Building the Rapid Manufacturing Platform

Brussels, 17 October 2006

What is the RM Platform? It is a community of (mainly industrial stakeholders) defining research and development priorities, timeframes and action plans on a number of strategically important issues related to Rapid Manufacturing (RM).

RM is the use of computer automated additive manufacturing processes to construct fully functional end-use products or components. Goal of the new platform is to provide a framework for stakeholders, led by industry, to define research and development priorities, timeframes and action plans on a number of strategically important issues where achieving Europe's future growth, competitiveness and sustainability objectives is dependent upon major research and technological advances in the medium to long term.

SME, Industry, Universities and others are invited to play a key role in ensuring an adequate focus of research funding on areas with a high degree of industrial relevance, by covering the whole economic value chain and by mobilising public authorities at national and regional levels. In fostering effective public-private partnerships, technology platforms have the potential to contribute significantly to the renewed Lisbon strategy and to the development of a European Research Area of knowledge for growth.. As such, they are proving to be powerful actors in the development of European research policy, in particular in orienting the Seventh Research Framework Programme to better meet the needs of industry.

Address technological challenges that can potentially contribute to a number of key policy objectives which are essential for Europe's future competitiveness, including the timely development and deployment of new technologies, technology development with a view to sustainable development, new technology-based public goods and services, technological breakthroughs necessary to remain at the leading edge in high technology sectors and the restructuring of traditional industrial sectors.

Notes to editor:

For more details visit http://www.rm-platform.com or contact the moderator team reinhardt@microtec-d.com and anton.gerrits@tno.nl