Ecor Research hosted in its production site in Schio, Vicenza, the European research team of the research project TresClean, to which adheres with the University of Parma and a network of partner companies, for a meeting on activities progress.
The TresClean project (High Throughput Laser Texturing of Self-Cleaning and Antibacterial Surfaces) aims to develop the first fluid-repellent, antibacterial, metal surface of the world intended for use in the food industry. The innovation will allow increasing productivity and reducing costs of plants processing organic food, such as milk, tomato and yogurt sauce.
The program funded with 3.3 million euros by the Photonics Public Private Partnership in the context of calls for the grants of H2020 Industrial Leadership program, is attended besides Ecor Research, also by the University of Parma, Universitaet Stuttgart (Germany), Centre Technologique Alphanov (France ), RAYLASE AG (Germany), BSH Electrodomesticos Espana SA (Spain) and Kite Innovation Limited (United Kingdom).
During the meeting, the partners shared the status of activities, both for the technical aspects of the project, and its management. At the end, it emerged that the project began in early 2016, is following the forecast schedule.
At this stage, the working group is carrying out the first tests of nano-texturing of the samples with the use of high-power laser cutting devices. In other words, the team is reproducing on the sheets a rough micro-topography specifically designed to minimize the contact area between the surface itself and the liquid.
Moreover, the characterization activities on surfaces have started to study their wettability. Depending on the results, the process parameters will be selected according to surface morphologies and at the same time a new high-power laser cutting systems will be developed will be developed.
Ecor Research contributes to the project with the design of a functional test rig for the characterization of textured surfaces. The test bench will simulate the process of surface wetting with a liquid food and the following cleaning and sterilization steps, similar to the one performed in an industrial plant. In the meanwhile, the company will develop a methodology for the characterization of the treated surfaces with respect to their cleanability and wettability through integrated bioluminescence with image analysis techniques and evaluation of the bacterial concentration (CFU). The rig testing will allow the test and validation of simple geometry samples and components of the plant.
@EcorIntern