Responsible: CONTET FIM Philippe
National Contact Point: Tel. +33 147176000
Homepage: www.mecafuture-fr.org

TP Name

MECAFUTURE

Homepage

www.mecafuture-fr.org

Contact person (coordinator)

Philippe CONTET FIM
Tel: +33 1.47.17.60.00

French Federation of Mechanical Industries / Technical Centre for Mechanical Industries
FIM – 39/41 rue Louis Blanc
92400 Courbevoie
FRANCE

The global objectives of Mecafuture platform are:
– Increasing support for R&D in the mechanical fields by closing the gap between basic research and industrial product-oriented research
– Efficient promotion of innovation and rapid technology transfer to SMEs
– Education and training at all skill levels in the different mechanical domains
– Awareness on mechanical related added value jobs and build a positive image of the French mechanical sector

The different technical areas addressed by the French platform are :
– Design : Digital mock-up, Simulation, integration product process, optimisation of multidisciplinary team
– Process : Rapid manufacturing, metal powder technologies, multi-material processes, high speed machining, Assembling techniques
– Material : Metal powders, nano coatings, structural composites, light metals for automotive industry, special aluminium for moulds
– Organisation and Management : Multidisciplinary approach, collaborative work, global management of product/service, reconfigurable dynamic supply chain, interoperability,
– Industrial transformation: Clustering of SMEs, technology transfer and training courses.

The Mecafuture platform is formed by 5 regional clusters in France with the following objectives in the concerned areas :
In the mechatronic and turned components fields:
– Keep the competitive advance in techniques and management of « décolletage »
– Accelerate the deployment of mechatronic technology

In the micro techniques sector:
– In the micro techniques sector the target is to double the world market share of France
– Push the companies from single parts to integrated components
– Create an European cluster integrating France and Switzerland in the micro techniques sector
In the metallic and plastic materials field :
– Metallic and Composite Assemblies: Materials and associated processes elaboration
– Complex processes and systems: Systems engineering, concurrent engineering, simulation and optimisation of structures

In the new materials and smart products field 4 axes are defined:
– Produce and use polyvalent material with more functionalities
– Develop the modelling of the behaviours of these materials and simulation techniques for processing them
– Develop and industrialise new transformation processes for the new materials
– Promote intelligent maintenance techniques from intelligent materials

In the new materials and new processes field:
– Collaborative engineering – Support mechanical SMEs to satisfy the request of European OEMs in terms of innovation
– Support the transformation of regional industrial tissues to be more efficient and productive
– Support the transformation from design/manufacturing concept to the creation of innovative and high added value products and emerging start-up

In the production management systems and related tools:
– Improve the efficiency of the systems in design, innovation and production of products and services
– Structure and support the transformation of the research an deductaion communities in the Rhône-Alpes region

In order to stimulate the French economy, the French government decided to group together public and private players in innovative sectors in order to strengthen the competitive force of French companies.

The aim of a competitiveness cluster is to concentrate at the regional level, the talent incorporated within public and private research units, teaching facilities and the expertise of business enterprises, in order to establish working relationships which develop a cooperation environment and promote partnerships within innovative projects. Researchers and enterprises are mobilised, within a public/private partnership, to work on new projects, resulting in innovative advances, economic efficiency and job creation, and which should enable those players involved to attain leading positions in their field.

The core group of Manufuture France is gathering 5 of such clusters and an additional network GOSPI in the Rhône-Alpes region.

Cross-sectorial
The major industrial stakeholders are in the following sectors :
– Aeronautics, Automotive industry
– Shipbuilding industry (Civilian, Military, Leisure)
– Railway, Offshore,
– Machine tools and House appliances
– Trucks, buses manufacturing

– New, added-value products and services: YES
– New business models: YES
– New advanced industrial engineering: YES
– New emerging manufacturing science and technologies: YES
– Transformation of existing R&D and education infrastructure to support world-class manufacturing: YES

At EU level:

At national level:
– Re manufacture and re use of products and components : REPRO2 project

Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) NO

Industry:
Airbus, Aker Yards, Auto Chassis International DCN, Groupe Bénéteau, FIDAL, RENAULT TRUCKS, SIEMENS, ARCELOR, MITTAL STEEL et SAINT-GOBAIN PAM, AR Electronique, Cryla, Digital Surf, Imasonic, Morel Technique, Nanobiogène, et Statice

SMEs: Cero, Chastagner Delaize, Mecachrome, Sotira…

Research centers: CETIM, CTTM, ECN EMN, ENSAM, ESTACA
ICAM, LNE, Université de Nantes, Université du Maine…

Professional Organisations: Plasti Ouest, Pôle Marine, UIMM, …

Some of these clusters are cooperating with sectorial ETPs (ERRAC, ERTRAC, WATERBORNE,) and Material (EUMAT).

These competitiveness clusters concern emerging technological sectors such as nanotechnologies, biotechnologies or microelectronics, but also the more traditional industrial sectors.
The French government will bring 500 million Euros annually, from 2006 to 2008, in financial support, mainly to the industrial R & D sector, which is at the heart of the competitiveness clusters policy.

– FCE
– DGE
– OSEO ANVAR
– ANR
– EUREKA
– ERANETS – CORNET, e-Tranet,EraSME