Assoc. Prof. Dr Inigo Flores Ituarte | Sustainability in Material Science | Best Researcher Award
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Iñigo Flores Ituarte is a leading expert in digital manufacturing and additive technologies, serving at Tampere University and as an Academy Research Fellow in Finland 🏛️🔬. With a Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from Aalto University, his research focuses on intelligent manufacturing, design digitalization, and sustainable production 🧠⚙️📈. He has authored 50+ high-impact publications, secured €11M+ in research funding, and collaborates globally across academia and industry 🤝🌐. Also a founding member of SelectAM, his work bridges innovation, education, and entrepreneurship in advanced manufacturing systems 💡📊🚀.
Assoc. Prof. Dr Inigo Flores Ituarte, Tampere University, Finland
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Education 🎓
Dr. Iñigo Flores Ituarte holds a Doctor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Aalto University, Finland, with a dissertation on the digitalization of additive manufacturing 🧠⚙️. He also earned an M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Aalto and a B.Sc. from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain 🏗️📐. He is a Docent in Digital Design and Manufacturing at Tampere University and has completed advanced pedagogical training in Finland and Denmark 👨🏫🧩. Fluent in Basque, Spanish, and English, his academic journey blends technical mastery, teaching excellence, and cross-cultural expertise 🌍🧑🔧🗣️.
Experience 🏭
Dr. Iñigo Flores Ituarte has held key academic positions including Associate Professor in Digital Manufacturing at Tampere University and Academy Research Fellow at the Research Council of Finland 🎓🔬. His previous roles span Industry Professor at Tampere, Assistant Professor at Aalborg University, and Guest Associate Professor at DTU 🔧🏛️. His industrial experience includes positions at Nokia (3D printing specialist), Alstom Wind (O&M engineer), and Konecranes (sales engineer) ⚙️📊. He is also the co-founder of SelectAM, a tech spin-off applying AI in supply chain design 🤖📈. His career blends innovation, research, and global industry impact.
Awards and Honours 🏆
In 2023, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Iñigo Flores Ituarte was awarded the Academy Research Fellow (ARF) grant by the Research Council of Finland, one of the nation’s most prestigious and competitive recognitions for early-career researchers 🚀📚. This esteemed funding supports his salary, research team, and project costs, enabling him to lead cutting-edge, high-impact research that drives scientific innovation 🔬💡. Granted to individuals with the potential to become global leaders in their field, the ARF award underscores his rising influence and leadership within the international scientific community 🌍📈. It marks a significant milestone in his academic career.
Research Focus ⚙️
Dr. Iñigo Flores Ituarte’s research focuses on digital manufacturing, additive manufacturing (3D printing), and intelligent design systems 🖨️🔧. He explores the industrialization and scalability of additive technologies, bridging rapid prototyping and full-scale production for sectors like automotive and healthcare 🚗🏥. His work emphasizes technology validation, emissions analysis, and innovation policy, integrating digital twins and AI for smart, sustainable manufacturing ♻️📈. With a strong emphasis on application-based research and industry collaboration, he contributes to advancing next-gen production systems that are efficient, flexible, and digitally integrated across global supply chains 🌍🔄🤖.
Publications 📘
Digital manufacturing applicability of a laser sintered component for automotive industry: a case study 🚗⚙️
Authors: Iñigo Flores Ituarte, Sergei Chekurov, Jukka Tuomi, Julien Etienne Mascolo, Alessandro Zanella, Patrick Springer, Jouni Partanen
Journal: Rapid Prototyping Journal 📰
Additive Manufacturing Validation Methods, Technology Transfer Based on Case Studies 🔍🏭
Authors: Iñigo Flores Ituarte, Niklas Kretzschmar, Sergei Chekurov, Jouni Partanen, Jukka Tuomi
Book Chapter: Additive Manufacturing – Developments in Training and Education 📘
Additive Manufacturing in Finland: Recommendations for a Renewed Innovation Policy 🇫🇮🧩
Authors: Iñigo Flores Ituarte, M. Salmi, R.M. Ballardini, J. Tuomi, J. Partanen
Journal: Physics Procedia 🧪
Characterization of Emissions from a Desktop 3D Printer 🌫️🖨️
Authors: L. Mendes, A. Kangas, K. Kukko, B. Mølgaard, A. Säämänen, T. Kanerva, Iñigo Flores Ituarte, M. Huhtiniemi, H. Stockmann-Juvala, J. Partanen, et al.
Journal: Journal of Industrial Ecology 🌍
The ultrasonic burnishing of cobalt-chrome and stainless steel surface made by additive manufacturing 🔧🔬
Authors: Mika Salmi, Juha Huuki, Iñigo Flores Ituarte
Journal: Progress in Additive Manufacturing 📈
3D printing and applications: Academic research through case studies in Finland 🇫🇮📚
Authors: Iñigo Flores Ituarte, E. Huotilainen, A. Mohite, S. Chekurov, M. Salmi, J. Helle, M. Wang, K. Kukko, R. Björkstrand, J. Tuomi, et al.
Conference: Proceedings of NordDesign, NordDesign 2016 🎤
Challenges to implementing additive manufacturing in globalised production environments 🌐🏗️
Authors: Iñigo Flores Ituarte, Siavash H. Khajavi, Jouni Partanen
Journal: International Journal of Collaborative Enterprise 🤝