SIMULACIONS OPTIQUES SL

Their core work

SIMULACIONS OPTIQUES SL (trading as SNELLOPTICS) is a Spanish SME specialising in optical design, simulation, and the engineering of optical components for manufactured products. Based in Terrassa — a traditional industrial hub near Barcelona — they bring optical expertise into manufacturing consortia, contributing design, modelling, and metrology capabilities rather than mass production. Their work bridges the gap between optical physics and industrial processes: they help manufacturers integrate optical functionality (LEDs, lenses, displays) directly into moulded parts. They have particular depth in freeform optics, microrreplication, and optical inspection for quality control in production environments.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Their first project, Optintegral (2015–2018), had no recorded keywords — suggesting a more generalised or supporting optical design role within a display-manufacturing consortium. Their second project, FLOIM (2018–2022), produced a dense keyword profile covering optoelectronics, freeform optics, microrreplication, mechatronics, OCT, NDT, and optical metrology — a significantly more technically specific footprint. The trajectory is clear: from optical simulation as a background contributor toward becoming a recognised specialist in the full chain of optical manufacturing, from component design through production process to quality inspection.

They are moving deeper into precision optical manufacturing — combining freeform optics, OCT-based inspection, and mechatronics — which positions them well for consortia addressing miniaturised or high-tolerance optical components in medical devices, automotive lighting, and smart manufacturing.

How they like to work

SNELLOPTICS has participated in both projects as a consortium partner, never taking the coordinator role — consistent with a specialist SME that contributes specific technical expertise rather than managing multi-partner programmes. With 20 unique partners across 10 countries over just 2 projects, they operate in mid-to-large consortia rather than small bilateral arrangements. This suggests they are comfortable working in multi-actor RIA and IA projects where their optical design and metrology skills complement manufacturing, electronics, or materials partners.

They have built a network of 20 distinct consortium partners across 10 countries from just two projects — an unusually broad reach for such a small H2020 portfolio, reflecting the large, multi-partner structure of the IA and RIA projects they joined. No clear geographic concentration is visible beyond their Spanish base.

What sets them apart

SNELLOPTICS occupies a rare niche: optical simulation and design expertise embedded inside industrial manufacturing projects. Most optical specialists in EU research come from universities or large optics companies; this SME brings applied, commercially-oriented optical engineering directly into production-focused consortia. For any project that needs to integrate light — whether for sensing, display, illumination, or inspection — into a moulded or fabricated product, they offer a combination of design, process, and metrology know-how that is hard to find in a single small organisation.

Highlights from their portfolio

• FLOIM
  Their largest funded project (€323,312), spanning digital and manufacturing sectors with the richest technical scope — freeform optics, OCT, mechatronics, and NDT — representing the fullest expression of their capabilities.
• Optintegral
  Their first H2020 project, focused on hybrid in-mould integration for advertisement displays, established their presence at the intersection of optical design and industrial manufacturing processes.