CTAG at the end of September with representatives from 14 of the 25 partners involved. Topics like the last work packages to fulfil, dissemination activities and the preparation, organization and agenda of the Final Event were discussed.

In addition, DESERVE partners are preparing the publication of a DESERVE book with the title “Towards a common software/hardware methodology for future advanced driver assistance systems- The DESERVE approach”, including lessons learned and results extracted from the project as a great dissemination action.
After almost four years’ work, the European Project DESERVE approaches its end with a delay of 6 months over the initial timeline. The project will end in February 2016.
CTAG is involved in this project since its beginning in 2012. The project aims at the design and implementation of an ARTEMIS Tool Platform based on the standardisation of the interfaces, software reuse, development of common non-competitive software modules, and easy and safety-compliant integration of standardised hardware or software from different suppliers.

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DESERVE Platform should be capable of running different driving assistance system functions, flexible enough to run more than one function and scalable in order to reduce costs as much as possible and to tailor it depending on the final usage.

The project is divided in 8 subprojects. During this time, CTAG has collaborated in different work packages within 5 of these subprojects (in some of them the collaboration is still ongoing), and led the development in work package 4.3 in order to provide a vulnerable road user protection function vision based.
This project is being co-financed by the Junction Union through ARTEMIS and the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism.

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CTAG and VIZA joint research unit


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Collaboration to achieve innovation in seat function with high impact in galicia

unidad-mixtaThe Joint Unit programme is part of the Innova en Galicia programme of the Strategy for Smart Specialisation (RIS3), supporting knowledge transfer to the business sector to increase its competitiveness.

In a market where changes are faster and more groundbreaking every day, it is essential to carry out a division of tasks and create specialized groups to be able to maintain a constant process of renewal and collaborative learning. This is where the complementarity between the two entities is evident: VIZA as specialist in frame development and interlocking systems and CTAG as specialist in validation (virtual and physical), in advice on manufacturing processes optimisation, both from the ergonomics and efficiency points of view, and in accompaniment in the implementation of R&D&I projects from the earliest stages.

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The main objective of the VIZA-CTAG Joint Unit is to achieve a NEW GENERATION OF UNIVERSAL FRAMES and INTERLOCKING SYSTEMS, by DESIGNING NEW HIGH PERFORMANCE CONCEPTS (weight, ergonomics, resistance and modularity), made with ADVANCED MATERIALS and based on new FLEXIBLE AND EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES of manufacture adapted to the particular needs and requirements demanded, quickly and affordably. To this end it has received support from the Axencia Galega de Innovación (Galician Innovation Agency) and from the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness) within the framework of the Estrategia Española de Innovación en Galicia (Spanish strategy of innovation in Galicia).

armaduras-sistemas-enclavamientoVIZA and CTAG will develop an ongoing collaboration that will last for more than three years resulting in a perfect combination, where VIZA’s understanding of current market needs and experience in product design coexist with CTAG’s high added value technological capabilities in the fields of virtual calculation, testing and technological accompaniment, among others

Also, the conjunction VIZA-CTAG will encourage the promotion of opportunities for participation in the research lines within the framework of the H2020 programme.

In these first months of the Joint Unit, technology analysis and requirements definition activities have been carried out, studying the technologies to establish the bases and adequate knowledge for the proper development of the tasks of the Joint Unit. New concepts of flexible backrest and interlocking system have started to be shaped, and the first practical projections have been virtually validated. All these activities have been addressed in reference to the 4 R&D&I lines of the VIZA-CTAG Joint Unit: design of new universal concepts, study of lightweight structural materials, implementation of flexible processes and new test methods in compliance with the EU standards.

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New European Technology to Improve Electric Vehicle Energy Efficiency


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A trans-European collaboration kicked off recently in Valencia aiming to develop a novel energy efficient climate control system to help reduce the energy used for passenger comfort in electric vehicles by at least 50 %. Even in today’s modern electric vehicles, a lot of energy is wasted on heating or cooling, in turn limiting the already relatively short range by further draining the battery capacity.

The 6.7 million Euro JOSPEL project aims to greatly optimise on the energy consumption and simultaneously make electric vehicles more attractive to the European car buyers. Industry and research partners from the involved companies and organisations in Spain, Croatia, Italy, United Kingdom, Luxembourg, France, Portugal, Denmark and Germany met in Valencia to align expectations and aims of the JOSPEL project:

“The JOSPEL project is ambitious in size and scope, and we believe to be able to reduce not only the energy used for passenger comfort heating with at least 50 %, but also to reduce the energy used for component cooling in extreme conditions with at least 30 %. Both objectives will help make the electric vehicles much more energy efficient and marketable”, says the project coordinator, Cristina Abad from AIMPLAS.

Many technological improvements in one package

Taking its name from the thermoelectric Joule and Peltier effects, JOSPEL’s main energy efficiency improvements will consist of developing a novel and innovative heating system based on the Joule effect and a cooling system based on the use of Peltier cells. Both of these technologies are expected to reduce the energy consumption with at least between 25-30 % each in comparison with current heaters and heat pump inverters for cooling.

Besides improving on the heating/cooling technology through thermoelectric technology and effects, JOSPEL will also enhance the energy and battery efficiency through various other solutions, such as improving on the insulation via new glazing designs, reducing the energy needed to defrost and so on. This is where the project benefits from all of the European expertise within the project:

“We have put together a strong consortium of European experts, who will help combine several solutions into the most energy efficient optimisation of electric vehicles in terms of not wasting unnecessary energy on heating or cooling. Energy, which could have been used on mobility instead by getting more kilometres out of the battery capacity”, says Cristina Abad.

The JOSPEL project has received funding from the European Union‘s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement n° 653851.

Full list of project partners:

 

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