1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Word from the President ......................................................................................................6 SENAI Innovation Institutes: technological solutions for industry ..................................7 Encouraging Innovative Environments .................................................................................8 Applied Research ....................................................................................................................9 Global Trends ...........................................................................................................................10 Applied Research Projects .....................................................................................................11 Benefits to Companies ...........................................................................................................12 Activities of the Institutes ......................................................................................................13 Location and Area of Expertise of the SENAI Innovation Institutes ..............................14 SENAI Innovation Institute for Production Automation ...................................................18 SENAI Innovation Institute for Logistics .............................................................................20 SENAI Innovation Institute for Microelectronics ...............................................................22 SENAI Innovation Institute for Embedded Systems ..........................................................24 SENAI Innovation Institute for Virtual Production Systems .............................................26 SENAI Innovation Institute for Information and Communication Technology ..............28 SENAI Innovation Institute for Polymer Engineering ........................................................32 SENAI Innovation Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanocomposites ...................34 SENAI Innovation Institute for Metallurgy and Special Alloys .........................................36 SENAI Innovation Institute for Mineral Processing ...........................................................38 SENAI Innovation Institute for Mineral Technologies ........................................................40 SENAI Innovation Institute for Forming and Joining of Materials ...................................44 SENAI Innovation Institute for Surface Engineering ..........................................................46 SENAI Innovation Institute for Laser Processing ...............................................................48 SENAI Innovation Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Micro-manufacturing ....50 SENAI Innovation Institute for Manufacturing Systems ....................................................52 SENAI Innovation Institute for Integrated Metal-mechanical Solutions .........................54 SENAI Innovation Institute for Biomass ..............................................................................58 SENAI Innovation Institute for Biosynthetics .....................................................................60 SENAI Innovation Institute for Electrochemistry ..............................................................62 SENAI Innovation Institute for Green Chemistry .............................................................64 Contact Information for the Industry Federations .............................................................66 Contact Information for the SENAI Innovation Institutes ...............................................68 5 SENAI INNOVATION INSTITUTES: SENAI INNOVATION INSTITUTES - TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS FOR MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT INDUSTRY The ability of companies to innovate is decisive for boost Brazil’s Innovating involves finding creative and original answers for small and economic and social development. Based on this vision, the Industry System large problems. In a world in the midst of rapid transformation, staying one created a national network of 25 Innovation Institutes within the structure step ahead of competitors is crucial for companies to remain competitive of the National Service for Industrial Training (SENAI), an institution recognized and connected to their customers. The national network of SENAI Innovation for its work of excellence in professional education for over 70 years. Institutes was created to provide agile and innovative solutions tailored to the This is one of the most relevant contributions of Brazilian industry to needs of industry. strengthen the national innovation culture, essential for Brazil to rank among the most competitive economies in the world. The network of 25 institutes was created through the initiative of the Business Mobilization for Innovation (MEI), a movement coordinated The SENAI Innovation Institutes are important partners of companies by the National Confederation of Industry, comprised of over 150 leaders from in their goal to add value to products and business through highly complex major Brazilian companies. The goal is to increase the competitiveness applied research, technology transfer and sharing of risks inherent in the of the industrial sector, by linking the challenges encountered by large, medium precompetitive stage of the innovation process. and small companies to the creativity of young enterprising companies and the knowledge generated in universities. Through this initiative, the National Confederation of Industry (CNI) endeavors to accelerate the flow of scientific and technological knowledge The research centers are part of the structure of the National Service in the country for the purpose of obtaining effective results and to better equip for Industrial Training (SENAI), the largest private complex for vocational the industrial sector to address the challenges and opportunities of the future. education and technological services in Latin America. Created in 1942, the institution has already trained more than 68 million workers in 28 areas of Brazilian industry, ranging from basic job skill training to technological degrees Robson Braga de Andrade at the undergraduate and postgraduate level. With 580 stationary and 449 mobile President of the National Confederation of Industry (CNI) units, it operates in 2,700 Brazilian cities and nine training schools abroad. 6 7 ENCOURAGING INNOVATION ENVIRONMENTS Through the SENAI Innovation Institutes, industry has taken a critical step toward a revolution in the technological development of the country. The purpose of the institutes is to boost the effectiveness of innovation policies and raise the volume of resources invested in the sector. Despite APPLIED RESEARCH being one of the world’s largest economies, Brazil is increasingly less innovative. In 2015, it dropped from 61st to 70th place in the Global Innovation Index, comprised of 141 countries1. Between 2010 and 2014, research and development expenditure in Brazil represented only 1.38% of Gross Domestic Product Brazilian industry moves at an accelerated pace. Due to obstacles in Brazil’s innovation (GDP), whereas South Korea, at the top of the most innovative nations, invested 4.29%. In the same environment, it is not always wise to come to the market at the pace set by the production sector. The period, the United States invested 2.73% of its wealth in innovation2. network of SENAI Innovation Institutes was created to serve as a bridge between the academic world and the needs of the domestic business community. Its operational focus is applied research, i.e., the Another important indicator of knowledge generated in the country is the volume of patents, practical use of knowledge to develop new products and customized solutions for companies, or ideas which lags far behind the number in developed nations. In 2014, 2,749 patents were approved in Brazil, that generate business opportunities. which is much lower than the number produced in the United States, of around 300,0003. The average concession period is also high, at 11.4 years. In the United States, it is 2.2 years and in Japan, 2.5 years. The institutes start working at the pre-competitive stage of the innovation process – when concepts are born and experiments are conducted and therefore, a time of great uncertainty and risk In recent years, Brazil has made progress in turning out master’s and PhD graduates, an essential for companies – and continue until the final stage of development, when the new product is ready to condition for engaging in technological research and development. However, the total number of these be manufactured by the industry. highly qualified professionals is still low compared with other countries. There are 7.6 PhD holders per 100,000 Brazilian inhabitants, whereas in the United Kingdom this rate is 41 and in the United States, SENAI looked to the universities for talents from technological fields to join its innovation over 204. According to the Innovation Survey 2011 (Pintec/IBGE), 16.4% of researchers in the private network. Of the 558 employees, there are 97 PhD and 126 master’s degree holders. sector have postgraduate degrees. Around 95% of Brazilian PhD holders are in universities and only 1.5% in companies5. The SENAI Innovation Institutes were created to help the country transform its The location of each institute was chosen to facilitate the flow of scientific and technological innovation ecosystem and encourage domestic companies to be more competitive. knowledge between the academic environment and the production sector. Facilities