JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #105 - June 2016 - 24

Brazil

A new lab in Brazil

interview

We recently met Hugo Borelli Resende, the head of the Lightweight
Structures Laboratory, a unique laboratory in Brazil with recognised expertise. Opened just over a year ago, the lab has cutting-edge equipment
and uses the latest technologies. A tool serving the Brazilian composites
industry, though not exclusively.

hugo Borelli reSenDe,
Ph.D., DirecTor
lighTweighT STrucTureS laBoraTory (lel)

JEC Composites Magazine: Can
you tell us the origin of IPT
and its evolution?

Hugo Borelli
Resende: The Institute

for Technological Research
(IPT) was created in 1899. It
is a public research institute
linked to the State of São
Paulo. The institute includes
37 laboratories distributed
into 12 centres, which span
many different areas, from
naval engineering to metallurgy, going through wood
applications, construction,
environmental and geological
analysis, software development, chemical testing, corrosion and protection, textiles,
etc. IPT's newest labs focus
on nanobiotechnology and
lightweight structures.
JCM: What are the lab's main
tasks today?

H. B. R. : IPT's mission is

to help companies increase
their competitiveness through

the application of technology, and to promote quality
of life. In this regard, it plays
a major role in the creation
and implementation of public
policies by the State of São
Paulo. Its income comes
mostly from projects conducted in cooperation with
the industry, either public or
private, with the State of São
Paulo providing roughly 40%
of the net revenue. It works
for close to 4,000 customers
each year, ranging from small
companies to multinationals,
such as Shell, Ford, Motorola,
Unilever, Gerdau, Embraer
and Vale.

with companies and funding
agencies the construction
started in late 2011. LEL was
inaugurated in May 2014,
shortly after its 1,600-m2
clean room became operational. The other 2,900 m2
of the lab, including offices,
were completed in August
2015. Its main activities are
R&D projects conducted in
cooperation with companies,
either in Brazil or abroad, in
the fields of metallic structures (especially aluminium

and titanium), composite
structures (especially carbon
fibre), and hybrid structures.
The technical focus is on the
complete development cycle,
including design, analysis,
simulation, prototyping,
testing, manufacturing viability, and maintenance. The
projects may also include
partnerships with universities
and other research institutes.
JCM: How is this structure
organized? What is your role

JCM: Could you explain what
LEL is?

H. B. R. : The Lightweight

Structures Laboratory (LEL)
is IPT's newest centre, created at the Technology Park
of São José dos Campos, São
Paulo, Brazil. It was initially
conceived back in 2005 as
a demand from the Brazilian aerospace industry, and
after many negotiations

24 jec composites magazine / No105 June 2016

FP machine with capacity of 3 m of diameter and 4 m long

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #105 - June 2016