Open Innovation Test Beds for Characterisation (IA)

Proposals should establish an open innovation characterisation test beds that will create, sustain and drive the use of novel materials characterisation techniques to support industrial innovation and will network materials characterisation stakeholders and concretely implement an integrated approach. In particular:

• Collectively develop novel advanced solutions for specific and relevant industrial problems. Support advanced data analysis and storage, standardisation, reference materials, regulation and safety;
• Facilitate common approaches to common problems for fast adoption of innovative tools for characterisation by industry and strengthen the interface between academia and industry;
• Enable the integration of information based on materials modelling and characterisation through the development of widely agreed and standardised datasheets to enhance value chain interactions;
• Network relevant stakeholders across Europe for defining roadmaps, application of real-time methods, implementation of regulatory and safety requirements, training and management of information (including Materials Informatics) and development of new skills.

Proposals submitted under this topic should include actions designed to facilitate cooperation with other projects; to enhance user involvement; and to ensure the accessibility and reusability of data produced in the course of the project by agreeing on metadata for the description of materials characterisation and databases.

Activities should start at TRL 4 and achieve TRL 6 at the end of the project.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU around EUR 9 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Efficiency of materials up-scaling and use in new products in European manufacturing industries depends on advances in characterisation and testing. Essential industry competencies comprise technologies, know-how and proficiency in interpretation of results, data, and characterisation standards in order to help bring new materials into products. The challenge is to establish open user-driven characterisation test beds including all aspects of novel multi-scale and multi-modal characterisation solutions management, analytics and mining of the resulting data (Materials Informatics). Interaction is required between the stakeholders regarding the latest technological solutions, such as non-destructive characterisation approaches.

• Translation of industrial needs into characterisation workflows, increased awareness and uptake by industry, and effective access of materials manufacturing companies to the know-how and advanced tools;
• Measurable reduction of costs for product design and time-to-market by means of faster and cheaper evaluation of production process deviations;
• Increased ability and quantifiable cost reduction for industry to comply with regulations.