Meet FLUPOL

FLUPOL is a Surface Engineering company, specialised in the application of active coatings on the surface of functional parts. The company’s partnership with INESC TEC began in 2010, with activities in the fields of robot programming by demonstration and artificial vision.

We recently had a conversation with José Bandeira, FLUPOL Administrator.

Name: José Bandeira
Organisation: FLUPOL
Business area: Diretor Geral
Position in the company: Engenharia de Superfícies – Revestimentos funcionais
INESC TEC centre with which the company collaborated: Centre for Robotics in Industry and Intelligent Systems (CRIIS)
Project manager (INESC TEC): Rafael Lírio Arrais

What is the connection between FLUPOL and INESC TEC?

FLUPOL’s partnership with INESC TEC – INESC Porto at the time – dates to 2010; we collaborated with António Paulo Moreira’s team in the fields of robot programming by demonstration and artificial vision, within the scope of the SIIARI project. Since then, we have been collaborating regularly – and our latest project was COVR SAFECoating.

What are the main results of this collaboration?

FLUPOL is a company that depends a lot on its highly specialised workforce, namely regarding the consolidation of the industrial processes behind the technologies we develop. The partnership with INESC TEC has been essentially focused on the development of software that allows operators to use robots as work tools, without the need for the intermediation of programming staff.

How do you rate your experience with INESC TEC?

Maybe because of my strong connection to FEUP – first as a student, and then as an assistant -, and despite the fact that I decided to leave my academic career in 1980 to purse my passion for engineering, I always consider this institution as part of my work environment. INESC TEC, due to the excellence in terms of management and employees, has always been the strongest link ever since I started working with this institution – which I deeply admire.

What do you value most in this collaboration?

The expertise and dedication of employees and the excellence of their Board.

What can we expect from FLUPOL in the upcoming years?

The close relationship that we managed to establish with INESC TEC is a key asset to FLUPOL. The growing need for automated complex processes through artificial intelligence, and network management at a global level, seems to indicate a future characterised by a stronger connection between both organisations.