What is it about?

Industry is a key driver of innovation and a cornerstone of economic prosperity in Europe. As highlighted in the Commission’s recent communication on a renewed EU Industrial Policy Strategy1, a range of initiatives looking to improve the EU’s industrial base provides a key policy focus, not least in terms of upgrading industry for the digital age. The strategy looks to reinforce Europe’s industrial leadership in the context of increasing globalisation, sustainability challenges and rapid technological change. Additive manufacturing2 (AM)3, or 3D printing, is one of so-called advanced manufacturing technologies and has been the subject of a number of recent studies looking to take advantage of innovative opportunities, particularly for SMEs in the context of prototype feasibility and commercialisation of new products, as well as part of increasingly interlinked global and regional value chains. Industrial modernisation not only requires the development of innovative manufacturing technologies but depends on the ability of industrial companies to absorb and successfully implement such technologies.

Different stages can be distinguished in the process of developing and deploying new technologies. There is mounting evidence that a market failure occurs in the demonstration stage of the innovation process: between applied research, prototyping and market entry. Testing and validation of prototypes in an industrial environment and certifying new applications remain both very costly and highly uncertain. In many cases, this prevents or delays market uptake of very promising innovations from research and industry. On the one hand, industrial companies very often do not have all the necessary equipment and competences to carry out further prototyping activities, validation tests, certification procedures, cost-comparisons or other post- prototyping activities needed before full production and market launch.

In a regional context, initiatives looking to take advantage of smart specialisation strategies to boost new growth through bottom-up entrepreneurial innovation and industrial renewal focus on a range of priority areas, including advanced manufacturing. Developing key facilities and appropriate economies of scale can be problematic, particularly in a relative immature sector such as 3D printing. Commercial opportunities, mapping of facilities and information dissemination can be critical in the development and application of such technologies. In a broader context, improved growth and resource allocation can follow from such targeted manufacturing technologies.

There is a strong need and rationale to establish an interregional innovation structure, with pan-European shared demonstration facilities accessible by industry and able to speed up technology deployment in and by industrial companies. Shared demonstration facilities can be established by connecting and upgrading the complementary facilities which already exist in the regions.

A number of EU initiatives have begun to focus on additive manufacturing, including in the context of the priority on Industrial Leadership under Horizon 20204, the Thematic Smart Specialisation Platform on Industrial Modernisation5, and dedicated studies on specific industrial applications for 3D printing6, as well as in the context of open innovation in industry7, for example.

Various regions in the past, as well as ongoing activities such as those within the Vanguard Initiative8, have often experienced that setting up ‘shared demonstration facilities’ usually contains a non-profitable component. This funding gap occurs while setting up the shared facilities and in relation to the first operating costs. Once this funding gap is secured, industrial demonstration activities can take place. If these are successful, companies can then subsequently upscale their production, generate revenues in the market place and hence generate growth and jobs. In order to speed up technology deployment and industrial modernization, there is thus a need for stronger public intervention to unlock the innovation and growth potential. At his moment, there is no suitable instrument in cross-regional, pan-European setting to support the very much needed investments in innovation infrastructure.

Objectives of the Call:

Additive manufacturing (3D printing) offers potential for the modernisation of European industry. Therefore, this call aims to establish a virtual support platform connecting 3D printing-related facility centres located in different EU countries to improve services for innovative SMEs, and to test and validate a selection of 3D printing-based industrial projects.

This Call for proposals aims to address the following 3 specific objectives:

• support the development of a pan-European platform of existing facilities (including available infrastructure and services provided) that are used particularly by SMEs for testing, validating and eventually integrating new 3D printing solutions into their products and process
• identify and support 10 industrial user cases (through the platform) for testing and validating 3D printing solutions in different application fields
• make concrete recommendations on how to ensure the sustainability of this platform at EU level in the future, and conduct a gap analysis of available support services for 3D printing at national level

Deliverables

The selected project is expected to produce three (3) reports covering the periods listed in I.4.1 of the grant agreement, which should be submitted in English, namely:

• interim technical report and financial statements including a breakdown between each beneficiary.
• final technical report. This report will include all deliverables, a final evaluation of project activities, lessons learnt and recommendations for the future, and a financial statement including a summary financial statement and a breakdown between each beneficiary: within 2 months following the closing date of the action.

The coordinator will also prepare two short presentations:

• at a project kick-off meeting in Brussels which will take place within 1 month after the starting date of the implementation. This presentation will outline the work that will be carried out during the project.
• at a final meeting two month prior the closing date of the implementation. The coordinator will present the results achieved.

A maximum of three representatives of the consortium can participate to both meetings and the related costs can be included in the estimated budget.

In the same framework iED has already implemented several innovative projects in several fields which included innovative practices.  If you are interested in applying for this call you could contact us and further discuss the available options.

Deadline: 02 August 2018, 17:00 Brussels’ time (CET)

Eligibility of the applicants:

1. Applications from legal entities established in one of the following countries are eligible:

• EU Member States.

1. Several applicants, submitting a joint proposal should choose within their midst a lead organisation, referred to as the coordinator. The coordinator and its partners must satisfy the same eligibility criteria.
2. Applications must be submitted by a legal person.
3. The consortium (i.e. the coordinator plus its partners) must be composed of a minimum of three (3) different legal entities located in at least three (3) Member States.
4. Applicants should demonstrate that they have proven experience in relation to all of the tasks and work packages described earlier in section 2.1 of the call text. This should include the provision of assistance to SMEs in the application of additive manufacturing techniques and the development of new products using this technology. Proposals should not, however, include applicants that are themselves facility centres or are directly involved in the day-to-day operations of such centres.
5. The participation of the same partner in more than one proposal is not permitted; proposals with a member that participates in more than one consortium submitting a project proposal are not eligible and will be excluded from the call.

Budget and project duration:

The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of projects is estimated at €800.000.

The maximum duration of project is 36 months.

Maximum EU financing rate of eligible costs: The contribution will be up to 80% of the total eligible cost of the action.