SUSTECH25

09:00-09:30 – Session 1: Opening

Chairs: José Caldeira and Américo Azevedo

Location: Hotel Sheraton Porto – Room Apollo

09:30-10:50 Session 2A: The Produtech R3 Agenda

The PRODUTECH R3 Agenda — short for Recovery, Resilience, and Reindustrialization—is a strategic initiative aimed at transforming Portugal’s Production Technologies Sector (FTP). It focuses on enhancing the sector’s capacity to lead the green and digital transitions, reducing external technological dependence, and increasing the value added within the country. This initiative is funded by the European Union through the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) under the NextGenerationEU program and it is organized in programs and projects.

In this session, the key objectives of the Agenda will be presented:

Industry Transformation: Develop and transfer R&D into new products and services, particularly production technologies, to empower companies in innovation processes.

Qualification for Resilience and Growth: Support companies in adopting and internalizing new technologies, contributing to competitiveness and sustainability.

Capacity Building and Training: Enhance professional skills in innovative production technologies.

Internationalization: Promote the global presence of Portuguese companies.

Dissemination: Widely share the initiative’s results and best practices. 
 

The PRODUTECH R3 Agenda is structured into 15 transformative programs grouped into five thematic areas:
a) Product Customization and Proximity Production: Focuses on digital solutions for life cycle management and sustainable product development.
b) Adaptive, Collaborative, and Competitive Production: Aims to digitalize sectors like plastic molding and develop intelligent robotic solutions.
c)  Interoperable, Intelligent, and Autonomous Production Systems: Develops digital and autonomous factory solutions.
d) New Technologies for Advanced Materials: Works on defect-free manufacturing processes for composite components.
e) Resource and Energy Efficiency with Renewable Integration: Develops technological solutions for decarbonization and circular economy practices. 

Additionally, there are three transversal programs focusing on capacity building, training, and internationalization, along with two support programs for dissemination and overall coordination.

The agenda brings together a national consortium of 108 partners, including 45 Production Technology Suppliers: Companies providing technological solutions, 37 User Sector Companies: Manufacturing industries adopting these technologies, 26 ENESIIs: Entities from the National Scientific and Technological System, including technology centers and sectoral entities. 

Notable participants include Colep Packaging Portugal (leader), INL (International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory), CCG/ZGDV Institute, INEGI, CATIM, CENFIM, AIMMAP and INESC TEC.

Chair: Ana Rita Gonçalves

Location: Hotel Sheraton Porto – Room Apollo

09:30-10:50 Session 2B: User-Centered and Sustainable Product Design Focus

Focus: Product innovation, emotional design, circularity strategies

In this panel participants can expect insights on Integrating User and Environmental Needs – Experts will explore how to balance usability, functionality, and sustainability, sharing methods like design thinking, life-cycle assessment, and eco-design.

In the discussion phase, the panel may touch on how regulation (like ESG or circular economy mandates) and consumer demand are shaping design practices.

Chair: Rui Soares

Location: Hotel Sheraton Porto – Room Challenger

9:30	Teresa Gonçalves, José Almeida, Raul Campilho, Marco Leite, Cátia Carreira and Flávia Barbosa Design4Emotional Response: a methodological approach to enhance user satisfaction towards new products (abstract) Presenter: Teresa Gonçalves
9:50	José Almeida, Teresa Gonçalves, Marcelo Sousa, Bruna Oliveira, Raul Campilho, Diogo Sousa, Diana Martins, Miguel Ferreira, Cátia Carreira and Flávia Barbosa Human-Centered Design Approach to Increase Technology Integration and Acceptance in the Industry (abstract) Presenter: José Almeida
10:10	Rita Ramalho, Teresa Gonçalves, Raul Campilho, Tiago Soares, Carlos Pinto, Alvaro Gouveia and Flávia Barbosa Towards Circular Products Design Strategies to enhance Circularity in New Product Development (abstract) Presenter: Teresa Gonçalves
10:30	Tiago Rocha Silva, Rodrigo Preto Carvalho, Jhonny Rodrigues and Pedro Santos Surrogate model based on Neural Networks to solve the inverse problem of an RTM process (abstract) Presenter: Rodrigo Preto Carvalho

10:50-11:15 Networking Break

11:15-12:35 Session 3A: Sustainable Design for Robotics and Remanufacturing

Focus: Circular product design in robotics, additive manufacturing

Participants can expect discussion on how robots can be designed for easier disassembly, reuse, repair, and remanufacturing, extending their lifecycle and reducing waste, design strategies for energy efficiency and modularity, including insights into how robotics systems can be engineered to consume less energy, use fewer resources, and be modular for upgradeability or reconfiguration.

Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how sustainable design principles are applied in one of the most advanced sectors of manufacturing and automation.

Chair: António Almeida

Location: Hotel Sheraton Porto – Room Apollo

11:15	Bruno Sousa, Teresa Gonçalves, Raul Campilho, Fillipe Ribeiro and Flávia Barbosa Sustainable Product Design Strategies for Collaborative Robotics: Balancing Circularity and Functionality (abstract) Presenter: Bruno Sousa
11:35	Luís Aguiar, Bruna Oliveira, Raul Campilho, Catarina Costa, João Castro, Álvaro Gouveia and Flávia Barbosa Enhancing Remanufacturing through Additive Manufacturing (abstract) Presenter: João Castro
11:55	Filipa Lima, Bruno Campos, Luis Dias, Fillipe Ribeiro, Humberto Teixeira and Maria G. Fernandes Integrating Design for Safety Methodologies in Collaborative Robotics: A Case Study on a Smart Palletizing System (abstract)
12:15	Diana Martins, Teresa Gonçalves, Bruno Sousa, Raul Campilho, Fillipe Ribeiro, Diogo Sousa and Flávia Barbosa A VR-Based Prototyping Framework with Haptic Integration for Gripper Development (abstract) Presenter: Diana Martins

11:15-12:35 Session 3B: Predictive Maintenance and Industrial Digitalization Focus

Focus: Maintenance models, AI support systems, zero-defect production

A participant in this panel can expect to contact with: Insights into Data-Driven Maintenance – Discussion on how sensors, IoT, and machine learning are used to predict equipment failures before they occur, reducing downtime and optimizing maintenance schedules and Integration with Digital Twins and Smart Manufacturing – Exploration of how predictive maintenance fits into broader industrial digitalization efforts, including real-time monitoring, digital twins, and cyber-physical systems.

Chair: Filip Geerts

Location: Hotel Sheraton Porto – Room Challenger

11:15	Pedro Pedro Torres, Arthur Esteves and Fernando Sousa Integrated Design Approaches for Smart Predictive Maintenance – A Case Study on Vibration Analysis in Stone Cutting Machines (abstract) Presenter: Pedro Pedro Torres
11:35	Francisco Oliveira, Ricardo Martins, Inês Caetano, Luis Gomes and Zita Vale Centrifugal Governor-Inspired Predictive Maintenance Model for Legacy Machines: a METAL implementation case study (abstract) Presenter: Luis Gomes
11:55	Francisco Oliveira, Octávio Ramalho, Luis Gomes and Zita Vale Retrieval Augmented Generation for Large Language Models to Support Industrial Operation (abstract) Presenter: Luis Gomes
12:15	Liliana Antão, Guilherme Coelho, Gil Gonçalves, António Augusto and Miguel Moura Enhancing Industrial Interoperability and Scalability through OPC-UA and Model-Driven Device Descriptions (abstract)

12:35-14:00 Lunch Break

14:00-15:20 Session 4A: Automation, Quality, and Manufacturing Efficiency

Focus: AI, quality control, sustainable manufacturing processes

A participant in this panel can expect to get information about Smart Automation Solutions, how robotics, AI, and control systems are improving production speed, consistency, and reducing manual errors across various manufacturing sectors and insights into how automation enhances quality assurance through in-line inspection, adaptive control, and data analytics to detect and correct defects early.

Location: Hotel Sheraton Porto – Room Apollo

14:00	Fábio Miguel Miranda, Diogo Rodrigues, Alexandra Peixoto and Ricardo Sousa The Role of Automated Quality Control in Industrial Resource Efficiency and Sustainability (abstract) Presenter: Fábio Miguel Miranda
14:20	Marta Pinzone, Danusuya Pachimuthu, Marcelo Sousa, Flavia Barbosa, Michel Bakni, Emilie Grandgirard and Sébastien Isserte A multi-level framework and an assessment toolbox to guide the transformation journey towards sustainable zero-defect manufacturing (abstract) Presenter: Flavia Barbosa
14:40	Ana Queiros Green Manufacturing and Eco-Efficiency: OPeraTIC’s Contribution to Sustainable Production (abstract)
15:00	Artur Carvalho, Vera Miguéis and Miguel Moura E Sá Benchmarking Unsupervised Deep Learning Methods for Defect Detection in Woven Fabric (abstract) Presenter: Artur Carvalho

14:00-15:20 Session 4B: Advanced Materials and Functional Surfaces

Focus: Materials engineering, nanocellulose, surface treatments

This panel will address insights into next-generation materials (e.g., composites, nanomaterials, bio-based materials) that offer enhanced properties such as strength, lightweighting, conductivity, or sustainability, discussions on how surfaces can be designed to perform specific functions—like self-cleaning, anti-corrosion, antimicrobial, wear-resistance, or energy harvesting and exploration of enabling technologies such as additive manufacturing, surface texturing, coatings, and plasma treatments used to implement these materials and functions at scale.

Chair: Antonio Pontes

Location: Hotel Sheraton Porto – Room Challenger

14:00	Romeu Matos, Ana Azevedo, Bruna Oliveira, Flávia Barbosa, Vitor Paulo and Maria Fernandes Cryogenic Treatment and Its Effects on Zinc Coatings: Advancing MultiMaterial Recycling in the Automotive Industry (abstract) Presenter: Romeu Matos
14:20	Carla Dias, Victor G.L. Souza, Lisa Mersmann, João R.A. Pires, Isabel Coelhoso, Helena Godinho, António Martins and Ana Luisa Fernando Enhancing Lignocellulosic Biomass: Reinforcing Biobased Polymers with Nanocellulose (abstract) Presenter: Carla Dias
14:40	Lorena Coelho, Fábio Loureiro, Ana R. Sampaio and Bruna Moura Innovative Plasma and Spray Coating Technologies for Sustainable and Functional Surfaces (abstract) Presenter: Ana R. Sampaio
15:00	Mihail Fontul, Carlos Neves, Paulo Coelho and Vivek Kumar Development and evaluation of grippers for rigid fabric manipulation (abstract) Presenter: Carlos Neves

15:20-16:40 Session 5A: Waste Valorization and Biobased Materials

Focus: Biomaterials, biocomposites, residue-resource integration

In this panel, strategies to turn waste into resources will be addressed, exploring how industrial, agricultural, or post-consumer waste streams are being transformed into valuable materials, fuels, chemicals, or components through circular economy approaches. Insights into materials derived from renewable biological sources (e.g., cellulose, algae, bioplastics) and their role in replacing fossil-based materials in packaging, construction, textiles, and more will be addressed. The technological and economic challenges will be dabeted.

Chair: Vitor Dias

Location: Hotel Sheraton Porto – Room Apollo

15:20	Juliana Oliveira, Alice Ribeiro, Vinícius Cardoso and Ana Luísa Alves A line that links residues and resources: an integrated approach to waste valorisation for value-added and functional materials (abstract) Presenter: Juliana Oliveira
15:40	Joao R. A. Pires, António Martins, Carla Dias, Lisa Mersmann, Carolina Rodrigues and Ana Luisa Fernando BIOEQUIP Project: New Technologies for Bioactive Extraction and Biocomposite Production and Associated Equipment (abstract)
16:00	Bruno Magalhaes, Marco Estrela, João Laranjeira, Paulo Ribeiro, Gonçalo Almeida, Vitor Paulo, Diogo Rodrigues and Diogo Teixeira A Digital Platform for Facilitating Circularity: Connecting Businesses to Valorize Wastes and Foster Upcycling Solutions (abstract) Presenter: Bruno Magalhaes

15:20-16:40 Session 5B: Infrastructures and Systems for Industrial Sustainability

Focus: Digital ecosystems, industrial repurposing, hydrogen transition

A participant in this panel can expect discussions on sustainable industrial ecosystems, specially on how shared infrastructures (e.g., industrial parks, energy grids, water reuse systems) and collaborative platforms can enable more resource-efficient, low-emission production environments may be operated. Insights into the role of smart grids, data platforms, IoT networks, and logistics systems in supporting circularity, efficiency, and resilience across industrial operations will be addressed.

Chair: Flavia Barbosa

Location: Hotel Sheraton Porto – Room Challenger

15:20	Sofia Bezerra, Maria João Franco, Paulo Lopes, Sebastian Ponce, Gusta Purba, Tiago Airoso, Pedro Ventura, Mário Ribeiro, Miguel Castro Oliveira, João Santos, João Laranjeira, Filipa Oliveira, Luís Vaz and Edgar Fernandes Methodology for repurposing of industrial gas infrastructures for hydrogen blends – A case study in Portugal (abstract) Presenter: Sofia Bezerra
15:40	Didier Rodriguez Sanchez, Carlos Castro, José Carlos Teixeira, Rui Ribeiro and Margarida Gonçalves Urban Waste Biorefineries: A Sustainable Approach to Waste Management and Bioeconomy (abstract) Presenter: Didier Rodriguez Sanchez
16:00	Manuel Sardinha, Álvaro Gouveia and Marco Leite Additive Manufacturing as an Innovation Accelerator for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises: Insights from Case Study Analysis (abstract) Presenter: Manuel Sardinha
16:20	Mihail Fontul, Pedro Alberto, António Gameiro and Antonio Baptista Predicting Noise Generation in Automotive Air Vents via Numerical Simulation (abstract) Presenter: Antonio Baptista

16:40-17:10 Networking Break

17:10-18:00 Session 6: The Future of Intelligence in Production Technologies: Strategic Perspectives

As production systems evolve in response to the growing demands of sustainability, flexibility, and digital integration, the role of intelligence—across data, systems, and decision-making—becomes central to industrial competitiveness. This panel brings together leading experts from consultants to explore how intelligence is reshaping the landscape of production technologies.

Aligning research, development, and innovation strategies with the evolving needs of the production sector is based on smart questions, such as Where should we place our bets next? How can we ensure that our R&D investments today anticipate the intelligent technologies that will define tomorrow’s industry?

This panel will help answer these questions by exploring the future of intelligence in production technologies. We’ll discuss how artificial intelligence, data-driven architectures, autonomous systems, and adaptive platforms are reshaping everything from factory floors to global supply chains.

The focus will be on actionable intelligence such as how to anticipate shifts in smart manufacturing paradigms, what capabilities and competencies our organizations must start building now and how to align our research agendas with emerging industrial intelligence trends.

Chairs: Bruno Silva and Jose Angelo Pinto

Location: Hotel Sheraton Porto – Room Apollo

18:00-18:30 Session 7: Closing session

Chairs: José Caldeira and Américo Azevedo

Location: Hotel Sheraton Porto – Room Apollo