Congress confirms the strength of the Spanish science in this area despite the industry and Governments

With more than 400 works for 511 communications of 25 fields of action (see list in box) in multitude of parallel sessions and the participation of 65 universities, 8 technology centres, six foundations and 30 companies, was held at the consortium of Cádiz, during the 10th to the 14th of December, the 15th National Congress of mechanical engineering.

Record of attendees at this Congress, in number of 400 people. The Organization of the event fell on the Department of mechanical engineering and Industrial design from the University of Cadiz, with headquarters in the Superior School of engineering of Cádiz, which next year celebrates its centenary. The number, diversity and quality of communications was a sample of the strength of mechanical in Spain science and technology. It would be difficult to find a Spanish engineering school that has not made any contribution in this edition.

None of the previous congresses the manufacturing area had so many contributions, in number and quality of work. With 51 papers, it was the area with greatest number of contributions, still few Spanish organizations - especially schools of engineering-which have not been involved in this area. Also the area of heat engines, with 40 papers, highlighted by their numerical importance. Vicente Diaz, Executive President of the Spanish Association of mechanical engineering (AEIM), has the incidence of the Cádiz school at this point. Apart from the communications sessions, the Congress featured parallel meetings of experts in specific areas, such as precisely the case of engines.

But these figures are relevant in absolute value, while "other areas, such as non-polluting production, process optimisation, analysis of failures, non-metallic structures and optimized design have experienced a significant growth with respect to previous editions-" notes Miguel Pastor, director of the school of engineering of Cádiz and President of the Organizing Committee. In addition, although are still few in number, has seen the launch of new fields in Spain, as the biomechanics. It also stresses the scientific contribution of base development - and implementation - of the law on prevention of occupational risks, in particular with regard to the work on acoustic boards.

None of the previous congresses the manufacturing area had so many contributions, in number and quality of work

"It isn't possible to highlight a particular job" - responds Mariano Marcos, Coordinator of the Congress, to the requirement of this wording. "There are interesting works, but the remarkable is the work of the whole, a great collective work of enormous quality."

"And this in spite of the fragmentation of research groups in Spain, of four people on average" qualifies Emilio Bautista, founder and Honorary Chairman of the AEIM who stands out from the presentations that had knowledge, the theory of the interaction rueda-vehículo in the high speed train provided by Talgo patents, the work in Biomechanics "and everything related to teaching in mechanical engineering, authentic international level".

This has been the first occasion in which a CNIM edits a volume with the content of the Congress. Although it can be well assumed that 511 communications require several volumes, the Organization has chosen to publish a book with summaries, at a rate of one per page, and complement the information with a CD-ROM which can be found the partially developed content with some of the plenary lectures. These were set out by the guest star, namely: Net-Shape Forging Production (T.A. Dean, University of Birmingham); Noise, Vibration and Harshness (Vhn) in Automotive Engineering (Prof. Dr-ing.) Manfred Thesenvitz, Fachhochschule Frankfurt am Main) and reflections on emerging areas in mechanical engineering (Emilio Baptist peace, Faculty of engineering-UPM).

"Is still working on the earliest invention of history: the wheel, which is still not perfect" (Mariano Marcos, Coordinator of the Congress)

True ignorance ensures often, from the industrial environment, this type of Conference to contribute very little to the company, in these research projects be inapplicable.

Vicente Díaz: "mechanical engineering, not for being one of the science - and not technology - oldest, has or less interest or less important." Mechanical engineering has always given stability to the industry, while others suffer highs and lows. And it is making its way to its around new technologies. Also have the luck that what we are investigating, the day following it can manufacture and sell. "With the chemistry think so, but not many other sciences".

The mechanism of crank is already very studied. But Mariano Marcos recalls that "is still working on the earliest invention of history: the wheel, which is still not perfect and, according to which applies, must be further study."

The Spanish Association of mechanical engineering brings together Spanish research

Now 18 years ago, Emilio Bautista founded the Spanish Association of mechanical engineering (AEIM). Later, the Ibero-American Federation of mechanical engineering hosted hispano-lusas partnerships - and encouraged, as in the case of Chile, the creation of non-existent profession organizations. The AEIM emerged from the National Committee of the International Federation of theory of machines and mechanisms (IFTOM: International Federation of Theory of Machines and Mechanisms), the President of the Spanish Committee was Justo Nieto, followed by the own Baptist Emilio.

Its maximum expression, the National Congress, was originally celebrated every year. However, the establishment of the Federation, it became bi-annual to alternate with the Congress International, also created. The latter split Alternatively, its existence, between the periecuatorial area (from the Caribbean to Colombia) and the cone South, with the Iberian Peninsula as a third player. The next Ibero-American Congress be held in Coimbra, after the previous edition in Venezuela.

Seeks to also - says Emilio Bautista, founder and currently Honorary President - conferences to involve "a boost to the centres which, for some reason, deserve and it comes well visualized". In the case of Cádiz, it coincides with the centenary. Mariano Marcos, responsible for the Engineering Department of manufacturing and design of the University of Cádiz, has been on this occasion the soul and main promoter. As often happens in these cases, it has gone most of the organizational effort - hardly imaginable for who does not know the complications associated with an event of this type.

The AEIM consists primarily of academics - at both high school and colleges and technology centers - not only schools of industrial engineering, which are which centralized the discipline - but also others (aeronautical, naval), currently in number of about 200. They may seem few, but they are the vast majority of Spanish researchers.

The presence of companies is, for the time being, testimonial. As Congress and the magazine of the AEIM two activities which focuses the AEIM, and given the little devotion of the company by the publications, seems understandable - even if it is undesirable - so be. The AEIM is not a professional association of Defense of corporate interests: is an organization of a scientific nature.

The Ibero-American Journal of engineering mechanics, for its part, has a six-monthly basis, and seeks the maximum level to nurturing the best contributions of two separate congresses. Published in Spanish and in Portuguese. Another notable activity of the Association are the meetings of teachers, which are produced with a usually annual frequency.

In addition to be federated to the IFTOM, has partnerships with various agencies, such as for example ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials)

The AEIM website: http://www.infonegocio.com/aeim/

As the industrial item, naval and aeronautical Cadiz Andalusia

The evolution of engineering in the autonomous community of Andalusia has taken important steps in recent years. There is no province without a school of engineering - always industrial, although according to the provinces just specializing in branch more with more present industry: chemical, mines... "But there are mechanics in all" - recalls Mariano Marcos. Regarding the University schools - before experts or technical engineers - there are more than one per province. In the province of Cádiz specialising in mechanics at its higher level courses in Algeciras. The only higher specialty (second degree) of the Superior School of engineering of Cádiz city is the Industrial Organization (for now).

At least in Western Andalusia, the involvement of the companies is beginning to grow. Cádiz, province very depressed until only very recently, is now home to Izar (formerly Spanish shipyards) in the shipbuilding industry, and with two floors of Airbus and EADS (previously Construcciones Aeronáuticas), whose subcontractors are organized into various consortia. As an example, the Department of metrology of the University of Cádiz already not only performs tasks "daily" (calibration, etc) but it has with various research projects commissioned by the aviation industry.