Professor Iñigo Flores Ituarte: “I am inspired by problems that sit between disciplines”

What are your main research interests?

My research focuses on digital design and manufacturing, particularly on how engineering design, materials, manufacturing processes, simulation, sustainability and artificial intelligence (AI) can be integrated into connected design-to-manufacturing workflows.

A central theme of my research is integrated product and process design. Product design and manufacturing process design are still too often treated as separate activities, even though they strongly influence each other. A change in product geometry can affect manufacturability, process parameters, material behaviour, product quality, cost and environmental impact. Conversely, manufacturing capabilities should be taken into account from the earliest stages of product design.

My research aims to bring these different dimensions together. Advances in AI and computing power are creating new opportunities to integrate engineering, scientific and sustainability considerations throughout the design-to-manufacturing process rather than addressing them as separate issues.

What makes your research significant?

Engineers today have access to powerful tools for design, simulation, optimisation, manufacturing and data analysis. However, these tools often operate in isolation, leaving engineers to act as the connecting layer between them.

My research seeks to better integrate product, process and material decisions so that performance, manufacturability, quality, cost and sustainability can be considered together. The goal is not simply to design a product that performs as intended, but to understand from the outset how it can be manufactured and what its broader impacts will be.

This is particularly important from a sustainability perspective. Decisions made during the early stages of product development often have a profound influence on the final outcome. Instead of assessing environmental impacts only after key design decisions have been made, I am interested in a sustainability-by-design approach, in which environmental impact and circularity are treated as core engineering criteria from the outset.

In practice, this means designing products with multiple life cycles in mind and considering opportunities for repair, reuse, refurbishment and remanufacturing before recycling becomes necessary.

Where do you draw inspiration for your work as a professor?

I am often inspired by problems that lie at the intersections of disciplines: between product design and manufacturing, materials and processes, physical models and data, and increasingly between engineering, AI, sustainability and circularity.

I also draw inspiration from collaborating with students, researchers and companies. Industrial challenges frequently reveal broader scientific questions, and some of the most rewarding research addresses both practical and fundamental problems at the same time.

As a professor, I am motivated not only by research but also by helping people develop. Building a strong research team and supporting doctoral researchers as they grow into independent experts is an important and rewarding aspect of the role.

What would you want to research next and why?

One area I would like to advance further is the development of AI systems that can genuinely reason and act within engineering workflows while treating sustainability and circularity as core objectives.

I am especially interested in integrating large language models and multimodal models into engineering tools, such as CAD software, simulation and optimisation tools, manufacturing process models and lifecycle assessment methods. AI could help to explore alternative solutions, coordinate workflows and navigate increasingly complex design spaces, while engineering models provide the scientific and technical validation needed to ensure that the proposed solutions actually work.

Another area that interests me is extending engineering beyond the first manufacturing cycle of a product. Future engineering systems should support decisions on whether components should be reused, repaired, refurbished, remanufactured or recycled based on their condition and usage history.

Ultimately, I would like to contribute to the development of integrated engineering systems that combine AI, sustainability-by-design and circular manufacturing principles throughout the entire product lifecycle.

What do you do in your free time?

Outside work, I spend a great deal of time with my two sons. I enjoy travelling with them and introducing them to different countries, cultures and ways of life.

Sport is also an important counterbalance to academic work. I enjoy playing tennis and padel, as well as spending time with my wife, family and friends. These activities help me to disconnect from work and maintain a healthy balance in everyday life.