Capgemini (Paris, France) announced the launch of a research collaboration with The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) focused on building new methodologies and tools to discover material surface properties. Investigators seek to meet increased needs for sustainable manufacturing and accelerate the time to market of new materials.
Capgemini with work with UC Berkeley’s ecosystem to develop innovative technologies, thought leadership, and assets to help future proof engineering services. These joint efforts are designed to harness the power of technology and enhance capabilities in Intelligent Industry, a new era of digital transformation characterized by a growing convergence of the physical and virtual worlds across all industries.
For this project focused on “Laser Processing for Accelerated Optical Materials Discovery,” experts at Capgemini will join forces with a team of advanced researchers supervised by Vassilla Zorba, a professor in the department of mechanical engineering at UC Berkeley. Among the experts representing the company is Ramon Antelo, chief technology officer for manufacturing and industrial operations at Capgemini Engineering. This collaboration will leverage advances in AI, nanomaterials, and laser technologies to create a set of methodologies, tools, and labs that reduce the time to market of new materials.
Among different advanced material fabrication technologies, ultrafast laser processing plays a central role in creating unique material properties, with cross-cutting applications such as energy harvesting, antibacterial and water-repellent surfaces, anti-corrosion, robust materials under extreme conditions, and nuclear security missions.
“Removing human intuition and intervention from the materials discovery process has been a long-standing challenge in the goal of accelerating the rate at which novel materials are found,” says Zorba. “Engineering capabilities such as state-of-the-art ultrafast laser technologies, automation, and the advent of machine learning are now bringing us a step closer to this goal. We are very excited to work with Capgemini and use these capabilities to screen thousands of materials and surface topologies in a high-throughput rate, in order to develop materials that lend themselves to cross-cutting energy applications.”
“Accelerating the use of sustainable manufacturing is crucial to help meet sustainability goals. Improving the performance of material is one of the key elements for this to happen,” says William Rozé, CEO of Capgemini Engineering and group executive board member. “We are extremely proud to launch a new collaboration program with UC Berkeley to tackle this important challenge within Intelligent Industry. Innovation is at the core of our DNA, and this new program will further nurture our research program strategy.”
Source: Capgemini, www.capgemini.com.