IDEKO, a member of the Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), has reinforced its standing in advanced manufacturing R&D with a notable presence at the 75th General Assembly of the International Academy for Production Engineering (CIRP), held in Turin, Italy, from 23 to 29 August.
The centre took part in this year’s gathering — one of the world’s key meeting points for the manufacturing research community — sending a six-person delegation and presenting five scientific contributions. Given the size of the organisation, this level of participation stands out and points to the depth of IDEKO’s scientific work.
The achievement carries added weight considering CIRP’s rigorous peer-review and selection process, meaning the five accepted papers serve as a clear signal of the scientific quality behind IDEKO’s research.
Wide-ranging scientific expertise
The five contributions from IDEKO illustrate the range of the centre’s scientific work and its focus on pressing issues shaping advanced manufacturing today, from digitalisation to precision and sustainability.
María García-Moreno introduced a new continuous variable-speed grinding strategy designed to cut down lead marks on cylindrical workpieces. By pairing experimental testing with a 3D kinematic model, the study shows this method’s potential to produce no-lead surfaces.
Xavier Beudaert, for his part, discussed developments in an automated system built to streamline continuous sheet-metal cutting through laser manufacturing techniques.
Senior researcher Aitor Madariaga also took part in the keynote delivered by Pedro Arrazola, professor at Mondragon Unibertsitatea. Their joint work offers a detailed look at a persistent machining challenge: part distortion during manufacturing. It explores what drives distortion, how it is currently predicted, measured and reduced, and points to future research directions tied to smart manufacturing.
Robotics for machining was another prominent theme at the conference. Beñat Iñigo presented work aimed at better characterising industrial robot stiffness under external loads. His methodology allows for estimating and validating Tool Centre Point (TCP) deflection while factoring in measurement uncertainty — an important step toward more precise machining operations performed by industrial robots.
Lastly, Markel Sanz shared a study tackling one of the toughest problems in five-axis thin-wall milling: forecasting process stability as workpiece dynamics and tool-workpiece engagement shift. His model brings together multiple simulation tools to flag potential instabilities and refine the process. It has already been tested on an industrial case, cutting down surface errors while keeping manufacturing conditions stable.
Building the next generation of research talent
IDEKO’s role at CIRP 2026 also carries weight from a talent-development standpoint. Three of the five contributions were led by researchers who finished their PhDs at IDEKO in 2025: María García-Moreno, Beñat Iñigo and Markel Sanz.
“Having their work accepted at a scientific forum of CIRP’s standing recognises the effort put into their doctoral research. It also shows IDEKO’s capacity to train new generations of researchers who bring together scientific rigour with a solid grasp of real industrial challenges,” says Jokin Muñoa, Scientific Director at IDEKO, who headed the centre’s delegation in Turin.
This focus on knowledge and people also shows up in IDEKO’s scientific output. In 2025, the centre published 27 papers in indexed journals and maintained 42 active patents. Roughly 30% of the team holds a PhD, and 11 more researchers are currently pursuing theirs.
Beyond the scientific recognition, IDEKO’s participation in CIRP feeds into a wider strategic aim: producing excellent research and converting that knowledge into technology that industry can put to use.
By bringing together top international researchers from across manufacturing disciplines, CIRP gives IDEKO a chance to measure its research against global experts, spot emerging technology trends early and forge new international partnerships.
“For us, taking part in CIRP is a strong indicator of where our research stands scientifically. Presenting five contributions this year shows that the knowledge we’re producing holds up in one of the most demanding scientific settings in our field,” Jokin Muñoa adds.
IDEKO’s ties with the International Academy have deepened over time. The centre is a regular presence at CIRP’s scientific forums and took on a leading role in 2022, hosting the CIRP General Assembly in Bilbao under Jokin Muñoa’s chairmanship.
