María Vega: “ the assistance and advice of CDTI Innovation has been essential for the growth of ENSA "
In the coming days ENSA sent to italy for his latest delivery of components of the ITER project former child soldiers by this company using the most advanced robotic welding to continue its process of construction in the coming months, taking by destination the casing toroidal of Vacuum Vessel, site in Cadarache (France)
This fact has been a technological challenge for this company, which in recent years has obtained contracts very relevant, some as a leader, both inITER Organisation, executing agency of the project, andMerger for Energy (F4E)the organization of the european union responsible for the contribution of europe to the ITER project.
ITER experiments will be developed in empty container (Vacuum Vessel), a container tightly closed steel that guarantees a high-vacuum environment for the plasma, improves the radiation shield and serves as a barrier of main confinement for radioactivity.
María Vega, director of development of business and Investees ofENSA, ensures that the vast experience and skills learned in these last 50 years has contributed to ENSA is a landmark in the nuclear sector.
What are the biggest challenges that have arisen in the robotic welding of the parts that are now delivered to ITER?
ENSA is working on this project along to the consortium composed of companies, Ansaldo Nucleare Mangiarotti (Westinghouse) and Walter Tosto, who have an excellent contribution to the Iter project with the manufacture of the european vacuum camera. It is they that are members of the sections we provide.
The main challenge that we have confronted has been the generation of new production processes required to work on pieces with an atypical configuration and irregular and significant difficulties of access to many of the work of welding. Moreover, it presents some acceptance criteria very demanding and where, too, we need to maintain an exhaustive control of cleaning up in all stages of the manufacture of bearing in mind that it is a component that it will later be operational in a position to empty.
Bets on innovation
In the early 1970s spain raised the challenge to invest not only in high-quality facilities for the supply of nuclear components but in the development of knowledge in the country, thus allowing a independence in the supply chain in a strategic area for its energy future.
The construction and operation of Nuclear Equipment was awarded to a group of four companies: Sociedad española de Construcciones Babcock Wilcox S.A. (34 per cent), The Land and maritime Engine S.A. (34 per cent), mechanical de la peña S.A. (24 per cent) and Stein et Roubaix Española, S.A. (8 per cent).
A salient valueENSAis gender mainstreaming in I + D + i covering many areas that make up this company. Not only produce new equipment and tools, or develop new methods of manufacture or inspection. Also invest in their own development through innovative technological processes adapted to specific needs of their clients.
To María Vega, all these developments would not be possible without the qualification of a conscious template which work in a sector such as the highest nuclear safety standards and quality.
ENSA has positioned itself in recent years in the field of merger and is a company leader in many of the technologies of high added value of the ITER project. What are the keys to its success?
We are a company with a great deal of experience in the nuclear industry and our maxim is the culture of nuclear safety. This is a value that our clients have come to recognise.
In addition, the passion for innovation and technological development prompts us to deal with new projects which might pose a challenge for us as it is undoubtedly the case of the vase of ITER.
It is essential to align itself with the needs and goals of our clients, especially in a sector as rigorous and exposed to regulate as the nuclear area.
Participate in a project such as ITER calls for a high level of specialization in highly innovative technologies that allow also access other sectors. What benefits ENSA poses to participate in this project?
A project such as ITER encouraging you to dotarte technologically. Since we started working on this project, it is now more than a decade, we have not only our own technology applied to the components but that have been discussed many technological other new avenues have been integrated in both the progress of ITER as in other production processes.
Fusion energy is one of the most promising as a source of energy, sustainable and environmentally-friendly and easily accessible for any country in the future. In this connection, what new projects are planning to participate in the medium term?
The knowledge acquired during the implementation of this project has placed us in a unique position to continue our participation in pilot projects or other related to the merger. It is our intention to continue to use new opportunities within the ITER project and, of course, in other draft Merger DTT, such as Gifts, STEP, SPARC, etc.
From a business perspective, how to participate in a project such as ITER has contributed to the internationalization of ENSA?
ENSA is a company with presence in the international market since the 1980s, which has a strong consolidated reputation after half a century of industrial trajectory. Therefore, we feel at ease in projects such as ITER in which we are together countries of three continents, adding capacities and developing new ones, sure, we will be very useful in the future.
The CDTI innovation is the focal point with the spanish industry on nuclear fusion. In the case of your company What services are provided?
The advice received by theCDTI Innovationthrough its Industrial Liaison Officer (ILO), the proposed merger in which we have participated, was a great value for us at all stages of each projects: since the identification of different opportunities until the completion of projects. Suggest contact with the CDTI Innovation is always our first recommendation when any of our partners indicated their interest in start working on projects. Since ENSA we can only thank CDTI its work to promote innovation and technological development of spanish companies.
Corporate strategy
Currently, this company IS consolidating its phase of expansion into new markets?
Since our beginning we have always been attentive to new markets and, above all, new products, being this a sample of our competitiveness and growth pact. Currently, many countries that have traditionally not been considered to be the basis of nuclear energy are considering very seriously the do so in the short term which is, of course, a new market opportunity for ENSA.
This situation, in addition, cohabits with a huge development of a new offer very innovative technologies which will soon operate based on advanced reactors, small and modular reactors and even micro-reactores, without forgetting fusion reactors such as ITER or, of course, gifts, a project that is in its infancy, and we are sure will bring very interesting opportunities to our area.
What are its main clients in spain and abroad?
We work primarily through the technologists or developers of plants, but also to its operators directly. Equally, we develop services for dismantling and, in the case of spain for a customer as ENRESA.
What is the business strategy for the next few years?
Our main objective is to continue to invest in order to increase our technical capabilities of the talent of our staff. Also it is essential that technologically growth for a greater number of opportunities for the future, both conventional and nuclear reactors in reactors.
Finally, in the field of entrepreneurship, what new challenges arise?
To ensure a supply chain expert, aligned with the culture of nuclear safety, reliable and that it meets the needs of production of such complex equipment for the development of new nuclear power stations, new reactors SMRs, mr. and mrs. AMRS, as well as for the maintenance of the current central is the great challenge facing this sector. At the international level the projected number of reactors is immense and the world needs a major challenge that can withstand the demand expected in the short term.
Therefore, maintain and increase our manufacturing capabilities, the acquired knowledge, and new technological developments will be key to position ourselves, properly, to the great challenge to support the needs of our clients.
CDTIInnovation
The CDTI Innovation is the agency for financing innovation of the ministry of science, innovation and universities that promotes innovation and technological development of spanish companies, channeling requests for funding and support for r & D & I projects of spanish entities at the state and international levels. We Contribute to the improvement of the technological level of spanish companies and drive and, with an international network with coverage of 51 countries support the spanish participation in international programmes for technology cooperation and the international transfer of technology. The CDTI also supports the creation and consolidation of technology-based enterprises in Spain.
The centre for technological development and innovation, E.P.E. (CDTI) is a public entity under the ministry of Science, innovation and universities.
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