Posts by Merten De Kinderen

MMICAS

Posted on by Merten De Kinderen

Multiphase Processing with Microfluidics, Cavitation and Acoustic Streaming

MMICAS aims to investigate novel processing technologies (i.e., ultrasound energy and nozzle technology) for the continuous manufacturing of multiphase systems. A knowledge platform will be built, leading to a fundamental understanding of the technologies being studied and resulting in sufficient process knowledge to enable scale-up to industrial scale.

Project Details
Project type: ICON
Approved on: 10/12/2020
Duration: 01/01/2021 – 31/12/2023
Total budget: €2.684.458
Subsidy: €1.879.104
Project Partners

Flemish production of face masks secured

Posted on by Merten De Kinderen
Two Flemish companies have received 3.2 million euro in “Strategische Transformatiesteun COVID-19” from Flemish Minister for Economy and Innovation Hilde Crevits in order to structurally secure the production of high-quality face masks in Flanders. Catalisti supported the government in identifying local expertise and evaluating potential production opportunities.

Eurofilters and Medimundi
When the pandemic hit, a shortage of high-quality face masks made Flanders vulnerable to the COVID-19. Now, the Flemish government has awarded two local companies no less than 3.2 million euro in “Strategische Transformatiesteun COVID-19” to set up and structurally secure the local production of high-quality and reliable face masks. These companies are Eurofilters in Pelt, which specializes in high-tech melt-blown filter materials, and Medimundi in Turnhout, a spin-off of, amongst others, UAntwerpen and Cartamundi that recently started producing face masks on an industrial scale. Eurofilters will receive 2.4 million euro in support to build a new melt-blown production line, next to its own investment of 10 million euro. Medimundi receives 8000.000 euro in government funding, on top of a 2.2 million investment by the consortium behind the spin-off.

Learn more about Eurofilters in the video below (in Dutch).


Strategic independence
By producing face masks and the necessary filter materials locally, Flanders becomes less dependent on import from abroad. This also allows for the built-up of a strategic stock, in case another pandemic hits. Moreover, concerns about low-quality face masks are mitigated.

Catalisti’s role
Flanders has unique expertise in the fields of chemical production (polypropylene), plastics processing and high-tech textile manufacturing. As the spearhead cluster for chemistry and plastics, Catalisti has a broad network of partners within these fields. Therefore, on request of the Flemish government, Catalisti supported efforts to identify local expertise and evaluate potential production opportunities.

Whitepaper Digitalisation published

Posted on by Merten De Kinderen
The implementation of digital technologies in chemical production and process environments isn’t catching on as quickly as anticipated due to a range of sector-specific challenges and hurdles. To pinpoint these challenges and provide an impetus for companies to overcome these hurdles, Catalisti has published a whitepaper, titled “Digitalisation of Chemical Production and Process Environments in Flanders”.

Throughout the whitepaper, you will find examples and concrete cases that aim to inform you about possible solutions and inspire you to successfully start, intensify or complete the digital transformation of your company.

Althought this whitepaper reflects the current situation, it is not intended to be a comprehensive source of reference.

Click here to download the full whitepaper (in PDF format).

Update of Catalisti Innovation Agenda

Posted on by Merten De Kinderen
In November 2020, Catalisti updated its Innovation Agenda. Through concrete innovation programs and focus topics, this agenda captures our ambition to actively contribute and give rise to a sustainable and competitive chemical and plastics industry in Flanders. The agenda forms the guideline for all our activities, not in the least for the initiation and evaluation of our innovation projects.

For this update, alignment with individual company roadmaps and with the research agendas of our knowledge partners was ensured by organising a feedback round and a discussion with members of the Catalisti Industrial Advisory Board.

Several international innovation agendas and roadmaps were used as benchmark and inspiration. Multiple references to the SusChem SIRA can be found throughout the document.

Discover what’s new or download the full document (in PDF format).

DAP²CHEM

Posted on by Merten De Kinderen

Real-time data-assisted process development and production in chemical applications

The DAP2CHEM project aims to stimulate the transition of chemical and life science companies towards I4.0. The project will generate generic knowledge for real-time data usage by these companies through AI systems for improved process development, optimisation and manufacturing excellence.

Challenges and hurdles
Industry 4.0 (I4.0), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digitalisation are revolutionising industries across the globe. As underlined by Catalisti’s 2019 DIGICHEM study, chemical, pharmaceutical, and plastics-producing and -processing companies are interested in implementing Big Data Analysis and AI in their production processes in order to generate business value. Yet, implementation of these technologies within the sector remains rather limited due to a range of sector-specific challenges and hurdles.

DAP2CHEM
To overcome some of these hurdles, DAP2CHEM aims to stimulate the transition of chemical and life science companies towards I4.0. The project will generate the necessary generic knowledge for real-time data usage by these companies through AI systems for improved process development, optimisation, and manufacturing excellence in the chemical and life science industry. It will also expand the knowledge base at Flemish research institutes concerning (hyperspectral) image processing and analysis, advanced analytics and hybrid AI, thereby bridging the gap between academic fundamental knowledge and applicability in an industrial context (explainability and integratability).

Achieving these project goals requires expertise in both Operational Technologies (OT) and Information Technologies (IT) for the process and discrete manufacturing industry. Cronos, an early actor in the I4.0 space, will provide this expertise.

Three test cases
In turn, the fundamental knowledge acquired by the knowledge institutes will be verified in three proof-of-concept test cases at Procter and Gamble (P&G), Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services and Janssen. These test cases will:
  • Gain fundamental insights in advanced vision for inline anomaly detection of randomly shaped and randomly oriented objects at high-speed processes with reduced labelling efforts. The objects selected for DAP2CHEM are P&G’s washing pods.
  • Gain fundamental insights, develop, and apply thermodynamic/AI hybrid models for advanced process control and translate this in active control strategies in a development and manufacturing phase. In the case of Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services, this is a Raman-based control of a two-step continuous flow system. In the case of Janssen this is a constant-level solvent switch in batch equipment.
Looking ahead
The DAP2CHEM test cases will prove the feasibility of new technologies and will capture best practices. They can be used as a blueprint for other related in-house applications by the participating companies, or as an example for other chemical and pharmaceutical companies in Flanders and beyond.

Project Details
Project type: ICON
Approved on: 17/09/2020
Duration: 01/10/2020 – 30/09/2022
Total budget: €3.234.372
Subsidy: €2.075.310
Project Partners

Neem de snelweg naar circulair ondernemen met Circle Speed

Posted on by Merten De Kinderen
Circulair ondernemen is de toekomst. Maar welke kansen biedt dat voor uw onderneming? Hoe begint u eraan? En hoe krijgt u binnen uw bedrijf de neuzen in dezelfde richting?

Voor ondernemers en intrapreneurs ontwikkelde UHasselt samen met kennisdeelplatform Megarnie een uniek traject: Circle Speed. Waarom uniek? Omdat het een echte onderdompeling is in het circulaire ondernemen in een kleine groep van collega-ondernemers. Met expert-coaches die u persoonlijk begeleiden, op maat van uw activiteit. Geen droge powerpointopleiding, maar interactieve en hands-on leermomenten. Schrijf in voor het kick-off weekend op een datum van uw keuze en laat u verrassen door het innovatieve aanbod, de inspirerende locatie en dito keynote sprekers. In 2021 starten in totaal 6 leertrajecten: telkens 2 in de provincies Antwerpen, Limburg en Vlaams-Brabant. Meer informatie over de opleiding vindt u op www.circlespeed.be.

Circle Speed kwam tot stand met steun van VLAIO.

Nieuw VLAIO-kostenmodel van kracht

Posted on by Merten De Kinderen
Vanaf vandaag is een nieuw VLAIO-kostenmodel van kracht. In dit model streeft VLAIO naar meer uniformiteit voor diverse steuninstrumenten.

Op 12 oktober 2020 treedt het nieuwe kostenmodel van VLAIO in voege voor nieuwe aanvraagdossiers. Dit nieuwe model beoogt meer uniformiteit tussen verschillende steuninstrumenten, zoals onder meer Ontwikkelings-, Onderzoeks-, ICON-, en cSBO-projecten. Er wordt daarnaast een overgangsperiode voorzien voor deze instrumenten die loopt tot 31 december 2020, waarin de Excel-begrotingsaanvragen van zowel het huidige als het nieuwe kostenmodel gebruikt kunnen worden. Voor de oproepen die binnen deze overgangsperiode vallen, zal per instrument bepaald worden welk kostenmodel gebruikt dient te worden.

Bekijk onderstaand filmpje voor informatie, of contacteer catalyst Johan De Houwer voor een extra woordje uitleg.

Register now for the Catalisti Annual Event 2020

Posted on by Merten De Kinderen
Newsflash! Registrations for the Catalisti Annual Event 2020: Infected by Innovation are now open. This year’s edition will be held online on Tuesday 8 December (13:30-15:00), allowing you to participate from the comfort of your own office, or even your own couch. Different format, same positive Catalisti vibe!

The event will be held in Dutch. More information about the programme and speakers will be made available soon. For now, save the date or better still, click here to register for free!

Ongelimiteerde Recyclage

Posted on by Merten De Kinderen
The EFRO project Ongelimiteerde Recyclage, or Unlimited Recycling, seeks to further promote the circular economy by exploring the possibilities of unlimited recycling, gauging the applicability limits of recycled materials, and stimulating the use of those recycled materials. In this respect, overcoming prejudices about the use of recyclates in end products will be an important component of the project.

Through Circular Inspiration Days, the project will engage companies to brainstorm around eight recycling themes that are of specific interest to the textile and plastics sector. Co-creation sessions with companies and knowledge institutions will actively aim to seek concrete solutions for sectoral issues. Through these sessions, are aimed at. Finally, this collaborative approach is intended to lead to new economically-relevant products.

On 19 October 2021, during the Circular Inspiration Day III, the project’s end results and inspiring stories will be shared with interested companies! More info about this event.

More info about this EFRO project: https://tuawest.be/home/projecten/ongelimiteerde-recyclage/.

Project Details
Project type: EFRO
Duration: 01/05/2019 – 30/04/2021
Total budget: €968.700
Subsidy: €387.480
Project Partners