CECIMO, the European Association of the Machine Tool Industry, and EPMA, the European Powder Metallurgy Association, signed an agreement, which aims at promoting additive manufacturing through diversified actions.
Additive Manufacturing is defined as the process of joining materials to make objects from 3D model data, usually layer upon layer, as opposed to subtractive manufacturing methodologies. Among the main opportunities, there is design flexibility, mass customization, process sustainability and rapid product development. The overall challenge for AM is to move from a prototype solution to a main manufacturing method and be integrated into existing production environments.
CECIMO and EPMA will therefore work together to support Europe’s industry through this critical change. Both associations will exchange information on advocacy activities in additive manufacturing to better coordinate their own actions and get the utmost of it. EPMA and CECIMO will also look for opportunities on EU project proposals in future calls.
CECIMO is the association conveying the concerns of the AM industry to the EU authorities. Representing key companies in the AM ecosystem, it engages with policy actors for the creation of an enabling policy, and regulatory and business framework for the uptake of additive technologies in Europe. This includes initiatives such as developing specific AM standards within the remit of EU regulations, advising the European institutions on the AM priority research areas for the next EU budgetary programme, and producing curricula to boost AM in education. CECIMO is also partners, one as coordinator, in several EU projects, which encompass a wide range of issues such as regulatory and business barriers for industrial AM in Europe, AM skills gaps and bottlenecks in training, emerging AM business models. Furthermore, CECIMO organizes high-level conferences in the European Parliament with leading AM businesses and European policy-makers, and hosts the meetings of its own industry-driven AM Working Group, gathering experts from across Europe.
EPMA who represents Powder Metallurgy in Europe, has been working to increase the awareness of Additive Manufacturing technology, with a special focus on metal powder Additive Manufacturing and to foster the synergy in the metal AM community through research programmes, workshops, benchmarking and exchange of knowledge. Through its European Additive Manufacturing Group (EuroAM) the EPMA has launched several initiatives including a flyer and a well-received Introduction to Additive Manufacturing brochure, the organisation of Metal AM Seminars and the coordination of internal collaborative AM Projects such as the Quality Test for Selective Laser Melting Powder project. EPMA also organises Europe’s largest Metal AM technical programme within its annual international “Euro PM” Congress and Exhibition event. EPMA participates in several European funded projects to represent Powder Metallurgy and support the Metal AM industry in its R&D effort.
This partnership points at the advancement of additive manufacturing in the industrial landscape and at the removal of barriers to the future development of this technology.
