Support to Innovative Business Groups Call Project: EMI

The EMI project: Intelligent metallic structures through electronic printing of sensors constitutes industrial research since it involves planned research to obtain new knowledge around the field of printed electronics for the development of electronic sensors that allow the monitoring of metallic structures. It involves the development of complex systems, the electronic printing process and the design of sensors compatible with the technology and application. The printing of electronic sensors has a transversal character and can monitor any parameter that can be transformed into an electrical signal. In addition, it includes the construction of prototypes for the validation of the generic technology. The results of the project can be extrapolated for the development of new products, processes or services in industrial sectors such as those related to construction, civil engineering sector, or aeronautics, among others, the type of structures studied being characteristic.

The GENERAL OBJECTIVE of the project lies in the design of a sustainable digital printing process capable of developing electronic sensors for the monitoring of metal structures, providing an intelligent system that allows transmitting high-value information on the state of structural health remotely. In order to achieve the general objective, the achievement of the following technical objectives is required:

1. Identification and selection of printing materials, such as conductive inks or substrates, compatible with the metal structures to be monitored, prioritizing those that facilitate a longer useful life of the sensors, their reuse or recyclability. The limitations of the materials in terms of their conductivity must be assessed, evaluating the possibility of using dielectric materials.
2. Definition of a digital printing process capable of solving complex designs in both 2D and 3D for the production of electronic sensors. It will be necessary to parameterize the deposition, speed and material input trajectories to guarantee the precision of the process.
3. Design of electronic elements for sensorization of the structure and transmission of information. Within the framework of the project, the design and development of a strain gauge and an RFID communication antenna, as well as the associated electronic components, will be carried out.
4. Design and development of structural prototypes for the validation of the technology that allow the integration of printed sensors or direct printing. To do this, the metal structures to be monitored will be defined and validation tests of the sensors will be carried out to evaluate their functionality.

The project has the collaboration of 8 expert entities in the various disciplines covered by the project, who will contribute their experience and knowledge guaranteeing its success:

• TSK Electrónica y Electricidad, S.A (TSK)
• GONVARRI MS R&D (GONVARRI)
• Fundación IDONIAL (IDONIAL)
• Asociación Clúster de Impresión Funcional y Aditiva (Functional Print, FP)
• TAFCO Metawireless S.L.(TAFCO)
• Know-How Innovative Solutions S.L. (KHIS GROUP)
• Impressions Rotatives Offset S.A. (ROTIMPRES)
• Clúster de Fabricación Avanzada de la Industria del Metal de Asturias (MetaIndustry4, MI4)