Berta Gonzalvo, Aitiip Research Director, participated yesterday in the Vanguard – Watify Meeting on 3D-Printing, celebrated in Brussels, with a conference entitled “3D-Printed automotive components (mono-material) for large (>2500 mm), medium and small complex parts”. In this conference Berta highlighted the innovations that Aitiip Technology Centre is developing in the frame of different 3D printing projects, such us Kraken and Barbara.
The Vanguard Initiative
The Vanguard Initiative is an association of more than 30 EU-regions joining efforts to speed up European Industry Modernisation . The initiative seeks to launch interregional projects focusing on five technology domains (or ‘Pilots’): 1) 3D-Printing, 2) New Energy Applications, 3) Sustainable and Efficient Manufacturing, 4) New Nano-products and 5) New bio-mass applications. The focus of each ‘pilot’ lies on ‘demonstration’.
Aitiip participates in Additive Manufacturing axis
Additive Manufacturing has a huge potential for new growth and employment in Europe. It can induce more local production in Europe thanks to its flexibility and customisation of manufacturing while also stimulating the worldwide commercialisation of creative designs. Therefore, 3D-printing is seen as an important component of the new industrial revolution that will benefit welfare and employment creation across Europe. Many fields of application for 3D-printing remain only partially exploited because of different bottlenecks in the emerging value chains.
In this frame, Aitiip coordinates one democase: 3D-Printed automotive components (mono-material) for large (>2500 mm), medium and small complex parts.
The main objective of this democase is the application of additive manufacturing technologies in the automotive sector, covering the entire value chain:
- From vehicle builders, to integrators and component manufacturers.
- To carry out additive manufacturing applications in design, prototype, tooling and final product phases, specially oriented to product customizations and short series.
- Involving the main players in the automotive sector to start applications in the lines described.
- To include several KET`s and to integrate them with additive manufacturing technologies to increase the added value to the products.
- To enable the application of additive manufacturing to market gaps, such as large parts production, including metal and non-metal materials.