innovation and R&D

Our DNA

Research & Development and Innovation has been one of the keys to ISQ’s track record throughout nearly 50 years of its existence.
This characteristic is based on continuously anticipating the needs of the business environment and on the development of adequate response capabilities, based around 3 fundamental aspects:

  • Adequate facilities
  • Technologically advanced equipment
  • High-level human resources

 In partnership with over 1200 industrial and academic partners, both in Portugal and around the world, ISQ promotes the transfer of technology to industry, contributing to greater sustainability and development of the business fabric.

As a result of the R&D activities, emphasis should be placed on the recent applications of automated Phased Array and Guided Wave technology in oil industry facilities in Portugal and internationally, the application of life cycle assessment and Eco-Design in the development of new sustainable products, the smart monitoring of cathodic protection systems and the characterisation and control of coatings, and the use of automated Phased Array technology in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) tanks.


Centres for Research and Development + Innovation

ISQ’s R&D+i activity is coordinated around four centres, which address the priority areas.

ISQ has been a partner or coordinator in more than 500 R&D projects (since the 1980s) and participates in the IXV programmes (European Space Agency re-entry vehicle), ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor), CERN (Large Hadron Collider), projects ALMA and E-ELT (European Extremely Large Telescope) of ESO (European Southern Observatory).

In the annual ranking of the 100 companies that spend the most on R&D activities in Portugal, published by GPEARI (Planning, Strategy, Assessment and International Relations Office) based on the Survey of National Scientific and Technological Potential, ISQ has continuously been among the top 50 in the period between 2007 and 2009.

Over this period its average investment was close to 5 million euros, and in 2009 it ranked 6th in terms of the number of PhD holders assigned to R&D activities, measured in Full Time Equivalents (FTE).

ITER

cs and plasma in tokamak us iter
INNOVATION & R&D 1

ITER is under construction in Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (Cadarache), southern France. The buildings and infrastructure required for “First Plasma” are 75% complete and the assembly of the equipment is underway. The first phase is expected to be completed by the end of 2025 with “First Plasma”.


From 2025 onwards, experiments will be conducted with gradual power increases, interspersed with process development periods. Start-up at full power is planned for 2035.

Assigned Teams


PORTUGAL · Oeiras

1st SEVERAL INSPECTORS CARRY OUT SPOT INSPECTIONS OF THE DIFFERENT F4E SUPPLIERS

SPAIN · F4E (Barcelona)

2nd MAGNETS, IN VESSEL, QUALITY TEAM

FRANCE · ITER Site (Cadarache)

3rd MAGNETS, QUALITY TEAM, PF COILS

4th CNIM (LA SEYNE SUR MER) – TF COIL

5th ATMOSTAT (PARIS) – IN VESSEL

ITALY · Walter Tosto

6th VACCUM VASSEL, BODY CASSETTE

7th MAGGIAROTTI (MONFALCONI) – VESSEL VACCUM

8th SIMIC (PORTO MARGHERA) — MAGNETS

CERN

For several years an ISQ team monitored the manufacturing and installation of different components, accessories and structures for what is considered one of the largest research projects of our time. Here, it all starts with a “simple” canister of hydrogen — “The Bottle to Bang”.

ESA

Over the last few years, ISQ and ESA have been partners in several projects, in particular the recent assessment of the availability and suitability of surface treatments as an alternative to those containing hexavalent chromium

CNES / ARIANESPACE – KOUROU

A team has been part of the quality assurance service since 2003, working in the areas of Soil Quality, Fluids and Mechanics, Safety, Onboard Quality and Satellites. Yet again, hydrogen functions here as the fuel for the main stage of Ariane 5.

ESO

ISQ’s current participation in the ELT (Extremely Large Telescope) project consists of maintaining a team at Quality Assurance in Garching (Munich), the ESO’s headquarters. The main mirror of the ELT will have a diameter of 39 metres, made up of 798 segments. The telescope will be the largest ever built and will be installed at Cerro Armazones, near Paranal, Chile.

More R&D+i Projects


Alentejo Circular

  Acronym: Alentejo Circular Project name: promoting the circular economy in the farms and agro-industries of alentejo Project code: ALT20-01-0853-FEDER-000023 Total Cost: 386,830.43 € Funding value: 313.670, 90€Goals: The project 'ALENTEJO CIRCULAR ́, a partnership between ISQ and the University...

Starting Year

Project Area

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INNOVATION & R&D 2

CARBOREP

  Acronym: CARBOREP Project Name: CARBOREP – European Harmonized Training for Personnel working with Car Body Repair Technology Grant agreement no: 2016-1-UK01-KA202-024374 Total cost: 78265,00€ Total Funding: 78265,00€ OBJECTIVES: The idea for the “Carborep Project” arises from the fact that there is a lack of...

Starting Year:  2016

Project Area: VET Projects

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INNOVATION & R&D 3

XXI Trainer

  Acronym: XXI Trainer Project Name: :  XXI Trainer: Cooperation for Innovation and Exchange of Good Practices Grant agreement no: 2015-1-SE01-KA202-012261 Total cost: 37349,00€ Total Funding: 37349,00€ OBJECTIVES: In “XXI Trainer Project”, a new trainer is born: able to use user-friendly andragogical methodologies as...

Starting Year:  2015

Project Area: VET Projects

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INNOVATION & R&D 4

WBL-Pro

  Acronym: WBL-Pro Project Name: WBL-PRO Qualification, Open Resources & Toolkit for the WBL Professional Grant agreement no: 2016-1-DE02-KA202-003339 Total cost:17279,00€ Total Funding: 17279,00€ OBJECTIVES: The project WBL-PRO Qualification, Open Resources & Toolkit for the WBL Professional which has been funded with support from...

Starting Year:  2016

Project Area: VET Projects

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INNOVATION & R&D 5

WBL

  Acronym: WBL Project Name: Work Based Learning- Local and International Grant agreement no: 2015-1-LV01-KA202-013386 Total cost: 17.379,00€ Total Funding: 17.379,00€ OBJECTIVES: “Work Based Learning-local and international” aims to develop, test, adapt and implement innovative practices related to work based learning as new VET materials...

Starting Year:  2015

Project Area: VET Projects

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INNOVATION & R&D 6

USR-NET

  Acronym: USR-NET Project Name: European Network of Socially Responsible Universities Grant agreement no: 2015-1-BE01-KA203-013202 Total cost: 13238,00€ Total Funding: 13238,00€ OBJECTIVES: USR-NET project aims to carry out a deep analysis about what universities around EU so far have understood as USR to shape a common vision...

Starting Year:  2016

Project Area: VET Projects

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INNOVATION & R&D 7

USEWINE

  Acronym: USEWINE Project Name: Use of Triple Bottom Line Sustainability Framework in Rural Wine Entrepreneurship  Grant agreement no: 2014–1–CY01-KA204-000 269 Total cost: 29.459,00€ Total Funding: 29.459,00€ OBJECTIVES: UseWine” focuses on the application of the TBL principles as a sustainability vehicle for the Wine...

Starting Year:  2014

Project Area: VET Projects

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INNOVATION & R&D 8

TRAM-WBL

  Acronym: TRAM-WBL Project Name: TRAM-WBL - Engaging SMEs for Quality Transnational WBL experiences Grant agreement no: 2015-1-IT01-KA202-004735 Total cost: 44028,33,00€ Total Funding: 44028,33,00€ OBJECTIVES: “TRAM-WBL - Engaging SMEs for Quality Transnational WBL experiences” aims to improve significantly the quality of transnational work-based learning (WBL)...

Starting Year:  2015

Project Area: VET Projects

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INNOVATION & R&D 9

TICS

  Acronym: TICS Project Name: TICS -  ICT in social-educational support services to fight early school leaving Grant agreement no: 2015-1-FR01-KA202-015032 Total cost: 33715,00€ Total Funding: 33615,00€ OBJECTIVES: TICS project is based on the idea that professionals working with young people ( social workers, experts...

Starting Year:  2015

Project Area: VET Projects

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INNOVATION & R&D 10

MICROBOND

  Acronym: MICROBOND Project Name: New opportunity for people with educational  difficulties to access jobs in materials joining technologies  Grant agreement no: 2016-1-RO01-KA202-024494 Total cost: 24648,33€ Total Funding: 24315,00€ OBJECTIVES: The aim of MICROBOND project is to develop new innovative toolkit dedicated to the...

Starting Year:  2016

Project Area: VET Projects