CleanMouldPLUS - "Revestimentos com baixa interação ao laser para a respetiva limpeza com monitorização preditiva: Clean 4.0 (Coatings with low laser interaction for their cleaning with predictive monitoring: Clean 4.0)" is an evolution of the previous CleanMould project and is at an intermediate stage of implementation, already making significant progress. The consortium has been working on the creation of a technological solution based on the integration of innovative coatings with low laser interaction, laser cleaning technology and predictive monitoring systems, promoting more effective, faster and safer maintenance processes, with significantly reduced environmental and economic impacts.
It is estimated that the application of the proposed technology could represent a production gain of 162 hours per mold per year, which could translate, in an industrial context, into an annual increase in turnover of more than 300 thousand euros.
The team at UAveiro is coordinated by Nuno Ferreira and Florinda Costa, respectively, professor and researcher at the Department of Physics and the research unit Institute for Nanostructures, Nanomodelling and Nanofabrication (I3N-FSCOSD), and had the support of UACOOPERA, the structure responsible for the UA's interface with the outside world, in order to support the academy in its various cooperation activities with society.
The initiative is supported by Compete 2030, under the Incentive System for Business Competitiveness - Research and Business Development, and the application submitted to the first phase of Notice MPr-2023-07 has been approved, following a request for aid.
With an eligible investment of €1,325,655.52, the project received an ERDF incentive of €952,280.71.
The CleanMouldPLUS project reaffirms UAveiro's commitment to applied research and technological innovation, promoting the creation of sustainable and intelligent solutions in close collaboration with the business sector and contributing to the valorization and transfer of scientific knowledge to society and the economy.