AVANGARD – Advanced manufacturing solutions tightly aligned with business needs

Updated 20.10.2023 | 14:10

This project targets urban mobility, where we are entering an era of rapid transformation and disruption which are also challenging traditional paradigms on manufacturing and business models characterized by an unprecedented speed, scale and scope of technological change. The project will prepare the environment for novel forms of collaborative distributed manufacturing amongst different EU regions. Innovative value chains will be pursued to overcome the scale (giga) and speed being established in planned economies (China) with market development controlled by the governments attitudes, targets and policy tools.

The AVANGARD project addresses the integration of three novel processing units into an existing Microfactory test bed conceived to produce urban electric vehicles. The units are state of-the-art multipurpose and multifunctional demonstrators on their own, specifically:

Robotized integration of laser cutting-shaping-welding for 3D components
Supersonic deposition of metallic powders for high speed 3D printing
Large volume and high-speed 3D polymeric printing

The operation of the AVANGARD pilot will be demonstrated manufacturing I-Bikes, I-CARS and innovative battery packs.

To manage the IPRs and the supply chain, AVANGARD will implement a hybrid public-private Blockchain platform where the public chain increases security through distributed consensus and validation and the private sidechain increases speed while keeping sensible data stored in the facilities of partners. The platform will allow auditability of sources, traceability, verification of sources, still with private control of documentation and compliance to data retention policies.

Our Involvement in Avangard

WP1 Research on environmental sustainability primarily identifies industrial leaders, economic and environmental regulations In order to achieve a sustainable future in the industry.
WP2 Process description Order-Delivery priorized Use case. Provide a vision for the most common use cases with a business-potential of virtual production line. Identifies the use of the planned system from the end user perspective. The resource structure and operating principles of micro factories simplified by model procedure. The business potential is also analysed.
WP3 Explore the application of 3D polymeric printing heads on high accuracy multipurpose robots.
WP4 The goal is to go through the entire chain design, production order receipt, production, delivery and invoicing. Preparation of the cloud-based business operations in electric vehicles production. This includes both the technical implementation and the tracking and documentation of the experience. Expanding the application into general use from the manufacturing portal is analyzed. Create 3D simulation and optimization of micro-factory layouts Simulation of the production system in Virtual reality.
WP5 Demonstration of Virtual reality environment and 3D printing using robotic arm
WP6 Dissemination material: logo, brochures, templates, other actions that create identity, consistency and awareness of the AVANGARD project.
WP7 Documentation and reporting PC, an SME that runs specialized BC tech commercialization projects.

Name of the project: AVANGARD
Project leader: Rayko Toshev
Project schedule: 15.10.2019-14.10.2022
Funding from: H2020
Contact persons: Rayko Toshev, Petri Helo
Research group at the University of Vaasa: NeVS
Research partners: Prima Industrie SPA and 20 partners.
Collaboration partners: Several research institutes, universities and companies.