Nanomicro Project

NANOMICRO proposes a new process, able to deliver a layer wise manufacturing approach using highly focalised powder/heat fluxes with dimensions in the microns range, for metals/ceramics 3D micromanufacturing.

To reach such a complex and ambitious objective that deals with innovation in materials, in sintering machines and in technology principles, many progressive and complementary steps has to be taken, requiring the involvement of top expertises from different manufacturing chain related sectors.

The Successful achievement of project objectives can be summarized in three principal stages:

-Design/Modelling of materials, machines and new technology principles;

-Development/engineering of materials (proper nano-micropowders and nanofluids), of innovative micro-mechanical parts and their integration;

-Exploration/development/engineering of new machine components and innovative feeding, heating, sintering and controlling solutions;

-Validation/Demonstration that includes material and sintered micro-objects characterisation, testing of the innovative NANOMICRO machine parts, evaluation of the whole platform and so the industrial validation of the overall new rapid manufacturing technology.

In order to cover all necessary expertises, NANOMICRO proposes an important European consortium consisting of eleven partners coming from six different European countries (see figure 2.3) leaded by SMEs.

The partners represent very high skill experts from micro- manufacturing engineering (MAN, MICROLS, INOV), material engineering (MATRES), information technology (MAN), leading experts from material science and nanotechnologies (MBN, UCAM), mechanics, physics and tribology (LZH, UPCT), product and material design (GRANTA) and modeling (UCAM) and leading representatives from industrial micro-technological sectors (DATA, TELE). The same project could not be run at national level, due to the unique nature of the partners.