Helena Geirinhas Ramos is currently professor of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (DEEC), a researcher at the Instituto de Telecomunicações (IT), and the coordinator of the project RollerPredict – New Paradigm for Tube Bending. In an interview with DEEC, she shared a bit of her journey in the various areas in which she has been conducting research, including instrumentation and measurements and non-destructive testing techniques.

Starting with her most recent project, RollerPredict focuses on the use of non-destructive testing techniques and the application of signal processing algorithms to locate welds. Non-destructive testing (NDT) is a technique used to inspect, evaluate, and analyze the physical properties of materials or structures without causing damage or permanent alterations to the tested object. In this project, the goal is to enhance the performance of machines that bend steel or aluminum alloy tubes, designed and manufactured in Portugal, by integrating a system capable of locating the welds on the tubes. These tubes are used in various industrial sectors, from bumper production to the construction of infrastructures like pipelines.

Non-destructive tests (NDT) are critical in sectors such as aerospace, power plants, and oil, gas, and pipelines, where the safety, reliability, and integrity of materials and structures are crucial, and where failures can result in serious accidents, financial losses, or environmental damage.

Helena Ramos, professor of DEEC and coordinator of RollerPredict

In this project, researchers locate the weld line on the tubes, which is the weakest part of the tube, so that the tube can be placed in the machine in such a way that the weld is in the non-pressured area during the bending process. In this regard, the researchers aim to produce a system to be installed on tube-bending machines, capable not only of locating these weld lines but also feeding the machine with the tube positioned most efficiently for the bending process.

Modules are currently being developed to detect alterations in the electromagnetic field caused by the welding operation. But how are the tests carried out? Helena Geirinhas Ramos explains that the modules will be equipped with coil systems that generate a magnetic field, which induces electrical currents inside the tubes. When there is a weld line or defect in the tube, its conductivity is altered, which modifies the distribution of the electrical currents. This variation is measured and can be visualized through the system that will be developed. Then, the module processes the results and indicates to the machine the best position for the tube to enter the machine for bending.

Helena Ramos emphasizes that this work will add unique capabilities to the machines, which not only represents an advantage for the national industry, contributing to the growth of the economy, but also brings benefits to students and researchers working in her group due to the strong connection with academia.

In terms of research and academia, the advantages are also very important because [this project] gives students an experience and a connection with the industry, which opens their eyes to a new perspective.

Helena Ramos, professor of DEEC and coordinator of RollerPredict

The research carried out in RollerPredict is planned in 4 phases. After selecting the method, the researchers are studying which type of sensor would be most suitable for measuring variations in the electromagnetic field. They will then build the first demonstrator, optimize the system architecture, and perform some validation tests. In the final phase, the system will be adapted to the machine, and the signal processing and tube positioning control software will also be implemented.

However, non-destructive testing is not the only area in which the researcher stands out. After specializing in energy and having also attended courses related to microcomputers and electronics during her undergraduate studies in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Helena Geirinhas Ramos completed her PhD with a hysteresis model for simulating the behavior of transformers, including a significant experimental component to validate the model, gaining knowledge in various areas along the way. "The measurements were made with an automatic measurement system, which was very innovative at that time," she notes. She later focused on instrumentation and measurement in a project aimed at controlling water pollution.

I focused on measurements to establish environmental quality, more specifically in a project to assess water quality in the Tagus River estuary.

Helena Ramos, professor of DEEC and coordinator of RollerPredict

In this project, sensors measured water quality through parameters such as conductivity, pH, turbidity, temperature, and the percentages of cadmium and lead. The system detected alterations in values, which indicated when researchers needed to collect a water sample for analysis to determine what was causing the pollution.

In addition to research in engineering, Helena Ramos also developed statistical studies on gender equality at Técnico and founded the group Gender Balance@Técnico: "It was an issue I considered very relevant after being on the Scientific Council of Instituto Superior Técnico for 10 years, and one in which I could contribute to making life easier for women at IST," she says. She highlights that this group emerged because statistical data revealed a disparity in career progression between men and women, with a tendency for men to occupy leadership positions. In addition to the statistical study, Gender Balance@Técnico aims to promote well-being at Técnico and encourage young women to join Técnico and pursue research in different engineering fields.

It is necessary to show younger people the benefits they can gain from engineering.

Helena Ramos, professor of DEEC and coordinator of RollerPredict

Over the years, initiatives such as the Maria de Lourdes Pintassilgo Award and the Engineers for a Day project have been implemented. This year, it included the participation of Zita Martins, Constança Simões, and Rita Santos in answering questions from children between the ages of 3 and 6. In this way, Helena Geirinhas Ramos emphasizes not only the importance of diversity and the contribution of different perspectives in research teams but also the need to motivate younger children to develop an interest in engineering. These initiatives aim to combat gender stereotypes as early as possible, introducing specialists who actively contribute to innovation and improving living conditions in society and showing that engineering is also a tool that can be applied to social problems.