The TECH4FAB project sits at the intersection of key industry challenges. The main challenge is to reinvent value chains by making them more resilient and agile.
This need, at the heart of the "Made in Europe" strategy, is amplified by the vulnerabilities recently exposed in the abrasives, forging, foundry, transport and energy sectors, which will be the main beneficiaries of the project.
Objective and strategies
The TECH4FAB operators - CRIBC, Materia Nova, Sirris, CRITT MI, UPHF, Platinium 3D, Ecole Centrale de Lille, Centexbel and the CNRS - propose to respond to the challenges faced by these different manufacturing sectors by pooling their expertise and technical platforms to offer and promote an original technological solution in a highly visible cross-border technopole and to ensure the maturation of the technological building blocks developed by the platform operators, currently at TRL 3 to 4.
The aggregation of these building blocks will enable the emergence of more agile and resilient manufacturing processes and/or new products that provide an optimal response to the specific use cases that companies in the area have submitted to the project operators.
Themes and Research Demonstrators
The R&D activities will revolve around 7 research demonstrators spread over 4 themes aiming to transcend the usual limits of additive manufacturing, namely:
Theme 1: Improving the fabrication speed/cost production ratio
- Research demonstrator no.1 : Manufacturing of ceramic cutting tools by means of a highly parallelized hybrid process that combines pellet extrusion and machining.
- Research demonstrator no. 2: "Free-form" additive manufacturing of architectural ceramic supports for thermal management and the design of chemical reactors and filters
Theme 2: Improving the surface states of complex parts
- Research demonstrator no. 3: Enhancement of the capability of 'low run' moulds for demanding injection moulding applications in terms of surface condition
- Research demonstrator no. 4: Tool design using additive manufacturing with the integration of conformal cooling and lattice structures, and surface functionalisation using thick DED deposition.
Theme 3: Increasing product efficiency through the integration of new functionalities
- Research demonstrator no. 5: 3D printing of multifunctional parts related to electric and electromagnetic fields (actuator sensors)
Theme 4: Improving circularity in additive processes and optimizing associated feedstocks
- Research demonstrator no. 6: Improving the circularity of additive manufacturing processes through recycled materials
- Research demonstrator no. 7: Advanced surface treatments for additive feedstocks
TECH4FAB thus positions itself as a large-scale cross-border collaborative initiative in the field of advanced manufacturing. The techno-pole will function as an integrative platform, aggregating the resources and skills of the operators to effectively bridge the traditional gap between academic research and industrial applications.
The project's DRs are not just experiments; they are rigorous test beds for emerging technologies, taking them from a conceptual level of maturity to a much more advanced stage, adapted to industrial needs (TRL 7/8).
These demonstrators are both showcases of technological progress and opportunities for companies in the impact zone, in particular SMEs. They serve as tangible examples of how innovations can be adapted and integrated into existing production processes, bringing significant improvements in terms of efficiency, cost and sustainability. For example, the use of eco-responsible raw materials, the implementation of 'low capex' processes or rapid and decarbonised thermal densification technologies are innovations that directly address the current imperatives of productivity, sustainability and environmental responsibility.
In this context, the transnational dimension of TECH4FAB takes on its full significance. It provides a unique framework for interdisciplinary synergy, enabling the sharing of technical platforms and specialised expertise. This configuration makes it possible to create a critical mass of actors whose interregional cooperation adds significant value to technological developments and product innovations.
Thanks to the active support of numerous associated actors (CCI Grand Lille Hautsde-France, Pôle Mecatech, Team2, Flam3D, A6K, SATT Nord) and its integration into the CROSS S3 umbrella project, the Tech4Fab initiative thus acts as a catalyst for the adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies, contributing to strengthening the resilience and sustainability of the industrial ecosystem in the impact zone.
Project partners
Project leader
BCRC: Belgian Ceramic Research Centre
Project partners
PLATINIUM 3D, Polytechnic University of Hauts-De-France, CRITT Matériaux Innovation, Materia Nova, Sirris, Centrale Lille, National Center for Scientific Research, Centexbel
Associated partners
Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie Grand Lille - Hauts-de-France, Pôle Mecatech, TEAM2, Strategisch Initiatief Materialen vzw, afdeling Flam3D, A6K, Société d'Accélération du Transfert de Technologie du Nord
Project financing
Total budget
3.551.668,67 €
ERDF funding
2.131.001,17 €
The TECH4FAB project is part of the CrossS3 project portfolio.