ABOUT THE PARTNERS
Flanders Make
Flanders Make is the strategic research center for the manufacturing industry with sites all over Flanders. Flanders Make stimulates open innovation through excellent research to realise a top-level network that delivers full support to innovation projects, thus Flanders Make contributes to new products and production processes that help to realise the vehicles, machines and factories of the future. Flanders Make has a unique adhesive bonding lab infrastructure enabling to mimic industrial joining processes in a controlled environment. Moreover, Flanders Make conducts research into flexible assembly systems that can cope with many product variations, by making use of robots as well as the support of virtual and augmented reality in assembly processes.
AMAC
AMAC is an Industrial and Business Consulting Company in the field of lightweight construction materials based in Aachen, Germany. The business model of AMAC is based on three pillars: establishment and development of networking and clusters between universities and industrial companies, training in Sales and Marketing excellence as well as management of industrial projects in the field of innovations and commercialization. Dr. Michael Effing is Chairman of the board of the trade associations Composites Germany and AVK.
CENTEXBEL
Centexbel is the Belgian Competence Center for Textiles and Plastics. Since more than 10 years, the centre is active in the development of composite materials in projects at EU and regional level. As a collective research center, Centexbel has as mission to promote the competitiveness of industrial companies by encouraging and supporting innovation with five complementary activities. These activities include applied research and development, knowledge dissemination, standardization, testing and certification. One of the five technology platforms existing at Centexbel is the textile and composite platform that is equipped with modern machines to realize prototypes and demonstrators of fibrous reinforcement structures for composite materials.
The technology is driven by highly skilled researchers and technicians. Fibrous reinforcing structures are a main part of composites. Beyond 2D structures we experienced with 3D structures to increase further performances of composites. Beside the Platform, Centexbel has also well-equipped laboratories (chemical, physical, rheological) for material and product evaluation. The existing knowledge in textiles and polymeric materials permits to have a holistic approach by developing new composite materials.
SIRRIS
Sirris is a non-profit organization based in Belgium, with over 150 employees and 60+ years of experience in innovation support. The research center assists companies at every stage, from concept design to prototype development and pilot testing. Sirris offers expertise in domains like smart product design, mechatronics, and data engineering. It provides access to advanced labs, cutting-edge equipment, and a broad network of industrial and academic contacts. With continuously updated knowledge, Sirris helps companies industrialize and commercialize innovative products effectively.
https://www.sirris.be/product-development-hub-designing-your-future-products
Fontys University of Applied Sciences
Fontys University of Applied Sciences is a major public knowledge institute in the south of the Netherlands, with over 4,500 employees and more than 44,000 students. Located in the innovative Brainport area, Fontys collaborates with SMEs in projects to develop new knowledge and technologies. Their research spans multiple disciplines and technologies, focusing on polymer processing (e.g. extrusion, injection molding, 3D printing) and testing of materials, and they actively participate in international projects to enhance their expertise and network.
ITA Academy GmbH
ITA Academy GmbH is a renowned training company specialising in the provision of textile training and digitalisation workshops. With its many years of experience in the textile industry, the ITA Academy has earned an excellent reputation for providing high-quality consulting services. The ITA Academy is a spin-off of RWTH Aachen University, with a large network of professionals and experts. Since 2017, the ITA Academy has been operating the Innovation & Learning Centre Aachen, founded with McKinsey & Company. The ILC Aachen is one of the world's five leading learning factories for the digital transformation of production. In a realistic factory environment, specialists and managers from manufacturing companies are given the tools they need to drive forward the digital transformation in their own company. The ILC Aachen is a cooperation between the management consultancy McKinsey & Company Inc., the ITA Academy GmbH and leading technology companies.
Maastricht University (UM)
Maastricht University (UM) hosts nearly 17000 students in international BA, MA and graduate programs and 2000 academics. In the 2014 QS ranking of young research universities UM ranks 6th as best young university in Europe. Since 2012 UM has a research group specifically dedicated to “Biobased Materials. The group offers an international Master program on Biobased Materials since 2015. Maastricht University and RWTH Aachen University have established a European cross-border research institute focusing on the development of advanced biobased materials. The Aachen-Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials (AMIBM) is located on the Brightlands Chemelot Campus in the Netherlands and strives for excellence in applied and translational research by creating synergies between academia and industry. This exciting collaboration will benefit both universities. The AMIBM mission is to replace traditional polymer building blocks with innovative and sustainable alternatives for the development of novel and environmentally-beneficial materials. The AMIBM vision is to provide the missing links between fundamental, applied and translational research in the field of biobased materials, by changing the relationship between the production of biobased materials and the value chain.
www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/research/aachen-maastricht-institute-biobased-materials