ELCA Working group 4

WORKING GROUP 4 – Manufacturing  

Working Group scope

Despite the breakthroughs that can be achieved at the early stages of research, in many cases, the manufacturing stage is the bottleneck of promising lightweight multi-material solutions.

Advanced composites have been used in aerospace and high-performance vehicle applications for several decades now since their high costs have not been a limitation in these sectors. The challenge is to widen their use to other sectors such as the automotive. Working Group 4 develops lower-cost, higher-speed, and more efficient production and recycling processes to shape the future of manufacturing. Here, they are not only focusing on advanced technologies and Industry 4.0 applications but on conventional manufacturing processes, as well, in order to have an immediate impact on current production systems.

By facilitating the automation of manufacturing processes, WG 4 brings advanced composites and multi-material solutions down the cost curve which enables their use for a broader range of products including lightweight vehicles with record-breaking fuel economy.

Working Group Leaders

Mª Eugenia Rodríguez Eurecat

Pedro Mimoso PIEP

Highlights

Partners Involved

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Metals and Ceramics

Plastics and Composites

View our other working groups

Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)

Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) has a main profile in science and technology. Headquarters in Trondheim with campuses in Gjøvik and Ålesund. The Department of Manufacturing and Civil Engineering in Gjøvik develops innovative and sustainable solutions for society. We research modern and sustainable industrial processes, construction processes, design, renewable materials and technologies.

University of Northumbria at Newcastle (UNN), UK

The UNN is a research-rich, business-focused, professional university with a global reputation for academic excellence. We conduct ground-breaking research that is responsive to the science & technology, health & wellbeing, economic & social and arts & cultural needs of the communities. Lined to ELCA’s themes, the main areas of research include the following aspects:

Graphene Related Materials (GRM) and their Composites
Development and Processes
Smart and Multifunctional Materials Development and Design
Functional Thin Films and Coatings
Lightweight Design and Analysis
Design, Modelling, Simulation and Manufacturing
Vehicle Crashworthiness and Occupant Protection
Energy Conversion and Storage Systems Fabrication and
Characterisation
3D Printing, Rapid and Additive Manufacturing
Circular Economy and Life Cycle Analysis

Bay Zoltán Network

The Bay Zoltan Network currently has 5 members, the entities mentioned i (BZN, KTI, ÉMI, ZalaZone and Neumann Technology Platform). All are owned by the government and have a research infrastructure and portfolio that could be useful for the SMEs as well.

To explain briefly: most SMEs, in case they wish to make improvements to their existing products/services or would like to bring something new to the market, do not have the financial resources available to build and maintain their own research infrastructure. Therefore, more often than not, they end up not innovating at all, thus hindering not only their own competitiveness but consequently Hungary’s as well. In these cases, they can come to any member of the Network and get help with their R&D projects, as the Network members already have the research infrastructure and know-how in place.

Clust-ER MECH

Clust-ER MECH, the Mechatronics and Motor Industry Clust-ER for Emilia-Romagna, unites over 140 members from both public and private sectors, including companies, research centers, and training institutions, pooling their expertise and resources to enhance the competitiveness of the sector.

Emilia-Romagna, known for its automotive and manufacturing excellence, has recognized the Clust-ERs as catalysts for collaborative innovation. By focusing on research and development, these clusters drive forward new ideas and technologies. Members, including businesses and R&D labs, actively contribute to this collaborative environment, fostering innovation discussions and initiatives.

Working alongside Technopoles and High Technology Network laboratories, Clust-ERs are key players in Emilia-Romagna’s innovation ecosystem. They play a vital role in the region’s innovation and technology transfer efforts coordinated by ART-ER, the Emilia-Romagna consortium for innovation and technology transfer.

The Saxony Automotive Supplier Network (AMZ)

The Automotive Supplier Network Saxony (AMZ) was founded in 1999 with the aim of centralising and coordinating the innovation activities of automotive suppliers in Saxony. Formed by a staff of experienced engineers, the AMZ has realised more than 300 projects, over 315 presentations to OEMs/Tier1s and 70 supplier workshops on different topics, including lightweight construction, electric mobility, battery technology, and automatisation. Its network is comprised of more than 140 members, including R&D, suppliers, mechanical engineering & production equipment, and industrial services

Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Pécs-Baranya (CCIPB)

The South West Hungarian Engineering Cluster (SWHEC) & The Construction Technology Cluster (CTC)

The South West Hungarian Engineering Cluster (SWHEC) is the defining engineering organisation in the region. Currently, it has 31 Members, the combined price revenue of
Cluster Members is approximately 300 Million EUR and they have over 5000 employees.

The SWHEC has by today won the title of Accredited Cluster, and has earned the international ESCA “Bronze Label” qualification.

The Cluster has been collaborating for over 8 years for the achievement of collectively determined goals, i.e.:
 Market-based collaboration
 To strengthen the cluster internal market, common capacity utilisation
 To establish and operate a platform for experience and information exchange
 To dynamise the innovative activity, to develop common products
 To develop vocational training courses for mechanical engineering
 To establish professional relationship with other industrial branches and clusters
 Joint procurement of energy, services and materials
 Common domestic and international presence and representation
 To establish common, powerful lobby activity

The activities of Cluster Members include metal processing and production, machine and mechanical equipment manufacturing, installation and maintenance of complete technological systems, industrial automation and control technologies, vehicle superstructure manufacturing and training, research and development.

The Construction Technology Cluster (CTC) was founded on 21 March 2018 under the umbrella of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Pécs-Baranya (CCIPB): 15 general construction companies declared their intention to form cluster cooperation. The purpose has been ever since to help construction
companies actively participate in the region to demonstrate competitive and high-quality services that are flexible and able to adapt to changing market demands.
The outstanding qualification of CTC member companies and their active participation in vocational
training is exemplary.
By 2021 the number of cluster members increased to 18. The combined sales revenue of the members exceeds EUR 54million, and their teams have more than 700 employees. The further aim of the Cluster is to provide full service to the investors.
The members of the Cluster also perform general-level tasks individually as well, but under a joint contract, they can work on large projects. CTC’s services range from project preparation through design to full-scale general construction.

The aims of the cluster:
• Market cooperation
• Development of vocational training
• Cooperation with other clusters
• Development of innovation activity
• Search for financial resources.

POLYMERIS

POLYMERIS, which brings together the skills, experience and resources of Elastopôle and Plastipolis, is the only competitive cluster dedicated to Rubbers, Plastics and Composites. The main missions of POLYMERIS are to foster more innovation and to encourage the emergence of new R&D projects; to promote innovation in the service of Rubbers, Plastics and Composites; and to open up business development to other industrial sectors and to the international cooperation. POLYMERIS becomes a reference in matters of Rubbers, Plastics & Composites Innovation on the territory, with the aim to allow France, its regions and companies to achieve excellence in the technologies and application areas of tomorrow while being part of a stronger European ambition

LIGHTer

LIGHTer is a leading multi-sectorial lightweight arena, that effectively creates competitiveness on behalf of Swedish industry. The cluster started in 2013 and it gathers 73 members, 65 funded technical projects, 10 academic partners and around 40 PhD students. LIGHTer intends to create a structure for the efficiency of technology development and development of people with unique, multi-disciplinary capability to create products with low weight. LIGHTer will also provide an international top level (excellence) in selected areas giving the industry conditions for competitiveness. LIGHTer coordinates activities in research, development, technology and competence development in Sweden as the hub of Swedish lightweight technology.

LIT Factory (University of Linz)

The Linz Institute of Technology Factory (LIT Factory) was established in 2017 at the Johannes Kepler University (JKU). The LIT factory is a member of the Austrian Advanced Lightweight Design Plattform and focuses on three main goals: digitalised processing, lightweight design and recycling of thermoplastic composites. The Factory has sound experience in the processing of thermoplastic polymers and polymer composites, digitisation of polymer processing, design and dimensioning of components, and component testing.

The main R&D capabilities and interests include the following topics:

Continuous and discontinuous processing of all-kind of thermoplastics polymers and polymer composites
Process development for tape laying processes combined with other processing methods
Tooling and machine development
Descriptive and predictive process and component simulations
Digitalisation of all process steps and the entire product development within a product life cycle management system
Recycling of multilayer, multimaterial composites

IMAST

IMAST is the Italian technological district for the engineering of polymeric and composite materials and structures. IMAST facilitates a stable cooperative system between the Italian research institutions and the most important industrial companies for the development and dissemination of advanced technologies. Acting as an intermediate cluster organisation in innovation processes and fostering links between scientific research and national small, medium and large enterprises, IMAST designs and develops connections between these two worlds, emphasising its mission of territorial animation, fostering partnerships, providing resources and skills, with the aim of orienting and qualifying the trajectory of technological development.

The Jožef Stefan Institute

The Jožef Stefan Institute is the leading Slovenian scientific research institute, covering a broad spectrum of basic and applied research. The subjects concern production and control technologies, communication and computer technologies, knowledge technologies, biotechnologies, new materials, environmental technologies, nanotechnologies, and nuclear engineering. The Advanced Materials Department is involved in basic and applied research in the field of the synthesis and characterisation of advanced materials and also participates in the education process. In the lightweight domain, the department’s research activities include the development of ceramic- and bio-based materials for electronic devices with new or improved properties and research on nanostructured materials with the processes for their preparation. It is worth pointing out the department’s many international collaborations and its extensive cooperation with domestic and foreign industrial partners.

PIEP

The Centre for Innovation in Polymer Engineering (PIEP) is a private non-profit association, of a technological and scientific matrix, with a business management model.
With over 20 years of activity, PIEP provides an excellent response in the delivery of products and services, oriented to the R&D+i needs of companies in the plastics and related sectors, through innovation activities, technology transfer, technical-scientific consultancy, and service provision.
PIEP acts in terms of the provision of testing services and failure diagnoses, development of new materials and products, processing technologies, and productive tools, based on the promotion of the principles of sustainable development (Circular Economy and Environment).

Flanders Make

Flanders Make is a strategic research center for the manufacturing industry whose aim is to stimulate open innovation through four competence clusters: decision & control, design & optimisation, flexible assembly, and motion products. To each of these competence clusters, a number of core labs have been assigned that perform concrete research. By bringing together companies and research institutions, FM contribute to the technological development of vehicles, machines and factories of the future.

Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST)

Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) is a research and technology organisation with a budget over EUR 60 million, 592 employees from 36 different nationalities, about 80 PhD students, with a 2017 outcome of 150 scientific peer reviewed articles, 26 patents and 1 spin-off company. LIST aims at transferring scientific knowledge to the market by supporting industry innovation. Three main fields of technological expertise are developed within 3 departments:

Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN)
Materials Research and Technology (MRT)
IT for Innovative Services (ITIS)

The MRT department covers the areas of nanomaterials and nanotechnology as well as composite materials. The department counts on more than 30 ongoing industrial partnerships, thanks to a highly qualified staff of 170 persons. The institute actively participates in the National Composite Initiative that aims to leverage and federate the national industry in composites in order to set-up research infrastructure and competences in the field of composite materials in Luxembourg. It focuses on RDI activities through collaborative research, knowledge and technology transfer. The composite platform hosted by LIST covers the fields of polymer processing, structural composites, characterisation, and 3D printing.

Cluster MAV

The Advanced Materials Cluster of Catalonia is formed by 55 members that together include almost 52891 employees. The cluster covers four areas of interest: Lightweight Structures & Materials, Nanomaterials, Additive Manufacturing and Circular Economy. The members (SMEs, large companies and RTOs) cover the entire value chain of advanced materials, from raw materials, suppliers, manufacturers, designers & engineers to distributors and recycling activities.

ThermoPlastic composites Application Centre

ThermoPlastic composites Application Center, is led by Dr. F.W.J. van Hattum, with 10 experienced employees in composites, over 30 students working in the laboratories and with a network of more than 70 SMEs. The main fields of research and innovation include the following aspects:

Processing: insert reinforcements, compression moulding, and injection moulding.
Automation: cost efficient tape placement and integrated production lines.
Recycling: TPC recycling, and polymer recycling with TPC.

Autoklastr

The Morevian-Silesian Automotive Cluster (Autoklastr) was founded in 2006 and it includes 77 members in which suppliers (Tier 1- 3), Large Enterprise, and RTOs related to the whole automotive’s supply chain are included. The main focus of the cluster is to foster the cooperation of the following aspects:

Development of human resources by facilitating the training and development of competences through a centrum of experts and cooperation with educational organizations.
Business relationships by creating supplier-customer chains.
Research and development activities by testing components and supporting innovations

Bydgoszcz Industrial Cluster Tool Valley

Poland’s key national cluster with over 10 years of activity. It gathers 80 companies (mainly SMEs) with more than 6k employees, sales revenue about 500 million EUR and 4 R&D institutions. The cluster has a sound experience in technical projects, education, promotion (trade fairs and missions), R&D, and international cooperation. The main areas of interest are listed as follows:

Injection molding processing research (priamus system for injection molding process control and monitoring)
Designing the injection molds for plastics processing
Manufacturing of lightweight molded parts (injection molding)
Injection molding simulations by Cadmould software
Mechanical recycling of thermoplastics and rubber
Designing and manufacturing multistructure parts as fusion of 3D printing and injection molding.

The main activities of the cluster are tools, polymer processing and mechanical recycling in different type of sectors (e.g. automotive, household goods, package, medical, etc.)

MERGE Cluster of Excellence:

It is Germany’s first and only Federal Cluster of Excellence in the field of lightweight structures that incudes top class lightweight research facilities and pilot lines. The cluster gathers more than 20 research institutes, 8 facilities, and around 100 researchers and cluster management staff. The cluster is involved in several international activities in Europe and Asia for research & development, technology transfer, and innovation management of new materials and additive manufacturing, with a special emphasis in the following:

Plastics technologies and machine design
Fluid lightweight systems
Calculations, simulations and design
Textile plastics composites
Active materials and composite structures
Lightweight in civil engineering
Extrusion technologies and recycling
Polymer and interface chemistry
Biopolymers and natural fiber composites
Developing consortia and applications in H2020

Fraunhofer

The Fraunhofer Lightweight Design Alliance gathers 18 institutes that can provide support in material and product design, mass production of components and structural systems, certification and operational use as well as education and training programs through the “Fraunhofer Composite Engineer”.

The main areas of research include the following aspects:

New Materials and Composites
Simulation and Design
Manufacturing and Joining Technologies Relevant for Lightweight Design
Multi-Functional Design
Non-Destructive and Destructive Test Methods