Activities and Objectives

THE PROJECT

Main goals to be achieved

The project aims to establish a stronger, permanent situation of cooperation and integration at the level of research and innovation ecosystems and also businesses in the Castilla y León-North Portugal cross-border area. This will result in the following outcomes:

Identification of a number of local resources that can potentially be valorised in circular production systems via additive manufacturing techniques, as well as their main applications.
Implementation of a cross-border mechanism for collaborative innovation with the market that helps to identify the specific needs of businesses and the way in which innovative systems and producers can meet these needs.
Multiple pilot tests and characterisation of the mechanical, thermal, rheological and surface quality properties of new materials developed from the local resources available.
Systematisation of the innovative production process and its preparation for scaling up to the industrial level.
Encouraging the assimilation of innovative technologies and production processes by industries and reinforcing the transition towards modern, sustainable and competitive models.
Positioning and integration within related structures at a European level and consolidation of the cooperation area as a true hub of innovation and smart specialisation.
Raising awareness among target groups and publicising the project’s activities via communication actions.

All these outcomes are in line with the activities proposed, as well as with the achievements expected by the POCTEP 2021-2027.

ACTIVITY_1
Dialogue with the market and definition of solutions
OBJECTIVE

Explore, define and study the potential valorisation of the area’s local resources in collaboration with businesses in the cross-border region, adjusted to the needs, challenges and opportunities of the market.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Preparatory in nature, Activity 1 will lay the methodological and scientific foundations of the project, including:

– Pre-selecting the most favourable and accessible local resources and those for which there is the greatest scientific consensus in terms of their characteristics and potential, by analysing the situation at an international level.

– Setting up, fostering and guiding cross-border participatory working groups which will include the companies potentially benefiting from the innovations being developed and will help to define market needs.

– Carrying out a preliminary assessment of the economic viability of the local resources identified in relation to the applications proposed.
ACTIVITY_2
Materials processing and pilot production
OBJECTIVE

Design innovative biotechnological channels for waste and by-products from local production in the area (farming, forestry, mining) and trial different potential applications.

BRIEF SUMMARY

After having carried out the work of Activity 1 (study, definition of needs and assessment of the preliminary economic viability), trial production will begin. Firstly, the raw resources will have to be processed to produce materials compatible with additive manufacturing techniques (pellets and filaments), and the necessary processes established to manufacture printing materials using the raw materials, integrating the fibres or powders obtained from the local resources. Finally, pilot-scale production will be carried out using conventional 3D printers, incorporating the conclusions into a test plan and evaluating the physical properties of the filaments or pellets.
ACTIVITY_3
Quality assessment and standardisation of the production process
OBJECTIVE

Take advantage of the potential of the region’s bioeconomy, encouraging industry to transition towards modern, sustainable models, as well as developing new consumption and production systems based on the circular economy.

BRIEF SUMMARY

After Activity 2, in which materials from local resources are developed and validated and their properties evaluated for 3D printing, Activity 3 will focus on analysing the prototypes and scaling them up to a pre-industrial level. Firstly, a quality analysis of the material samples will be carried out, including their mechanical and thermal parameters, as well as various simulations. Based on the results of this analysis, a 3D printer will be designed using an advanced finite element simulation, sensitive analysis and robust engineering tools. Subsequently, production will be prepared using large-format 3D printers (pre-industrial scale) and the production process will be systematised.
ACTIVITY_4
Transfer to market and incubation
OBJECTIVE

Help the region’s companies to transform into modern, sustainable and competitive industries with the capacity to create good quality employment and the potential to drive local economies.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Implementation of a series of actions aimed at helping local businesses to assimilate the innovations in products and processes developed in the previous activities. Transfer to the market is a determining factor for the project’s results to be sustainable. The following actions are expected at this stage:

– Incubation of emerging business projects via workshops, meetings and study visits.

– Support for companies to adopt new materials, including attendance and exhibition at important trade fairs in the sector.

– Carrying out a definitive economic feasibility study.
ACTIVITY_5
Coordination and management
OBJECTIVE

Ensure smooth, controlled and coordinated operational management of the programme, covering all aspects of the non-technical actions, overall compliance with the requirements of the call and, in general terms, with the provisions governing the POCTEP programme.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Management and coordination will be carried out across the board under the leadership of the University of Salamanca. Project management will have administrative support and carry out advisory and technical secretariat tasks. All beneficiaries will be directly involved in managing and coordinating the project and will cooperate with the University of Salamanca in setting up the appropriate structures and procedures to ensure successful implementation and fluent internal communications. To this end, the project will have a governing body, the Steering Committee. At a financial level, the Committee will regularly monitor the project in order to detect and correct any deviations.
ACTIVITY_6
Visibility, transparency and communication
OBJECTIVE

Involve the main target groups and stakeholders from the cooperation area, maximise the impact of the results and deliverables and reinforce the strategic approach underlying the proposed activities.

BRIEF SUMMARY

This activity will also be implemented across the board, under the coordination of FUESCYL and with the participation of all partners. The project has the following objectives in terms of communication:

– Engage the main target groups and stakeholders from the cooperation area.

– Provide information on the project’s results and maximise its impact.

– Raise awareness of the project’s purpose and reinforce the strategic approach underlying the activities proposed. In particular, an online and offline communication strategy will be developed and implemented, as well as actively helping to publicise the POCTEP and organising an event to present the final results, aimed at the public authorities of the region.

Activities and Objectives

THE PROJECT

ACTIVITY_1

ACTIVITY_2

ACTIVITY_3

ACTIVITY_4

ACTIVITY_5

ACTIVITY_6