Footwear Technology Center of La Rioja

The Footwear Technology Center of La Rioja (CTCR) has 5 research lines with their appropriates laboratories and work areas:

• Advanced Materials - Nanotechnology
  
  • High-Performance Liquid Chromatography- HPLC
  • Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy- FTIR
  • Inductively Coupled Plasma combined with Mass Spectrometry - ICP-MS
  • Gas chromatograph/flame ionization detector - GC/FID
  • Cost reduction and production increase through nanomaterials.
  • Shape memory polymers
  • Intelligent materials that change color under certain external stimuli.
  • Microcapsules containing active substances.
  • Energy efficiency technologies.
  • Additives and new polymers capable of self-regenerating.
  • Technical improvements through new materials or nanotechnology: slip resistance, fireproof, antibacterial, impact resistance, electrical conductivity...
  • Chromatography.
  • Rubber mixer.
  • Hydraulic press.
• Intelligent Manufacturing - Mechanics and Prototyping:
  
  • Rapid prototyping.
  • 3D printers.
  • 3D digitalization of models.

• Intelligent Manufacturing - Electronics and Automation.
  
  • Development of wearables.
  • Technological automation and process controls.
  • Collaborative robots
  • Tracking technologies.
  • Production, stocks and logistics control through RFID tags.
  • Technologies to improve the ergonomic and heat comfort.
  • Development of protective equipment through new intelligent materials and embedded electronics.
  • Development of integrated security systems.
  • Technologies for the personalized adaptation of the garment to the client.
  • Smart textile fabrics.

• Digital Transformation - ICTs: 
  
  • Photoshot360º®: 360º product photography and processing, for subsequent publication in digital channels.
  • Three-dimensional reengineering system, based on product photographs.
  • View360º: visualization of 3D models on mobile devices. eMarketing
  • New technologies that involve the consumer in the design process.
  • Artificial intelligence for the development of competitive products.
  • Technologies for the personalized adaptation of the garment to the client
  • Technologies that analyze the client’s behavior.
  • Personalized marketing strategies adapted to the consumers.
  • Technologies that dynamically create segmented information.
  • Apps that recommend products based on the user’s needs.
  • Augmented reality on smartphone apps.
  • Design and development of virtual 3D catalogues.

• Sustainability – Biotechnology and Environment:
  
  • Life Cycle Assessment, to reduce environmental impact.
  • Recycling technologies and raw material reuse technologies.
  • Study on residues and on the recovery of its components.
  • Development of biodegradable materials.
  • Ecodesign.
  • Microbiological development of bacterial cellulose.
  • Slip resistance equipment.
  • Impact resistance equipment.
  • Footwear heat insulation equipment.
  • Footwear cold insulation equipment.
  • Suntest - Light ageing chamber.
  • Spectrophotometers.

The Footwear Technology Center of La Rioja (CTCR) offer the following services:

• Sustainability- Biotechnology and Environment
  • LCA and eco-design.
  • Implementation of environmental standards and eco-labels. Carbon footprint.
  • Development of footwear components with antimicrobial activity.
  • Development of biodegradable and more sustainable biomaterials.
  • Bioassays: evaluation of antibacterial and antifungal activity.
  • Development of fermentation processes to obtain biopolymers.
  • Bio-based antimicrobial compounds.
  • Circular economy.
  • Valorization of waste
  • Physical and chemical recycling technologies for different footwear components.
     

• Digital Transformation- ICTs:
  • Photoshot360º®: 360º product photography and processing, for subsequent publication in digital channels.
  • Three-dimensional reengineering system, based on product photographs.
  • View360º: visualization of 3D models on mobile devices. eMarketing.
  • Traceability, real-time control and inventory technologies for production, stock and logistics control through RFID/Radiofrequency.
  • Business Intelligence through radio frequency identification.
  • Machine Vision applications, in conjunction with robotics, as well as for pattern recognition.
  • Design and usability (UI/UX) of software interfaces for application control.
  • Artificial vision
  • Augmented reality applications as footwear testers; also, as training tools.
  • Big Data for the use of large volumes of data and its analysis in real time

• Advanced materials- nanotechnology:
  • Improvement of shear-floor bonding by atmospheric plasma treatments.
  • Study of hydrophobic and oleophobic coatings by contact angle.
    Nanocomposites capable of reducing vulcanization time by more than 30%.
  • Impact energy absorbing materials.
  • Materials with electrical properties.
  • Improvement of the friction coefficient behavior in steel and tiles.
  • Bactericidal materials.
  • Microencapsulation of substances.
  • Self-repairing materials.
  • Polymeric materials with shape memory.
  • Pruvasol®: anti-UV additive, protector against sunlight and artificial light for white and clear rubbers.
  • Design of nanoporous inorganic materials with multifunctionality

• Intelligent Manufacturing- Mechanics and Prototyping:
  • 3D design and development of drawings (Rhinoceros, Inventor, AutoCAD) for machinery, footwear, etc.
  • FEM simulation of mechanical problems and analysis of components under fatigue.
  • Process optimization through data mining and genetic algorithms.
  • 3D scanning and metrology.
  • Rapid prototyping technologies through 3D printing (FDM, SLA, MJP).
  • Materials characterization.
  • Rapid prototyping for the development of molds for short series.
  • Prototyping of customized machinery for different uses.
  • Measurement, modification and adaptation of lasts.
  • Improvement of industrial processes through Lean methodology

• Intelligent Manufacturing-Electronics and automation:
  • Development of wearables, embedded systems in textiles or footwear.
  • Implementation of IoT technologies.
  • Design of analog and digital systems. Circuit simulation.
  • Microcontrolled applications and PCB design and advice for assembly and testing.
  • Artificial intelligence and data mining for integration in decision systems.
  • Automation and process control technologies (under PC, PLC, or Microcontrollers).
  • Implementation of industrial and collaborative robotics.
  • Implementation of IoT technologies.
  • Intelligent and electronic textiles

• Quality:
  • PPEs certification according to international standards.
  • PPEs testing and evaluation.
  • Implementation and consulting on management systems.

• Internationalization:
  • International legal and financial advice.
  • Development of strategic plans.
  • Grant management for the attendance to national and international fairs.
  • Support in the organization of consortia for international promotion purposes.

• Project Management:
  • Technological supervision.
  • Management of public funding for R&D&i projects.

• Fashion:
  • TrendHelp.