Accelerate Advanced Composite Manufacturing

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Adressed challenge. Multimaterials (Composites) were mainly developed in the past for the Aeronautic sector because of combined lightweight and exceptional mechanical properties. The technical progress made in in material design and advanced manufacturing processes (Industry. 4.0) opens the way for their use in many other sectors. For SMEs targeting innovative and competitive products, the use of composites is an opportunity to innovate. Applications can be found in various industrial sectors as in automotive, transport, machine building and construction. However, implementing a disruptive technology by introducing advanced manufacturing techniques in SME's is mostly of high risk for them. Acquiring knowledge in advanced material and process technologies, realizing demonstrators and testing them are essential steps to be evaluated before deciding investments in new production lines. Prospecting advanced manufacturing, needs skilled and experienced human resources not ever available in SMEs. On the other hand, in the EMR regions, multiple technologic platforms exist in universities and research centers but (1) their visibility for SMEs across the borders is limited, (2) their expertise and their technology offer is not obvious and (3) their interactivity with companies needs to be accelerated. The AACoMa project addresses the acceleration of advanced manufacturing of composite materials by making the demonstration of advanced composite manufacturing in close interactivity with companies. New Materials and advanced process technologies like additive manufacturing, robotics, virtual engineering, virtual reality and artificial intelligence will be addressed to prove the feasibility of enhancing materials, manufacturing quality and productivity. The project will be supported by a partnership of universities and research centers from EMR regions, namely, Centexbel(B), Sirris(B), University of Liège(B), Flanders Make(B), Aachen-Maastricht Institute (NL), Fontys University (NL) and AMAC (Advanced Materials Advisory&Consultancy;) (D). These partners will join their existing technology platforms and knowledge to address manufacturing SMEs in EMR (TRL 5-6). Main activitiesCommunication activities will be set in place by the project partners to address managers of manufacturing SMEs by roadshows and training workshop to sensitize them to the thematic of advanced manufacturing of composites and for analyzing specific needs in various sectors.Co-creation activities will be organized in an advisory committee composed of companies members for discussing technical challenges and defining demonstrators.Making the proof of concepts by the demonstration of selected advanced manufacturing scenarios for typical applications followed by a dissemination of the results (TRL 5-6).Evaluation of learned lessons for future technology roadmaps and initiating follow up projects to push implementations of advanced technologies in SME from EMR with durable effects:Cost-effective materials and semi-finished products for selected applications (automotive, machine building, construction, etc.) are being developed.A network is built up along the entire value chain with companies and institutes recorded in a databaseThe border area EMR will be built up as a hot spot for new compositesAttended results. Proof of concepts made by ‘generic’ scenarios and demonstrated in showpieces will finally be presented to OEMs, major Tier1-suppliers and other important players inside and outside of EMR. During the project a databased will be established containing comprehensive information and data about the competences and companies on composites being available in EMR. This database will be kept updated and maintained even beyond AACoMa-project. Finally it is targeted to gain 15 new initiated projects as outcome from AACoMa that will be conducted by companies after the project end outside AACoMa-funding. Added Value. Increasing the competitiveness of manufacturing companies in EMR by accelerating the implementation of advanced technologies for multimaterial products in SMEs in the next 5 years. Cooperation between research partners from EMR to push innovation in advanced multimaterial manufacturing and to increase their knowledge. Thanks to the networks and links between research partners and EMR companies established during the project, fast and seamless technology transfer channels will provide these edge technologies in a fast track into the companies for industrialization. The project was welcomed by the contacted organizations AGORIA(B), LIOF (NL), AVK (D), BOM(NL), SIM (B) and Composite.nl. Some of them will be associated partners.

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