AINIA sought a sustainable alternative to conventional treatments applied to stainless-steel surfaces in fish and poultry processing plants, aiming to avoid aggressive coatings and chemicals while maintaining strict industrial hygiene requirements.

An initial set of micro-structured biomimetic surfaces with easy-cleaning properties and high water-contact angles was developed, followed by comparative analysis to select and optimize the most effective solution. This configuration was then designed in 3D and implemented in a real demonstrator using femtosecond-laser surface ablation in collaboration with an external specialist provider.

The demonstrator validated significant hygiene-efficiency improvements: a 20% reduction in water and detergent consumption for equivalent cleanliness, or a 20% reduction in residual dirt at standard usage levels, according to EN 1276 testing and standard sanitation procedures.