CTME was founded in 1992 as Non-profit Research Association, becoming Research Foundation in July 2007. Partnership comprises the most relevant private companies in the industrial area of Miranda de Ebro, ranging a large variety of industrial sectors: energy, construction, machine-tool, aeronautics, aerospace and automotive and defence.
Today CTME has two distinct areas of business: i) RTD, in which CTME wants to be a European benchmark in environmental sustainability through its different lines of research, ii) and laboratory services, with four specialized and accredited laboratories to provide services to the aeronautical sector.
The RTD team is involved in a continuous “open-innovation” line-management process in order to accrue enough knowledge and capacities to face any challenging research project for industry. CTME offers 4 high-tech and excellent research areas:
· Sustainable management: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC), Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), Product Categories Rules (PCR), eco-design...
· Software engineering: FIWARE applications, Internet of Things, Industry 4.0, Blockchain...
· Polymers and biopolymers, composites: formulation and transformation of plastics from renewable sources.
· Thermal sprayed coatings: The technology of thermal projection, which includes different techniques for depositing coatings, allows the manufacture of pieces of high added value, mainly for markets such as aeronautics or automotive.
In 2018, with the approval of the regional project "Project for the creation of new scientific-technological capacities in CTME linked to the development of new materials of industrial interest", CTME was able to create a new line of research for the center around surface treatments applied by thermal spraying. Specifically, this project made it possible to incorporate two new scientists into the staff and acquire a new scientific-technical infrastructure for thermal projection by plasma, HVOF and metallization (flame-dust). The execution of this project is the seed of a new line of research for the centre around surface treatments applied by thermal spraying.
The thermal projection department works on the application of different types of coatings on any type of substrate using thermal-kinetic projection techniques. The different projection techniques they use are: Atmospheric Plasma Thermal Projection (APS), High Speed Projection (HVOF), Metallization (Flame-Dust) and Low and Medium Pressure COLDSPRAY.
With these technologies, it is possible to work on any type of base material such as Titanium alloys, hardened steels, aluminium alloys, super nickel base alloys, technical plastics, and composite material. The filler materials most used by the area so far are Ceramics (WC, TiO2, Al2O3,SiC), Cermets (WC-Co, WC-CoCr, Cr3C2-NiCr), Metallic (Ni-graphite, Steels) and Intermetallic (NiAl, AlSi).
The main properties that we bring to the material with our technology are: Resistance to wear and abrasion, Resistance to high temperatures, Mechanical properties and Resistance to corrosion. Electrical conductivity. Radiation-absorbent aplications (RAM), new low observable capabilities (Multi-Spectral Camouflage)
The thermal spray process is NADCAP and ISO 9001/9100 certified and approved by SNECMA, ITP and SAFRAN. In addition, CTME has its own accredited materials testing laboratory (ENAC no. 772/LE2003, AENOR no. ER-2031/2003, NADCAP, AIRBUS, AIRBUS DEFENCE & SPACE and BOEING) to evaluate the efficiency of the surface treatment applied and the behaviour of the different materials (substrates and powders).
In this period, the surface treatment area participates or has participated in 10 national projects and 6 international projects. At the end of 2023, CTME has been recognised by the Ministry of Science and Innovation as a Cervera centre of excellence in surface treatments together with 4 other technology centres that are experts in this knowledge area and make up the CERVERA PLUS network of excellence. As an international milestone, it is worth highlighting the department's participation in the international tender for ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor), where it will carry out spraying coatings on 38 CHEVROM exchangers to protect them from the extreme environmental conditions to which they are subjected.
Finally, the Transfer Office department, registered with number 90 in the Registry of research results transfer offices of the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness, has extensive experience in management, communication and transfer of projects results of research collaborative projects with industry or funded by public authorities.