Alliance for Advanced Manufacturing in Central Europe (AMiCE)

Manufacturing is one of the key drivers of jobs and growth in Europe, highly concentrated in a CE core. Advanced Manufacturing (AM) technologies are a key driver of competitiveness in a lot of CE successful industries, contributing to retain talent and jobs in CE, against areas with lower labour costs. AMiCE will tackle three major challenges towards adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies by SMEs: access to knowledge, promotion of investments and competitiveness of these projects (return on investment). AMiCE will aim at promoting AM technologies in CE, focusing on 3D printing (3DP) adoption under circular economy principles. To do so, AMiCE will connect 5 innovation hubs in CE (DE, PL, SK, IT, CZ), where AM is a high priority in their RIS3, which will be represented through regional tandems of partners: business supporting institutions and leading universities. The consortium will also involve a top class partner from Catalonia (ES), reflecting the knowledge transfer with a leading region in this field outside CE, strengthening the connection with the European initiative Vanguard. The emerging nature of 3DP and the fragmentation of required knowledge across CE demand transnational cooperation, allowing for replication of best practices in different sites. AMiCE is structured into 3 thematic WPS, and will financially support the implementation of a knowledge platform, a network of shared demonstrators and pilot lines (showcasing proven benefits of 3DP to new end-user SMEs) and setting up a training and advisory programme to support the development of concepts and projects conceived by SMEs. The partners foresee to reach over 1200 SMEs in CE, actively support over 300 of those to adopt new manufacturing technologies through international cooperation. Additional regional funding as well as private investments and contracts will ensure long-term financing sustainability of the sites.