Technological Axes

We focus our research and development efforts on 4 technological axes: advanced manufacturing technologies, greener technologies, methods & tools for the development of complex systems and smart technologies.

technological research

"Accelerating science, technological research & transfer to industry. »

These 4 axes work together to develop cross-cutting technologies to meet the challenges of the aeronautics, space and defense industries.

Beyond our target markets, our technologies and skills are adapted to applications for mobility, environment, medical, energy & maritime.

advanced manufacturing

TECHNOLOGIES

The "Advanced Manufacturing Technologies" axis develops solutions to improve the performance and competitiveness of industries, from the design to the manufacture of critical parts or systems. 

Our solutions can be "targeted" on one element of the value chain or "global" on the entire chain. In this approach, we work on the development and characterization of new materials. Our research is also focused on the development of innovative processes and the optimization of processes already implemented for cycle reduction, cost reduction and application to the exact need.

More specifically, our work focuses on  

  • Development of hybrid manufacturing technologies.
  • Development of processes to functionalize materials.
  • Reduction of material costs.
  • Reduction of manufacturing / repair and maintenance costs.
  • Reduction of development and qualification cycles.
  • Process control (reliability and robustness).
  • Control of the structures lifecycle (initial and remaining).

We propose a disruptive approach by pooling the multidisciplinary skills of the IRT Saint Exupéry, using multi-physical modeling tools and/or artificial intelligence to the world of materials and processes. We develop, among other things, predictive models of the harmfulness of defects and reliable virtual test models that can be easily integrated by designers.

We provide proofs of concept, within the framework of Industry 4.0 with environmentally friendly solutions.

objectifs

our objectives

Advanced Manufacturing Technologies

Develop new manufacturing technologies.
Optimize manufacturing processes & production line.
Master materials behavior and structures.

greener

TECHNOLOGIES

The Greener Technologies axis takes up the technological challenges with the aim of reducing CO2 emissions on the basis of the ambitious objectives set by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and in line with the research programs of the major prime contractors in the aeronautics and space industries. 

We contribute to the development of solutions that enable the conversion of systems historically powered by hydraulic and pneumatic energy into new solutions based on electrical energy by addressing the major challenges in this field, which are reliability and mass.

We are also preparing the technological solutions of tomorrow that will make it possible to electrify propulsion chains. Voltage build-up, reliability and densification are the key elements to achieve this.

To achieve this, we draw on all of the IRT Saint Exupery's competence centers in the fields of electricity, materials, artificial intelligence and multi-physics modeling, and we provide tools such as  

  • demonstrators,
  • tests,
  • databases,
  • models,
  • optimization algorithms,
  • guides,
  • methodologies,
  • standards recommendations, etc.
objectifs

our objectives

Greener Technologies

Improve the product life cycle.
Enable increased electrification of systems.
Reduce the mass and volume of products.

smart

TECHNOLOGIES

The "Smart Technologies" axis develops Artificial Intelligence and connectivity technologies for systems.
Everybody ¬-- or almost everybody --¬¬ does Artificial Intelligence (AI). Our difference: we invent and deploy AI for critical systems. With the best laboratories in the world, we create robust, explainable, certification-compatible AI: this is the Franco-Quebec DEEL program.

We also develop and evaluate AI-based solutions for planning and decision making in complex and uncertain environments: satellite constellations, sensor networks, or air operations. In most of the critical systems on which we work, collaboration between Human and Machine takes a predominant place.

Similarly, connectivity technologies are ubiquitous: we are focusing on applications involving a non-terrestrial segment such as satellite or a high-altitude platform to increase the coverage of digital services in areas without infrastructure (5G, IoT). We cover frequencies from frequencies to microwaves, including photonics, and we prototype and validate innovations using radios and software networks (SDR and SDN).

Finally, we use AI to improve communications, just as we use techniques from real-time communications to improve AI!

In the same spirit of cross-fertilization, some of the robust AI techniques that we develop serve other axes of the IRT Saint Exupery, and increase the added value of the solutions developed for industrials such as  

  • AI to simplify system engineering,
  • AI to diagnose processes with metallic materials,
  • AI to control processes with ceramic matrix composites,
  • AI to classify surface structuring defects,
  • AI to detect and locate electrical arcs in an aircraft electrical network, etc.

The list will grow with your other problems: come to the IRT Saint Exupery, we will build with you the solution that will make you more competitive!

objectifs

our objectives

Smart Technologies

Increase the performance & ubiquity of digital services.
Plan and decide in complex environments.
Invent & deploy certifiable Artificial Intelligence.
METHOD & TOOLS FOR

the development of complex systems

The Methods & Tools for the development of complex systems axis proposes a set of solutions to facilitate the development, optimization and architecture verification of critical systems in a multidisciplinary environment. This activity is divided into three disciplines.

Systems engineering aim to obtain a unified vision of the design of a system, based on heterogeneous data from various languages, methodologies and tools. It exploits digital continuity to deploy a pragmatic solution to improve the consistency of information, whether between different disciplines or in an extended enterprise. Systems engineering must also adapt to the advent of artificial intelligence, both for the systems using it and to take advantage of its benefits to assist systems engineers in their daily work.

The multidisciplinary optimization activity has enabled the development of a new open source python library, GEMS (Generic Engine for MDO Scenarios), designed to automate the creation of easily reconfigurable MDO (Multidisciplinary Design Optimization) processes. It efficiently explores the design space and determines the best solutions to assist designers and architects. GEMS thus fully participates in accelerating the digital transformation of the design and development phases.

This solution is today successfully applied to  

  • The aerodynamic and structural optimization of an aircraft.
  • The treatment of uncertainties for the characterization of composite materials.
  • The optimization of EMC filter design.

It is generic enough to be applied to any other multidisciplinary optimization problem.

The Critical Embedded Systems activity addresses a set of hardware and software solutions to develop real-time critical applications on execution platforms such as multi-core, FPGA or SoC (System on Chip).

We are particularly interested in the modeling of these architectures, languages and tools to facilitate the resolution of interference, parallelization and temporal and spatial segregation problems for the certification or qualification of critical applications and artificial intelligence algorithms on these architectures.

Activities are also carried out on embedded networks and the interconnections of execution platforms of architectures based on these solutions.

objectifs

our objectives

Method & Tools for the Development of Complex Systems

Enable digital and collaborative system engineering.
Develop and transfer robust multidisciplinary optimization.
Design efficient & secure hardware and software architectures.
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