Academic supervisor:

Ibon Elósegui

Tecnun. Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Thematic area:

Electric drives, electric mobility.

Description and objectives:

In recent years, electrification is irreversibly reaching the automotive world. Although almost all manufacturers have adopted the radial motor with drive shaft option, the possibility of introducing in-wheel motors to avoid additional mechanical systems is gradually being analyzed.

The objective of the project is to analyze the state of the art of existing in-wheel motors. From there, a complete design of the motor will be carried out from the electromagnetic and thermal point of view, using finite elements.

Academic Supervisor:

Tomás Gómez-Acebo

Department Tecnun:

Mechanical Engineering and Materials / Energy Transition Chair Fundación Repsol-University of Navarra

Description and objectives:

Analysis on the basis of cost and energy efficiency of the different alternatives of hydrogen carriers in the storage and transport of H2 over long distances. Evaluation of the alternative of hydrogen transport in the form of ammonia, considering the stages of synthesis, storage, transport and recovery of hydrogen at the point of use. Advantages/Challenges. Comparative analysis versus transport of compressed hydrogen or liquid hydrogen.

Academic Supervisor:

Tomás Gómez-Acebo

Department Tecnun:

Mechanical Engineering and Materials / Energy Transition Chair Fundación Repsol-University of Navarra

Description and objectives:

Analysis based on cost and energy efficiency of the different hydrogen carrier alternatives in the storage and transport of H2 over long distances. Evaluation of the alternative of hydrogen transport in the form of methanol, considering the stages of synthesis, storage, transport and use as a hydrogen carrier or as an energy carrier. Advantages/Challenges. Comparative analysis versus ammonia.

Academic Supervisor:

Tomás Gómez-Acebo

Department Tecnun:

Mechanical Engineering and Materials / Energy Transition Chair Fundación Repsol-University of Navarra

Description and objectives:

Analysis based on cost and energy efficiency of the different alternatives of hydrogen carriers in the storage and transport of H2 over long distances. Evaluation of the alternative of hydrogen transport in the form of Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers (LOHCs), considering the stages of hydrogenation, storage, transport and dehydrogenation. Advantages/Challenges. Comparative analysis of existing state-of-the-art alternatives considering costs and energy efficiency.

Academic Supervisor:

Tomás Gómez-Acebo

Department Tecnun:

Mechanical Engineering and Materials / Energy Transition Chair Fundación Repsol-University of Navarra

Description and objectives:

Analysis on the basis of cost and energy efficiency of the different alternatives of hydrogen carriers in the storage and transport of H2 over long distances. Evaluation of the alternative of hydrogen transport and storage in solids (metal hydrides, carbon nanotubes, MOFs, etc.). State of the art. Advantages/Challenges.

Academic Supervisor:

Tomás Gómez-Acebo

Department Tecnun:

Mechanical Engineering and Materials / Energy Transition Chair Fundación Repsol-University of Navarra

Description and objectives:

Comparative analysis based on costs and overall energy efficiency of different H2-based mobility options: direct use of H2 in fuel cells versus alternatives such as the use of e-fuels (produced from H2 + CO2) in combustion engines, applying a well-to-wheel scope.

Academic Supervisor:

Tomás Gómez-Acebo

Department Tecnun:

Mechanical Engineering and Materials / Energy Transition Chair Fundación Repsol-University of Navarra

Description and objectives:

Technical and economic study of hydrogen injection into the gas network as a means of hydrogen transport in the automotive industry (blending). Analysis of the current gas network in Spain. Required technical modifications of the gas network. Estimation of the cost of hydrogen per kg transported and per km of pipeline.

Description and objectives:

The wood industry generates a large amount of leftover materials, both wood and components in good condition that are not currently being used or properly utilized.

This project aims to improve the circularity of the activity of Arozgi member companies that work with wood, through industrial symbiosis and the development and implementation of a catalog of products and projects on the Circular Market platform, developed by Tecnun.

The phases to be carried out to achieve the objective are as follows:

• Analysis and identification of resources generated by the companies (products, wastes, components, by-products) but with potential value. This analysis will include both the actual resources and the identification of the best available techniques for their valorization.

• Evaluation of these resources to facilitate their use, including them in a repository in CircularMarket.

• Design of the promotion and actions necessary to stimulate the use of such waste as products for other companies and the promotion of symbiosis between them.

Academic supervisor:

Carmen Jaca

Thematic area:

Sustainability and Circular Economy

Area or department:

Industrial Organization Engineering.

Academic supervisor:

Enrique Castaño

CEIT Division:

Materials and Manufacturing. Advanced Manufacturing in Powder Metallurgy and Laser Group.

Description and objectives:

Fiber-reinforced composites are essential for the manufacture of components where inertia and weight are key to their performance. Thus, they have been used for decades for the manufacture of components in the aeronautical or aerogeneration industries. The machining of these components is a challenge for carbide tool manufacturers, as the reinforcing fibers are very abrasive (especially carbon fibers) and drastically reduce the life of milling cutters and drills.

This TFG will address the development of new methods of micromachining and tension control of cutting tool edges using ultrashort pulse lasers. These processes include the generation of micro chamfers and radii of agreement in cutting edges with dimensions below 50 microns, using femtosecond lasers for machining.

Academic supervisor:

Ainara Rodríguez - Isabel Ayerdi

CEIT Division:

Materials and Manufacturing. Advanced Manufacturing in Powder Metallurgy and Laser Group.

Description and objectives:

Laser functionalization of surfaces is an approach widely used in a wide variety of applications and sectors, since it allows providing final products with finishes with added functionalities, among which are, among others, decorative effects, the ability to repel liquids or the improvement of adhesion of coatings. Ceit is currently developing an international R&D project in this last field, whose objective is to improve the adhesion of antibacterial and antiviral coatings to high traffic objects such as handles, switches or push buttons.

Within the framework of this cooperative project, a TFG is proposed whose objective is the design and implementation of a test bench for the characterization of the surface properties of the manufactured samples, among which are the improvement of adhesion, hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity characteristics or optical properties, among others. In addition to the above, it will be necessary to implement an intelligent processing system for the data obtained by the measuring elements.

Academic supervisor:

Mikel Gomez

CEIT Division:

Materials and Manufacturing. Advanced Manufacturing in Powder Metallurgy and Laser Group.

Description and objectives:

Laser process to include riblets in hydro turbines and industrial fans to improve their efficiency by reducing friction.

Surface functionalization is present in a wide range of industries, improving the performance of multiple components and systems in many applications, but the difficulty of reaching all surfaces of complex 3D parts is significant, especially those of considerable size and weight. In addition, the creation of functional surfaces has traditionally relied on processes such as chemical reactions and/or complete coating of native surfaces (e.g. airfoils). By their very nature, these processes generate unwanted by-products, thus leaving a significant environmental footprint, which goes against the "no significant harm" principle of the European Green Pact. To avoid these setbacks, a European consortium led by CEIT is going to develop a new process for functionalizing complex 3D parts in which the environmental footprint is reduced and new guidelines are generated to complement the manufacturing standards of the target sectors.

The role of this PFG will be to participate in the laser processes developed at CEIT (assist in the processes, perform measurements, analyze data). These processes will seek to reproduce "riblets" on the surface of the samples. These elements allow to reduce friction, and their efficiency has been amply demonstrated in different applications. A good example is racing boats, where their use has been banned in the recent La Concha flag. In order to perform their tasks, it will be ensured that the student acquires the necessary knowledge of the equipment with which they have to perform their work.

Academic supervisor:

Yago Olaizola

CEIT Division:

Materials and Manufacturing. Advanced Manufacturing in Powder Metallurgy and Laser Group.

Description and objectives:

Transparent materials are currently used in a multitude of applications in which their optical properties are particularly relevant: lenses, devices for optical communications, smart glasses or optical sensors, among others. In this context, the characterization of optical properties is a key point in the development of devices.

The objective of this project will be to design and implement an optical microscopy system, based on different optical and mechanical elements, for the analysis of certain properties of transparent materials. After the validation of the equipment, we will proceed to study the optical behavior of this type of substrates after different laser engraving processes. In parallel, it will be necessary to implement an intelligent processing system for the data obtained by the measurement devices.

Academic supervisor:

Gemma García Mandayo

CEIT Division:

Materials and Manufacturing. Advanced Manufacturing in Powder Metallurgy and Laser Group.

Description and objectives:

The project is framed within the development of an innovative system for the measurement of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and coagulation, for application in clinical diagnosis. The main purpose of the system is to provide results of ESR and/or blood coagulation in a minimum time, with a minimum amount of sample and using sustainable materials, offering significantly higher performance than the devices currently available in the market, and thus allowing a faster and earlier diagnosis of pathologies such as infections, tumors or autoimmune diseases.

The objective of the project is to optimize the sample characterization processes, developing a test bench and performing tests to improve the performance of the device.

Academic supervisor:

Ion Irizar

CEIT Division:

Data Analysis and Information Management

Thematic area:

Artificial Intelligence

Description and objectives:

Natural language processing (NLP) is a very promising technology for facilitating interaction between people and industrial processes. Currently, such interaction takes place through conventional methods based on screens and keyboards. However, in recent years there has been a growing interest in exploring the potential of NLP techniques in industry.

The task of this GFP will be to perform a literature review of the state of the art on NLP-based industrial applications and available free platforms. Once this review has been carried out, the second objective will be to develop an NLP-based algorithm to interact with a virtual water treatment plant.

Academic supervisor:

Ion Irizar

CEIT Division:

Data Analysis and Information Management

Thematic area:

Control

Description and objectives:

In many industrial processes there are variables that, being of great interest for decision making, cannot be measured directly by sensors. However, sometimes these variables can be observed indirectly by relating them to other measurable variables. The Kalman filter is precisely an observer that allows observing non-measurable variables using dynamic mathematical models involving measurable and non-measurable variables.

The task of this GFP will be to use a simulator of a water treatment plant to develop an observer capable of estimating in real time the concentration of ammonium and nitrate in the plant. Matlab/Simulink and/or Python will be used to carry out the project.

Academic supervisor:

Ion Irizar

CEIT Division:

Data Analysis and Information Management

Thematic area:

Artificial Intelligence

Description and objectives:

Classical automatic control is giving way to new, more sophisticated control techniques based on artificial intelligence, such as Reinforcement Learning techniques.

The task of this GFP will be to use a water treatment plant simulator and apply Reinforcement Learning techniques to design an automatic control strategy that adjusts the oxygen level to keep the ammonium level close to a reference setpoint. Matlab/Simulink and/or Python will be used to carry out the project.

Academic supervisor:

Ion Irizar

CEIT Division:

Data Analysis and Information Management

Thematic area:

Artificial Intelligence

Description and objectives:

Many real industrial processes can be mathematically formulated using complex mechanistic models composed of nonlinear differential equations. Although these models are very useful for carrying out design and operation studies, their handicap is their high computational cost which makes them unfeasible for use in real time decision making.

With the advent of Deep Learning techniques, proposals have emerged to reduce the complexity of these models and thus the computational cost. The task of this PFG will be to use the technique known as "physics informed neural networks" to obtain a reduced model of a water treatment plant. The Python environment will be used to carry out the project.

Academic supervisor:

Ion Irizar

CEIT Division:

Data Analysis and Information Management

Thematic area:

Artificial Intelligence

Description and objectives:

Water treatment plants are subject to increasingly demanding operational requirements. It is no longer sufficient to comply with the quality of the treated water, but it is also necessary to do so with the minimum energy consumption. To achieve this, the operators of these processes need to have adequate information to enable them to make better decisions.

The task of this PFG would be to use an already developed WWTP simulator to generate data sets that collect its historical operation. These data sets will then be used to evaluate different Machine Learning classification algorithms with the objective of being able to predict the operational state of the process. The algorithms will be programmed in Python.

The aim is to improve the design of a thermoelectric cooler (based on Peltier cells) used to maintain the temperature in a bioreactor. A model of the operation of the thermoelectric cooler will be developed and improvements in its design will be proposed in order to achieve the target temperatures to be reached inside the bioreactor. The project is carried out together with the company that manufactures the bioreactor. For more information contact Juan Carlos Ramos(jcramos@tecnun.es).

Profile/Graduate: Industrial Technologies, Mechanics, Electricity, Industrial Electronics.

Academic Supervisor: Juan Carlos Ramos.

Department/Area: Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering / Area of Thermal and Fluids Engineering.

Academic supervisor:

Ion Irizar

CEIT Division:

Data Analysis and Information Management

Thematic area:

Artificial Intelligence

Description and objectives:

The detection of rare events in industrial processes is a topic that, with Industry 4.0, has become particularly relevant. Industrial processes are becoming increasingly digitized which brings significant benefits in terms of improved efficiency, but on the other hand makes these systems more vulnerable to cyber-attacks. This is a particularly relevant issue in the case of critical infrastructures such as water treatment facilities.

The task of this PFG would be to use an already developed wastewater treatment plant simulator to generate data sets corresponding to normal operation and operation with anomalies. These data sets will then be used to evaluate different Machine Learning algorithms and compare their performance. The algorithms will be programmed in Python.

ACADEMIC SUPERVISOR
Nere Gil-Negrete Laborda

PROJECT MANAGER
Iñigo Puente Urruzmedi

THEMATIC AREA OF THE PROJECT
Mechanical Engineering

DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES

Elastomeric materials are widely used in suspension and vibration absorption elements. Vehicle tires and air suspensions, for example, are mainly made of this type of material. Elastomers are capable of deforming considerably when subjected to a load and returning to their initial shape when unloaded.

Rubber, one of the most widely used elastomers in industry, is characterized as a nonlinear material, both statically and dynamically. On the one hand, it responds to large loads with large deformations (nonlinear elasticity), and dynamically its behavior is influenced by both the excitation time/frequency and the amplitude of the excitation.

The main objective of the project is to be able to replicate by means of a finite element simulation in ANSYS this nonlinear behavior of the material. That is, we want to model the non-linear elasticity (through hyperelastic models) and the dependence of the excitation frequency/time (through linear viscoelastic models) and the dependence with the excitation amplitude (through non-linear viscoelastic models) in a virtual specimen. Simulated results will be contrasted with experimental tests.

Tools:

• ANSYS. Excel/Matlab.

Proiektua euskaraz egiteko aukera.

AREA OR DEPARTMENT (CEIT/Tecnun)

Tecnun / Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering

ACADEMIC SUPERVISOR
Nere Gil-Negrete Laborda

PROJECT MANAGER
Iñigo Puente Urruzmedi

THEMATIC AREA OF THE PROJECT
Mechanical Engineering

DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES

Air suspensions are used in many industrial applications (machine tools, rail vehicles, automobiles, buses...) to decouple the vibration flow from the source to the main structure. They act as a low-pass filter that attenuates external vibrations.

An air suspension consists mainly of three elements: a balloon, the reservoir and a connecting pipe. The balloon is a fiber-reinforced elastomeric balloon, a composite material. The operating principle of the system is pressurized air. Many studies stress the importance of accurately modeling the fluid movement between the balloon and the reservoir, as it plays a very important role in mitigating vibrations mainly in the vertical direction. This phenomenon is difficult to evaluate with a purely static simulation, so it is intended to approach the modeling from a coupling of structural and fluid simulations.

Two previous works addressed separately the two main topics to be worked on in this project: the modeling of the diaphragm composite material and the fluid-structural coupled (FSI) modeling of balloon inflation and deflation. Therefore, in this project, we intend to:

• Create a single model that includes the composite material of the balloon diaphragm in a fluid-structure interaction simulation.

• Simulate the behavior of the suspension system when applying both vertical and lateral static loads.

• Simulate the behavior of the suspension system when harmonic loads are applied.

• Add the auxiliary tank and piping to the balloon model.

Tools:

• ANSYS: mechanical, ACP, fluent, coupling modules.

Proiektua euskaraz egiteko aukera.

AREA OR DEPARTMENT (CEIT/Tecnun)

Tecnun / Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials.

GENERAL DATA

Tutor at TECNUN: Prof. Dr. Iñigo Puente

Tutor at TECNALIA: Amaia Aramburu

PRACTICE DATA

Title of the practical: Characterisations of the influence of the 3D printing process on the tensile mechanical properties of a printed cement-based structural element. Empirical determination of the indirect tensile behaviour of cement-based printed specimens.

Description of practice:

1. Introduction:
   Cement-based 3D printing is an alternative for the realisation of customised singular parts. Nowadays, work is being done to characterise the process and the parts produced.
   In indirect tensile tests, unlike direct tests, the concrete specimen breaks due to the application of a compressive or flexural load, which results in a tensile stress distribution that cracks the specimen.
   There is a standardised method for finding a value for the tensile strength of concrete known as the Brazilian test (ASTM C-496, UNE 83.306 and ISO 4108). It consists of applying an external compressive load on one side of the cylindrical or cubic specimen, while the end opposite to the load remains supported. In this way, two diametrically opposed forces appear, producing a uniform distribution of transverse traction along the load axis, causing the sample to break in tension.
2. Objectives:
   In this work:

• The tensile behaviour of printed parts will be compared with standard parts. Correlation between all results and failure will be sought.
• For each test, it will be necessary to record the loading history until failure of the specimens and to confirm the failure mode by digital imaging techniques.
• In addition, it will be necessary to take three-dimensional images of the fracture surfaces, which will then be used to compare the geometric characteristics of all materials tested.
• Activities:

Characterisations of the influence of the 3D printing process on the tensile mechanical properties of a printed structural element.

• Experimental derivation of mechanical properties of cementitious matrices as a reference framework
• Determination of the indirect tensile strength of 3D printed beam specimens and YZ-plane standardised parts in cementitious matrix with embedded reinforcement
• Obtaining three-dimensional images of fracture surfaces, which will then be used to compare the geometric characteristics of all materials tested.

STUDENT DATA

Qualification required: PFG student. Industrial Technologies
Speciality: Structures
Study centre: TECNUN
Contacts: Prof. Dr. Iñigo Puente (TECNUN) and Amaia Aramburu (TECNALIA)

ACADEMIC SUPERVISOR
Aitor Cazón

PROJECT MANAGER
Iñigo Puente Urruzmedi

THEMATIC AREA OF THE PROJECT
Mechanical Engineering

DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES

The aim of the project is to design a "fast" connection between the connector and the bars of a truss. The phases to be carried out to achieve the proposed objective can be divided into two groups. A first group of definition of the technical and functional requirements to be met by the joint. A second group with a set of intertwined phases that, in an iterative manner, manage to reach the appropriate design, verifying and redefining it according to the results of the structural simulations and experimental tests with prototypes obtained with additive manufacturing equipment and machining centres.

AREA OR DEPARTMENT (CEIT/Tecnun)

Tecnun / Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials.

Academic supervisor:

Leticia Zamora Cadenas - Iker Aguinaga Hoyos.

CEIT Division:

Information and Communication Technologies. Intelligent Systems for Industry 4.0 Group.

Thematic area:

Telecommunication/Industrial Engineering

Description and objectives:

Indoor location systems have been on the rise in recent years. Whether using radio frequency technologies, inertial sensors or artificial vision systems, the location of objects or people in indoor spaces is a key element in many applications (tracking of parts, access to security areas, tracking of people, augmented reality, etc.).

To determine and evaluate the accuracy of a location system, it is most common to use manual measurement of control points or tests in a controlled environment to determine the accuracy of the system. However, this type of measurement is always subject to measurement errors, human error, and the impossibility of tracking a moving element in real time. Another widespread option, especially when it comes to assessing dynamic accuracy, is to resort to cost-effective systems that allow the creation of ground truth, such as, for example, vision tracking systems. However, it is not always possible to deploy such systems, or the financial means to do so are not always available. Therefore, being able to assess the accuracy of indoor positioning systems at low cost is still a problem that researchers and companies are trying to solve.

Ceit currently has a line of research associated with positioning systems for indoor spaces, in which it works with various companies to provide solutions to their needs. This is why there is a need for a ground truth system that is easy to install and not too expensive.

The task of this GFP would be to develop a ground truth system, using virtual/augmented reality systems, for subsequent use in the evaluation of the accuracy of Ceit's proprietary indoor location system. HTC Vice, Oculus Quest and Hololens 2 hardware are available for the development of this system using the Unity3D programming platform. The candidate should have programming skills in C# or similar languages such as C++ or Java.

Academic Supervisor: Borja Prieto.

CEIT Division: Electric Vehicle and Smart Grids.

Subject area: Electrical Engineering.

Description and objectives: ELMER is an open source multiphysics simulation software. It allows to simulate the behaviour of a multitude of physical processes such as: the operation of electrical and magnetic components, the heating of solids, mechanical vibration and resistance, fluid movement and snow melting, etc.

The aim of this project is to familiarise the student with ELMER and to learn how to simulate the multiphysics behaviour of a coupled system, e.g. heat generated in a part through the application of magnetic fields and the temperatures at which this heating occurs.

Academic Supervisor: Ibon Elósegui.

CEIT Division: Electric Vehicle and Smart Grids.

Subject area: Electrical Engineering.

Description and objectives: One of the most demanding applications for which a motor can be designed is for application in Electric Vehicles due to the high demands on speed, temperature, safety, comfort and noise. In order to obtain a suitable motor design, it is essential to master modelling and simulation tools.

The aim of this project is to familiarise students with 3D modelling and simulation tools and to apply the knowledge acquired to the design of a traction motor for an Electric Vehicle.

Academic Supervisor: Miguel Martínez-Iturralde.

CEIT Division: Electric Vehicle and Smart Grids.

Subject area: Electrical Engineering.

Description and objectives: In recent years there has been an exponential growth in aeronautical applications related to small electrically propelled vehicles: drones, flying taxis, vertical take-off vehicles (VTOLs), etc. In order to obtain electric flying vehicles with a practical range, it is essential that the weight of their components be kept to a minimum. In the case of electric motors, this means increasing the power density above the values of current solutions.

In this PFG, the aim is to design a high power density motor for application in drones and small electric aircraft. The student will handle professional tools for the design and simulation of electrical components and will work in all areas involved in the development of a system: electromagnetic, thermal, mechanical, etc.

Academic Supervisor: Miguel Martínez-Iturralde.

CEIT Division: Electric Vehicle and Smart Grids.

Subject area: Electrical Engineering.

Description and objectives: The development of hybrid and all-electric aeronautical applications is a reality, and numerous projects have demonstrated on a small scale the feasibility of quieter and more environmentally friendly aeronautics. In this sense, the major players in the electric sector (Airbus, Boeing, Rolls-Royce, etc.) are devoting great efforts to the electrification of commercial aircraft.

One of the challenges for the development of electrically powered aircraft is related to the design of high-voltage electrical insulation systems that can operate at high altitudes, where air pressure is minimal and the risk of electrical discharges is higher. Ceit is currently involved in a European project to develop insulation systems that will be applicable in the electric aircraft of tomorrow.

The task of this PFG would be to simulate aircraft electrical systems using commercial finite element software and derive design criteria for subsequent application to electric aircraft.

Academic Supervisor: Marco Satrústegui.

CEIT Division: Electric Vehicle and Smart Grids.

Subject area: Electrical Engineering.

Description and objectives: The noise generated by electric motors is becoming increasingly important due to the fact that it is embedded in systems where comfort is a very important aspect (e.g. electric cars). In this sense, this PFG tries to characterise the noise in an electric motor by performing a multiphysical analysis, starting by characterising the machine at an electromagnetic and thermal level and then developing a mechanical analysis that results in obtaining the noise generated at different levels of torque and rotational speed.

Academic Supervisor: Jesús Paredes.

CEIT Division: Electric Vehicle and Smart Grids.

Subject area: Electrical Engineering.

Description and objectives: During the last decade, many of the aircraft auxiliary systems (pneumatic, hydraulic and mechanical) have been replaced by electric or hybrid actuators, due to incentives for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the reduction of operation and maintenance costs. This has led to a considerable increase in the electrical power installed in aircraft.

Traditionally, the turbines were started by a pneumatic system and the energy needed to power the aircraft's electrical systems was produced by generators coupled to the turbines. Today, the two systems have converged into a single electrical machine capable of working as both an engine and a generator. These systems include aircraft turbine starter/generators. The increasing demand for electrical energy and the limited space for starter/generators make it necessary to increase the power density of these machines.

The size, and therefore the weight and cost, of an electrical machine is primarily determined by the heat extraction and temperature limit of the materials used in its manufacture. Oil cooling systems have promising characteristics. Of all the oil cooling systems (spray, oil-dripping, etc.), the aim of this project is to deal with oil-flooded stator systems.

The aim of this project is for the student to become familiar with fluid and cooling system simulation tools and to draw conclusions with a view to optimising aircraft engine oil cooling systems.

Academic Supervisor: Gurutz Artetxe.

CEIT Division: Electric Vehicle and Smart Grids.

Subject area: Electrical Engineering.

Description and objectives: Induction heating is an efficient and fast method of generating heat. It can be used in a variety of applications where tempering, brazing or melting of metals is required. CEIT is interested in developing calculation tools (based on a set of previously developed tools) for use in the design of induction heating systems for formwork. The objective of this project is to model the electromagnetic behaviour and heating of a formwork heating system and to use these to perform optimisation studies for the design of a practical case.

Summary: The aim of the project is the development and manufacture of a directed illumination system. This system will be mounted on a camera and will make it possible to record the specimens at the same time as they are being mechanically tested. The system to be developed has to illuminate the specimen to be filmed from several points simultaneously. It must also be possible to modify the light sources manually by means of an arduino. During the project, parts have to be designed and manufactured using 3D printing, LEDs have to be mounted on the manufactured parts and an arduino has to be programmed and connected to be able to control the switching on and off of the light sources.

Student profile: Ideally a student of design, industrial technologies, mechanical or biomedical engineering. Experience in arduino programming and 3D CAD design is an asset.

Application: Sending your CV, together with your academic transcript and a paragraph of about 300 words of motivation explaining the suitability of your profile for the realisation of this project.  

Project supervisor: Dr. Javier Aldazábal

Deadline and resolution: Students who wish to apply must do so before the end of October and the selection of candidates will take place in November in order to be able to start in December or January.

• Profile/Graduate: Industrial Technologies, Mechanics, Electricity, Industrial Electronics.
• Academic Supervisor: Juan Carlos Ramos.
• Department/Area: Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering / Area of Thermal and Fluids Engineering.
• Description: The aim is to solve by means of the Finite Difference Method a thermal model of the generation and conduction of heat in the core and coils inside a transformer. The equations of the model and the solution by the iterative Gauss-Seidel method will be implemented in Matlab. Heat transfer issues will be applied. For further information, please contact the teacher.

• Academic Supervisor: Luis Matey

• Title: Design of a laparoscopic device for large tumour operations

• Area/Department Ceit/Tecnun:
  Department of Mechanics / Design Area

• Recommended profile: Mechanical Engineering, Product Design and Development Engineering, Industrial Technology Engineering, Biomedical Engineering.

• Description and Objectives:
  The project aims to analyse and propose alternatives for aspirations of large tumours using minimally invasive techniques. The scope of the project aims to prospect and propose a design that allows the tumour to be sealed with guarantees (without rupture) so that it can be aspirated without loss of tumour cells.

• Area/Department Ceit/Tecnun: CEIT - Vision and Robotics

• Title: Image analysis for dimensional control of industrial parts

• Academic Supervisor: Diego Borro

• Recommended profile: Industrial Technologies Engineering

• Description and Objectives:
  The aim of the project is to analyse industrial parts in 3D in order to reconstruct the geometry and make a dimensional control (check if the geometry meets the designed tolerances). Before analysing the image, it will also be necessary to study the specific application in order to choose the optimal hardware components (luminaire, optics, laser and camera).

• Offer active only when laboratories can be attended in person.

• Academic supervisor: ielosegui@ tecnun.es

The new applications of electric machines: electric vehicles, electric planes, etc., mean that, after the construction of the prototype, the operation of the machine must be known to perfection in the design phase.
For this purpose, Finite Elements are a top quality tool, as they allow a very accurate approximation of what will later be measured in the Test Laboratory.
This project consists of the development of a methodology for the simulation of machines in 3 dimensions, using the Finite Element Flux tool (http://www.cedrat.com/en/software/flux.html).

Offer active only when laboratories can be attended in person.

• Area/Department Ceit/Tecnun: CEIT - Vision and Robotics

• Recommended profile: Industrial Technologies Engineering

• Academic Supervisor: Diego Borro

• Title: Image Analysis for Defect Detection in Industrial Parts

• Description and Objectives:
  The aim of the project is to make use of the Inspect Express tool (from Teledyne Dalsa) to analyse industrial parts in 2D and find defects. This tool allows image analysis algorithms to be programmed in a visual way through its graphical interface. Before analysing the image, it will also be necessary to study the specific application in order to choose the optimal hardware components (luminaire, optics and camera).

• Offer active only when laboratories can be attended in person.

• Area/Department Ceit/Tecnun: Area of Mechanics of Materials - CEIT

• Subject area: Mechanics of Materials

• Recommended profile: Industrial Technology Engineer

• Academic Supervisor: Nerea Ordás

• Title: Development of Copper matrix composites reinforced with Graphene, with increased thermal conductivity. Screening of manufacturing routes.

• Description and Objectives:
  The objective of this Project is to explore different manufacturing routes of Cu matrix composites reinforced with different kinds of graphene produced by Graphenea, to obtain a copper based material with improved thermal conductivity in the in-plane direction, compared to pure Cu metal. Such manufacturing routes will be based in the powder metallurgy route: mechanical alloying/mixing of powders, moulding and sintering by hot press.
  Coating of graphene with certain elements to improve the thermal conductivity of the Cu-graphene interface will be also explored.

• Area/Department Ceit/Tecnun: Area of Thermal and Fluids Engineering - Department of Mechanical Engineering (TECNUN)

• Subject area: Mechanical Engineering

• Recommended profile: Degree in Industrial Technologies Engineering, Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Degree in Industrial Design and Product Development Engineering.

• Academic Supervisor: Gorka Sánchez Larraona

• Title: Simulation of flow and heat transfer in curved ducts. Application in the cooling of gas turbine blades.

• Description and Objectives:
  The project consists of studying the flow and heat transfer that occurs in circular and square section ducts when they are bent 180º forming a U. For this purpose, three-dimensional simulations will be carried out using the ANSYS Fluent code and the results obtained will be compared with experimental measurements. The case in which the ducts rotate at high speed with respect to an axis will also be considered. This case has a direct application in the cooling of gas turbine blades.

• Recommended profile:

  • Degree in Electrical Engineering

  • Degree in Industrial Technologies Engineering

  • Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Design and Product Development Engineering

• Academic Supervisor:
  Ibón Elósegui

• Title:
  Characterisation of the losses of an electric machine for electric vehicles.

• Description and Objectives:
  The world of electric vehicles is a rapidly expanding area of engineering. Within all the components of an electric vehicle, the motor plays a fundamental role, being the heart of the system. The design of a good motor that complies with all the features is a fundamental contribution to the development of the vehicle. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to know the losses that originate in the motor and their corresponding performance. The aim of this project is to develop an analytical calculation tool to obtain the existing losses inside the engine. After its development, this calculation will be contrasted with the data obtained by means of finite element simulation as well as by testing a prototype on the laboratory bench.

• Area/Department Ceit/Tecnun:
  Department of Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Automatics - Tecnun

• Subject area:
  Electrical Engineering

Offer active only when laboratories can be attended in person.

• Thematic area:
  Materials

• Area/Department Ceit/Tecnun:
  Materials Department - Ceit

• Description and Objectives:
  When generating virtual microstructures for computational simulations of polycrystalline materials, it is very common to use a splitting (or tessellation) of the volume to be simulated using Voronoid techniques. This type of tessellation is usually done by randomly placing seeds to define the grains. This total randomness produces unequal equiaxed grains. This project aims to study the randomness-size distribution relationship. The results of the project will make it possible to generate polycrystalline materials with predefined grain size distributions, and not random, as is usually the case. It will also be possible to generate inhomogeneous grains, with elongated or flattened shapes.

• Recommended profile:
  Given the nature of the project, it is recommended for any profile as long as they have some basic programming knowledge.

• Academic Supervisor:
  Javier Aldazabal Mensa

• Title:
  Study of grain size distributions in three-dimensional structures using Voronoid tessellations.

• Thematic area:
  Materials

• Area/Department Ceit/Tecnun:
  Materials Department - Ceit

• Description and Objectives:
  There is current interest in the use of magnesium particles in the reinforcement of materials used for bone tissue regeneration. The geometry of these particles is not spherical, which makes it necessary to be able to replicate these geometries in a computer in order to simulate the behaviour of the material.
  The aim of the project is the geometric study and the generation of an algorithm capable of generating non-spherical particles, as well as the study and obtaining of their geometric characteristics.

• Recommended profile:
  Given the nature of the project, it is recommended for any profile as long as they have some basic programming knowledge.

• Academic Supervisor:
  Javier Aldazabal Mensa

• Title:
  Generation of non-spherical geometries for the simulation of Magnesium reinforced composite biomaterials.

Academic supervisor:

Andoni Irizar

Department Tecnun/CEIT Division:

CEIT. Materials and Manufacturing Division

Thematic area:

Electronic systems

Description and objectives:

In today's industrial processes it is increasingly necessary to monitor the manufacturing process and the quality of the components resulting from the process. There are a variety of methods that allow such monitoring in real time, that do not require parts to be separated from each other for analysis and that do not damage the parts in the process. The most commonly used inspection techniques are those using electromagnetic fields, ultrasonic signals and machine vision. This project deals with ultrasonic techniques. Ceit has its own ultrasonic signal test bench that allows ultrasonic signals to be generated and captured easily from a PC. The aim of the project is to make a proposal for the design of a miniaturised test bench (e.g. the size of a Raspberry). By comparison, the current design is the size of a desktop computer. It would involve making a block diagram of the system, making a selection of components including the processing platform to be used and the power supply components. Finally, it will be necessary to estimate the consumption and cost of the final equipment.

Academic Supervisor: Enrique Reina

Department Tecnun/CEIT Division: Tecnun. Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Subject area: Computer security

Description and objectives: The aim is to assess the degree of maturity of the IT security of the systems and infrastructures that serve the laboratory, analysing the risks and shortcomings and proposing measures to mitigate them, following the controls required by the standard, until they are below the tolerable risk threshold defined by ownership. The normative texts and the "Application guide of the UNE-ISO/IEC 27001 Standard on information systems security for SMEs" would be followed.

The phases would be: Scope definition, asset identification, risk analysis methodology selection, risk management, control selection, applicability statement, implementation and start-up, improvement cycle.

Academic Supervisor: Diego Borro 

Department Tecnun/CEIT Division: CE IT. Intelligent Systems for Industry 4.0 Group.

Subject area: Machine vision for industry

Description and objectives: An application is available that allows testing a multitude of artificial vision algorithms on images. The project will consist of increasing the capabilities of the current tool by adding algorithms, improving the GUI, providing more functionalities, etc.

Academic Supervisor: Diego Borro 

Department Tecnun/CEIT Division: Intelligent Systems for Industry 4.0 Group of CEIT

Subject area: Machine vision for industry

Description and objectives: The project consists of using Deep Learning techniques for object detection and classification. Specifically, the focus will be on detecting parts with and without defects.

Academic supervisor:

Jorge Juan Gil.

Department Tecnun/CEIT Division:

CEIT. Intelligent Systems for Industry 4.0 Group.

Thematic area:

Systems and Control Engineering

Description and objectives:

Up to now, control concepts have been demonstrated on the blackboard, by means of simulations or videos. For the Control Engineering course, we want to build a mechanical control system (two pendulums coupled with springs) for teaching purposes: to show in class the different behaviour of the system in front of various controllers. To ensure portability, the system will be controllable via USB through an ARDUINO board. In a previous project the mechanical system has been built. In the proposed project, several controllers will be programmed in C, especially a proportional-integral (PI) controller that allows "teleoperation" (the user moves one of the pendulums and the other follows its movement without error in a permanent regime).

Academic supervisor:

Ion Irizar

Department Tecnun/CEIT Division:

ICT Division

Thematic area:

Mathematical Optimisation

Description and objectives:

The facility location problem (FLP) consists of selecting, from among all potentially feasible locations, those that are the best ones taking into account that these facilities must satisfy the demand from different geographically distributed locations. When selecting the optimal number of facilities and their location, the objective is usually to minimise some single criterion such as transport costs or even several criteria at the same time (operating costs of each facility, transport costs, environmental impact, etc.).

The CircRural 4.0 project is a European project whose general objective is to implement wastewater and agri-food waste management models in rural areas that prioritise energy optimisation and resource recovery. To this end, the project first of all proposes automatic control solutions to improve the energy efficiency of existing wastewater treatment plants. The project also proposes the construction of a centralised facility to manage the waste generated by the wastewater treatment plants and the agri-food industries, and to extract valuable products such as biomethane and fertilisers.

Within the framework of the project, the proposed solution will be studied for the province of Badajoz, which is characterised by a large geographical area, where the treatment facilities are small and widely dispersed, and where agro-industrial activity is important. In this sense, an important objective of the project is to determine the optimal location of the centralised resource recovery facility. To this end, it is proposed to develop an optimisation tool which, on the basis of information gathered from both the wastewater treatment plants (location, size, waste production, etc.) and the agri-food industries (location, waste production, seasonality, etc.), automatically calculates the number of facilities required, their size and the location of each one of them.

The scope of the present PFG offer would consist in the development of this optimisation tool. The tool could be programmed in Excel, in Matlab or in any free programming software such as Python or R. The tasks to be carried out by the student would be:

• Literature review of FLP (Facility Location Problem) optimisation problems and most common optimisation algorithms.
• Mathematical formulation of the optimisation problem for the use case of the CircRural project.
• Solving the formulated problem using a heuristic optimisation algorithm
• Analysis of results

Lattice structures are structures formed by bars (struts) with various applications in the aeronautical, aerospace and biomedical sectors, among others. These structures are manufactured by Additive Manufacturing due to their complex geometry and dimensions (strut diameter: 0.2 to 0.5 mm).

However, there are a number of geometric imperfections during the manufacturing process. Instead of taking these geometric imperfections into account, another common practice is to consider these imperfections in the material model. This requires strut testing to obtain a material model that takes these imperfections into account.

The aim of this project is to design and manufacture the necessary tools for tensile testing of these struts with different diameters.