What is IDF?

The Institute of Design for Manufacturing and Automated Production (IDF Institute) is a research institute of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), located at the Ciudad Politécnica de la Innovación.

The IDF develops research activities, technological development, knowledge transfer and advanced training, aimed at improving industry competitiveness through design, automation and advanced manufacturing technologies.

Its activity combines a solid scientific foundation with a clear applied vocation, acting as a bridge between the university and the business sector.

IDF Competencies

Product Design and Development

We work at a strategic level (product, environment and communication), the design-company relationship, the generation of design ideas and concepts, obtaining models and prototypes, and visual product communication. In product development, extensive use is made of digital model generation, prototyping and CAD/CAM/CAE/CIM integration.

Manufacturing

We work on high-speed machining using CAD/CAM robots. Additionally, in simulation, monitoring and control of filling and curing of resins and thermoplastics (GREEN COMPOSITES). IDF hosts the RED COMPO network that brings together the most important polymer material manufacturers in Europe.

New Energies

We research in the areas of optoelectronic materials, material characterization, semiconductors and their applications in the construction of solar panels and light-emitting devices. Research on nanomaterials with optoelectronic properties for the manufacture of solar cells in the field of renewable energies stands out.

Information Technologies

We research knowledge management and information audits in SMEs, information dissemination through the internet, content and legal aspects in the information society, scientific knowledge networks, content standardization, e-learning, promotion of culture through information technologies as well as the generation and distribution of content through video and audio. These activities include multimedia developments, as well as user-friendly interfaces based on virtual reality, evaluating ergonomic and usability aspects in human-machine interfaces (HMI).

Institutional Relations

IDF contributes to supporting institutional policies in the comprehensive development of products from design to manufacturing. In this sense, IDF's collaboration with Public Institutions is very close both in achieving policies to promote design in companies and the Administration and in training design and innovation managers for the Technology Institutes of the Agència Valenciana de la Innovació (AVI).