AIMPLAS, the Technological Institute of Plastics, has launched the FLEXOTRONICA project with funding from IVACE. The goal is to develop flexible electronics or plastic electronics solutions using lightweight electrically conductive materials, such as conductive inks printed on flexible plastic sheets and conductive plastics, allowing them to be adapted to complex geometries. These devices will enable the integration of various components into vehicles, from electromagnetic shielding elements to prevent interference to capacitive surfaces that eliminate the need for buttons, screens, LEDs, or circuits. This will contribute to the development of smarter, safer, and more efficient vehicles that are lighter and therefore more environmentally sustainable thanks to reduced fuel consumption and emissions.
FLEXOTRONICA focuses on the automotive, aerospace, marine, and rail sectors, as these industries require lightweight solutions that consume less energy, offer greater interactivity with the user or passenger, and enhance occupant safety. For this purpose, plastic electronics, or flexible electronics, is an ideal solution due to its lightness and adaptability, allowing the electronics to be integrated into the final component regardless of its shape.
The project focuses on developing electrically conductive plastic materials and flexible electronics solutions to address the main demands of Intelligent Transportation Systems. It will develop flexible actuators and proximity sensors for human-machine interfaces, capacitive sensors and sliders integrated into plastic components to facilitate user interaction, flexible sensors for monitoring driver fatigue and exhaustion, and electrically conductive thermoplastic and thermoset materials for electromagnetic shielding of control electronics against external interference.
The project's progress is made possible through the cooperation of entities and companies in the Valencian Community, such as the AVIA cluster, and companies like FAURECIA, Industrias Alegre, Vicedo-Martí, and ESB Sistemas. The results of FLEXOTRÓNICA will position companies in the Valencian Community's automotive and transportation industries as leaders in the development of new integrated electronics solutions.
The project is funded by the Valencian Regional Government's Ministry of Sustainable Economy, Productive Sectors, Trade and Employment through IVACE grants with co-financing from the EU's ERDF funds, within the ERDF Operational Programme of the Valencian Community 2014-2020. These grants are aimed at technology centres in the Valencian Community for the development of non-economic R&D projects carried out in cooperation with companies for the 2019 financial year.
