This paper explores the relation between creativity, innovation and new product development in multidisciplinary and multisectoral settings. We claim that the development of innovative products benefits from the generation of a high number of creative ideas. Moreover, we argue that the idea generation process can be particularly fruitful within collaborative multidisciplinary environments, where firms and Science and Technology institutions coexist and cooperate. Our approach draws on existing literature to investigate the creativity and idea generation process within the frame of multisectoral and multidisciplinary cooperation initiatives, involving firms and Science and Technology related institutions. We then call upon our own empirical work to identify conditions favourable to those processes and some issues that affect the fulfilment of the creative potential that exists in multidisciplinary groups.

The effect of ion implantation surface treatment in an austenitic stainless steel, AISI 304, with nitrogen and argon ions is presented in this work. The study concerns phase analysis, crystallographic texture, and in depth residual stress profile characterization by X-ray diffraction. In order to determine the residual stress depth profiles, a combination of the conventional X-ray diffraction technique, with several wavelengths radiation, and the pseudograzing incidence X-ray diffraction are used. Experimental data leads to the conclusion that the ion implantation did not create any new phase and did not influence the crystallographic texture observed before the implantation. However, concerning the residual stresses study, the results show that the initial compression residual stress profile observed in the nonimplanted surface samples changes to a tensile residual stress profile after implantation. A very important residual stress gradient is induced in the implanted surfaces and becomes more significant with the increase of ion beam fluence. In this surface layer, the tensile residual stress average value increases with the total fluence of ion beam. Ar ions seem to increase the residual stress profile more than N ions. The diffraction peak width evolution with depth is similar in nonimplanted and in implanted zones for both types of implanted ions. The peak width is much larger in the first micron of the surface layer, decreasing at a greater depth, reaching the corresponding peak value of the recrystallized material (6000-7000 nm).

In this study local texture of process vessels made of carbon steel cladded by protective layers of stainless steel by submerged arc welding (SAW) were investigated by neutron diffraction using the diffractometer STRESSSPEC at FRM 2 (Garching, Germany). Different samples were prepared: as welded and as welded plus relevant industrial heat treatment. Local texture measurements with a gauge volume of 3 x 3 x 2 mm3 of the three cladding layers (at depths of 2 mm, 5 mm and 7.5 mm) for each sample were determined. Texture results indicated that there exists an annealed cube component in all the studied samples. Based on the measured pole figures at each depth and sample, the calculated orientation distribution functions data were used to calculate the Young's modulus with respect to the main welding directions. The calculated local and bulk anisotropic Young’s modulus in depth is presented and discussed.

No abstract