Additive manufacturing (AM) has been highlighted as a key technology with potential for creating sustainable high value European based employment, addressing societal issues and supporting environmental sustainability. The processes based on Additive Manufacturing spans many industries, including automotive, medical, aeronautics, defense, capital and consumer goods and do-it-yourself concept, energy, etc. AM has demonstrated to possess the capability to generate future revenues, to develop novel disruptive business models, not seen up to date, that could help to keep manufacturing in Europe competing with emergent countries. All those are heavyweight reasons for Europe to make specific efforts to define a plan of action in the field. This strategy should include detail implementation plan defining innovation sectorial chains from design phase to target commercial products. It should define TRL aspect in each link of the chains, type of stakeholders to carry out the tasks, timeline and priorities. Moreover, in order to have a complete success should also involve not only technology stakeholders but also policy makers. On this basis, FoFAM project takes up the challenge of clustering technology developments on AM and place them into defined value chains in lead markets for Europe. The project intends to identify gaps for business development and to attack them with specific actions and timeline. It also includes high involvement of European regions to ensure an efficient use of structural funds associated to them. FoFAM also address not only technological aspects but also aims at identifying other horizontal economical and societal issues that will be taken into consideration to ensure AM industrial deployment. To involve high number of key stakeholders , the project has achieved the support of project coordinators of FoF projects, European Technology Platforms, EFFRA, European Business and Innovation and European Regions Research and Innovation Networks.

ACCORDs will develop an imaging-based characterization framework (ACCORDs framework) for the holistic correlative assessment of Graphene Family Materials (GFMs) as a representative of 2D nanomaterials (NMs) to assess and predict 2D NMs health and environmental risks. The ACCORDs framework will operationalise safe and sustainable by design (SSbD) strategies proposed in past or ongoing H2020 projects or within OECD by correlating low-, medium-, and high-resolution physico-chemical-biological imaging-based methods with non-imaging methods in a tiered approach. ACCORDs will deliver the ACCORDs framework and user guidance, new imaging-based characterisation methods (3-6 methods), reference in vitro tests (up to three new tests), new reference 2D NMs (up to three) for different matrices, a new minimum information reporting guideline for FAIR data sharing and reuse of images as well as an atlas with reference images for diagnostics of compromised safety of GFMs / GFM products. The new guidelines and standard proposals will be submitted to standardisation bodies to allow creation of regulatory ready products. The novelty of ACCORDs is in translating the principles of medical imaging-based diagnostics to 2D material hazard diagnostics. ACCORDs will accelerate industrial sectors in the area of aviation, marine construction, drone production, flexible electronics, photovoltaics, photocatalytics and print inks-based sensors. The value ACCORDs proposes to the graphene industry are practical, easy, imaging-based tools for GFM quality monitoring next to the production line with a possibility to be correlated with advanced high-resolution imaging characterization methods in case hazard i.e. deviation from controls (benchmark values) are diagnosed. The ACCORDs framework and tools will contribute to the European Green Deal by addressing the topic: “Graphene: Europe in the lead” and to a new European strategy on standardization, released on 2nd February, 2022.

<< Background >>A range of adversities resulted from covid 19 while several sectors had to figure out innovative means to tackle the difficulties and consequently evolve (including education sector). Nevertheless, covid 19 boosted the educational transition to the digital educational era, on which AREOLA project is focused. AREOLA arises to fight the latest setbacks in VET training. The development of online training materials, and virtual training tools (Virtual Reality – VR and Augmented Reality – AR) is foreseen as an innovative measure to boost VET systems through the new digital era. Additive Manufacturing (AM) is an emerging technology and one of the latest manufacturing trends that could help the recovery of several sectors including the Aerospace sector, which was one of the sectors most affected by covid 19. This sector relies on strategic developments to support its recovery, and the improvement of the supporting technologies is strong pillar of the sector recovery. Metal Additive Manufacturing (AM) Powder Bed Fusion – Laser Beam (PBF-LB) is an AM technology with significant impact in the Aerospace sector. Recently, there were some major improvements within the AM educational sector with the development of an International Additive Manufacturing Qualification System (IAMQS) – managed by AREOLA partner EWF. This system englobes a series of harmonized AM qualifications, on which is included a qualification for PBF-LB Operators with increasing applicability in the Aerospace sector. This qualification will be used as the centre of AREOLA project developments.Through a close connection with AM industrial networks and the Aerospace sector, the AREOLA project will increase the quality of the training provided in the PBF-LB Operators field, ensuring that the high-quality standards in terms of training for this sector are met. Not only the Aerospace sector needs, AREOLA will also tackle the needs in AM training in terms of more inclusive, digital, green and remote training. Besides that, the fact that the practical training can be delivered in a virtual digital environment will significantly reduce the cost of training in European VET providers and will promote the overall VET attractiveness.AREOLA project will pave the path for future developments in AM educational systems (and other manufacturing areas) towards the digital educational area.<< Objectives >>AREOLA project will enable AM VET centres to provide a more comprehensive training in PBF-LB Operator field, with the use of digital training resources. AREOLA will boost AM training sector towards the new digital educational era, with the development of online theoretical training materials and the development of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality digital tools. The development of these tools will reduce the costs associated to PBF-LB practical training. Besides that, covid 19 adversities will be tackled via an innovative Blended learning path and supporting training tools for AM PBF-LB Operators VET training, which will allow training to be conducted both remotely and on-site. Quality training will be assured through the close relationship with AM Networks and industry, namely Aerospace. AREOLA will support the recovery of the Aerospace, ensuring training excellence in the field, with support of innovative virtual training environments. Taking in consideration the high standards of the Aerospace sector with development of PBF-LB Operator training tools aligned with industrial needs, raising the overall training quality.AREOLA will foster IAMQS implementation, extending its activities in the Aerospace sector. The project will also boost the visibility of AM PBF-LB Operator qualification visibility in EU manufacturing sectors, through excellence in training provided. Raising VET attractiveness will be one of the project main objectives<< Implementation >>During the implementation of AREOLA there are 5 Project Results (PRs), which comprise the work to be developed during project implementation, each PR including a set of tasks associated.In order to achieve the expected results, a series of activities will be implemented. Starting by a research and analysis of requisites and needs in the field of VR and AR training for PBF-LB Operators and the Aerospace field, followed by the development of innovative remote and virtual training tools and Blended learning guidelines. The developments resulted from the afore mentioned activities will be validated through pilot Learning Activities and actualized accordingly to the activities’ results.Additionally, during the project, the following activities will be implemented, including: A learning activity aiming at trainers and other VET staff (inside AREOLA partnership) to transfer knowledge on how to implement the digital training tools developed within the project.Piloting the digital training materials and tools developed in the project together with students and a 4 Virtual Roundtables to discuss on improvements to the content developed, based on pilot results.Furthermore, several dissemination activities will be implemented such as:4 National Conferences for the promotion of AREOLA results and engagement with national key stakeholders 1 European Final Conference for the promotion of the project results and engagement with key stakeholders from 30 EU Countries.<< Results >>AREOLA will contribute to the European digitalisation strategy by supporting the uptake of innovative approaches and digital technologies in the education sector.Moreover, AREOLA project’s expected results are fully aligned with the New Skills Agenda for Sustainable, competitiveness, social Fairness and resilience actions, namely concerning innovative practices in a digital era, transparency and promotion of upskilling / reskilling pathways trough the development of: - Report on analysis of VET and AM industry needs in terms of VR and AR training in PBF-LB Operators- Innovative online theoretical training for PBF-LB Operators, tailored for the Aerospace sector- Virtual and Augmented reality training tools for PBF-LB Operators with the use of a comprised database of Aerospace practical scenarios- Analysis of the applicability of different training strategies (blended and on-site) in the field of PBF-LB Operators- Blended learning guideline for PBF-LB training.

Radio signals are core to space systems and services; they are the backbone of satellite broadcasting & communications and further represent the primary underpinning technology of the nearly ubiquitous space-based radio navigation services as well as a large number of Earth observation instruments. Radio technologies are therefore central in defining the investment return for a wide range of missions and reflect to a significant fraction of the combined space and ground segment infrastructure. As the frightening rates of concurrent advances in space-related services, business models and technologies are driving the space ecosystem to a new age, the need to re-invent radio technologies for space is becoming increasingly urgent; while the sector is proactively looking for the next game changer, a whole new class of emerging and forecasted missions place urgent demands for drastic reduction in cost with a concurrent radical improvement in throughput, agility, volume/mass and power consumption. This paradigm shift dictates an acute need of highly trained researchers and engineers with a broad set of skills and abilities that extend across and beyond conventional boundaries, enabling them to re-think current approaches and pioneer fresh concepts and radio technologies for space. Recognising this urgent need, REVOLVE brings together a world-leading consortium of 4 industrial and 2 academic beneficiaries aiming to challenge conventional practice in a training network formed around the following five pillars; P1: excellent science & engineering; P2: cross-fertilisation within and between sectors and technologies; P3: application-focused R&D; P4: innovation-centred training, and; P5: promote career acceleration and fulfil personal potential.

The 2014/15 calls for proposals for pilot action projects resulted in 24 projects with total funding of 115 M€, and another 80 M€ are being invested under the 2016/17 work-programme. These pilot facilities respond rapidly and with simple contracting mechanisms to industry needs which is essential for SMEs and start-ups. Pilot facilities can potentially help create new business, jobs and growth across Europe. This potential can only be fully exploited if the actions started by the European Commission under H2020 are followed-up by complementary initiatives at national/regional level, to promote coordination mechanisms among these pilot facilities. One of the recommendations developed by a task-force composed by a group external experts (mandated by the European Commission) are the implementation of regional innovation hubs that should coordinate efforts, share good practices, facilitate access and promote business development of existing pilot lines across regions and member states. The overall project goal of the coordinated and support action proposal is to boost the European competitiveness through the exploitation of the existing European pilot line production facilities (across Europe) in the area of nanotechnology and advanced material technologies by creating a network of fully connected and collaborating pilot lines and boost the effectiveness and the efficiency of existing (and future) pilot line facilities and by creating a digital ecosystem acting as an interactive marketplace for professional members. The action will ensure the delivery of a series of horizontal coordination and support action services to the (European level) network of pilot line facilities and will set the scene for the establishment of innovation hubs across the Member States and/or regions.