Ceit coordinates a project on functional surfaces to reduce the environmental impact of industrial parts

Ceit coordinates the European project Bilasurf, which aims to develop and integrate a more efficient and sustainable process for laser functionalization of complex 3D surfaces.

Funded with €5.5 million, the project aims to reduce friction and improve the environmental footprint of industrial parts while ensuring high operational performance.

A prototype will be developed as an integrated system from which two demonstrators will be built and tested in parallel to measure their energy consumption and noise emissions.

San Sebastian, 21st February 2023. Surface functionalization is present in a wide range of sectors, improving the performance of multiple components and systems. However, their application in complex industrial parts presents several challenges in terms of their production, integration and environmental impact.

The BILASURF project addresses these challenges by developing and integrating a process for high-speed laser functionalization of medium, large or complex 3D parts. It will use custom-designed bio-inspired riblets to reduce friction and improve the environmental footprint of industrial parts, ensuring high performance with the help of inline monitoring capabilities.

One prototype, two demonstrators

The BILASURF consortium will develop a prototype in the form of an integrated system that includes the laser process and a handling system for the parts to be textured, as well as the new real-time monitoring system.

From this prototype, two final demonstrators will be built in parallel. The demonstrators selected for the initiative are hydroelectric power turbines and industrial fans, and will be functionalized with microstructures inspired by biological surfaces such as shark skin, which have demonstrated their friction-reducing capabilities.

Funded with 5.5 million euros

Coordinated by the Ceit Technology Centre, BILASURF is part of the EU's HORIZON EUROPE programme, funded with 5.5 million euros. Project partners include Asociación de Investigación Metalúrgica del Noroeste, Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy System Technology, Fusion Bionic GMBH, Bionic Surface Technologies GMBH, SuperGrid Institute, Global Hydro Energy GMBH, Ziehl-Abegg SE, Workshop of Photonics and Southern European Cluster in Photonics and Optics.

The goal is to minimize energy consumption of industrial parts and enhance performance – in the case of turbines and similar elements – by the project’s completion in 2025, in addition to reducing waste, as it is a clean manufacturing process.

About Ceit

Ceit is a not-for-profit technology centre that was set up in 1982 on the initiative of the University of Navarra. Its high degree of specialisation in manufacture, mobility, digitalisation and the circular economy are used to develop industrial projects within applied research, in close collaboration with companies. It also promotes excellence in applied research via scientific production, participation in scientific and technical forums, and PhD training within the framework of industrial research projects. It is a member of the Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA).