International Advanced Manufacturing 3D Hub
IAM 3D Hub is a digital innovation centre specialised in additive manufacturing and 3D printing. Its mission is to accelerate the adoption of additive manufacturing and 3D printing technologies in the European Union manufacturing sector as an alternative to the design, development and production of new products and services that boost competitive advantage.
IAM 3D HUB offers a one-stop shop to advise and guide companies wishing to invest in 3D printing. It also contributes to a new era of toolless code-to-material production as a fast, safe and efficient manufacturing method.
The initiative was founded by HP, Leitat Technological Center, Renishaw, BASF and Abrast by Coniex as technological partners, as well as the 3D Factory Incubator, the first 3D printing incubator in Europe, and Fira de Barcelona, together with its 3D printing trade fair: INDUSTRY ‘From Needs to Solutions’. It is also supported by ACCIÓ, the Catalan government’s agency for competitiveness.
SERVICES
Experimenting & Testing
With a focus on fostering knowledge and confidence in technologies, the hub currently offers the following activities:
- Initial contact with an expert
- Company diagnosis
- Laboratory visit
- Use of AM / 3DP
- Benchmarking and testing for product development
- Analysis of strengths & weaknesses
- Capabilities and limitations of AM / 3DP for manufacturing purposes
- Material and process selection
- Practical workshop / Lab-Day
End to End Solutions
The centre currently offers the following possibilities to develop end-to-end solutions:
- Part design or redesign service in order to leverage the advantages and possibilities provided by additive manufacturing technology.
- Advice on the creation of the floorplan layout of a 3D production plant or for the integration of technology into a traditional production plant.
The centre offers the following resources for these activities:
- A team of twenty people, including the technical/operational staff of the 3D printing machines.
- Design software, simulation software and production software.
- Materials laboratory (physical and chemical)
- Additive manufacturing machines. The centre currently has the following machines:
- 1 x SLM machine
- 2 x SLA machines
- 5 x LCD machines
- 9 x FDM machines
- 1 x MJF machines
- 1 x Voxeljet machine
- 1 x SLS machine
- 1 x MASSIVit machine
- Metallographic laboratory.
- Heat treatment laboratory.
- Surface treatment laboratory (coatings, plasma, metallisation)
- Cleaning, mechanical and electrochemical polishing, infiltration and dyeing laboratory.
- Characterisation and testing laboratories:
- Metrology and reverse engineering laboratory.
- Fire resistance laboratory.
- Climate, solar and UV ageing laboratory
- Chemical and mechanical characterisation laboratory
Business & mentoring
Once the adoption process for additive manufacturing technology has been completed, the centre provides support and advice for business development and expansion.
Education & Training
As a means of sharing the digital skills necessary for the adoption of AM/3DP, the centre provides industrial training programmes and theoretical-practical professional training to company staff throughout the entire value chain, as well as instructor training workshops.
Healthcare Living Lab Catalonia
https://healthcarelivinglab.cat/
The Healthcare Living Lab Catalonia (HCLLC) is a Living Lab specialised in the health and social sector. It’s mission is to bring together health centres, technology centres and Living Labs from all over Catalonia connecting them with innovative people and entities. In so doing, it facilitates prototyping, testing and validation of solutions based on a proprietary methodology in a quick and efficient manner, maximising the results obtained. The HCLLC offers its services to methodologically advise and guide start-ups, SMEs and companies that aim to prototype, test and/or validate innovative solutions in real environments and with end users in the fields of medical devices, in vitro diagnostics and digital health.
It is a Leitat initiative with a mission to transform Catalonia into a landmark living lab. In order to make this a reality, it has developed a vast network of collaborating entities. These consist of the country’s principle landmark health centres in innovation on the one hand and the main associations of health and social centers in the country on the other. This network is growing day by day and today consists of the following entities:
In addition, the HCLLC has the seal of the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL), is a Reference Site for the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA) and collaborates with the ULabs programme by EIT Health and with the Centre for the Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technologies (CIMTI).
SERVICES
Cocreation activities
The HCLLC organises and carries out activities for the co-creation of innovative solutions which facilitate the collaboration of all parties involved. This includes citizens (patients or healthy population), professionals in the health and social fields, and universities and companies, in order to involve end users from the beginning and help innovators design solutions that solve real problems. Types of co-creation activities organised:
- Individual interviews
- Focus groups
The HCLLC has its own methodology to carry out these activities, involving the necessary people and obtaining high-value information.
Prototyping services
In order to develop design or functional prototypes of innovative solutions, the HCLLC uses Leitat's prototyping capabilities in the areas of Health and Biomedicine, Applied Chemistry and Materials, Advanced Engineering and Robotics. Prototyping demonstrates key functions of products and services, helps to generate feedback from end users and guides further design and development. Methodology based on Leitat's experience.
Usability studies
In order to evaluate the ergonomics, design, usability, and function of a solution, the HCLLC organises and executes usability studies where end users test and evaluate innovative solutions. The end users involved include citizens (patients or healthy population) and professionals from the health and social care fields. The HCLLC has its own methodology to carry out the entire process, from the definition of the necessary indicators to the execution of the study, data analysis and the writing of the final report.
Pilot studies and clinical validation studies
In order to validate the effectiveness and efficiency of the developed solution in real environments, the HCLLC organises and executes pilot studies and clinical validations with the collaboration of the health and social entities associated with the network. The results obtained from these studies help to validate the solutions quickly and efficiently, with a statistical sample that allows evidence to be generated with significant results and with a minimum budget. This information is essential to focus investment rounds and regulatory processes.
Dissemination, communication and training
In its projects with European partners, the HCLLC plays a key role in the elaboration and execution of the communication strategy for the dissemination of activities and project results among stakeholders and citizens. In addition, it spearheads training of interest groups to ensure the dynamisation of each project and the involvement of the end users right from the beginning. The target audience of this service includes professionals from the health and social care fields, research personnel, citizens and administrative personnel.
Funding Search
Searching, guidance and submitting to national and international competitive calls for financing for the development of innovative projects. A Our expert team advises SMEs and start-ups on the most appropriate ways to request competitive financing, both nationally and internationally, based on their characteristics and needs. We guide them through the entire application process: from the identification of the call and the selection of partners to the drafting and presentation of the competitive proposal.
Through its methodology, the HCLLC centralizes all procedures, offers personalized support, and ensures the quality of the service provided.
3D INCUBATOR
The 3D Incubator is the first European high-tech incubator in 3D printing. Its objective is to promote the growth of initiatives related to additive manufacturing by creating a space for the incubation of start-ups, SMEs and micro companies that use this technology. The 3D Incubator has the capacity to incubate more than 100 companies in five years and will help launch incubator initiatives run by businesses by providing general incubation services, 3D production technology services, business consulting, part testing and consultation services regarding marketing and internationalisation.
The space has a surface area of 1000m2 and has a coworking and training area, private offices, meeting rooms and a laboratory with eight different 3D production technologies, post-processing equipment and metrology. Likewise, all incubated projects have at their disposal a wide range of services across the entire value generation chain: production, business consulting, marketing and certification.
It is an initiative led by the Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona and Leitat, and has the financial support of FEDER funds through the INCYDE Foundation.
SERVICES
General incubation
• Reception and switchboard • Reservation of rooms and shared equipment • Private office spaces and co-working areas • Computer services, telephone and reprographics • Incubator suppliers • Cleaning and safety • Common spaces
Marketing and internationalisation
• International business meetings • Conferences on international markets • Commercial activities • Advice on negotiation of international contracts
Innovation & Business Consulting
• Analysis of investment opportunities and international financing • Design of commercial campaigns and operational plans • Data protection advice • Business Plan
Technological services
• Training • 3D design and engineering • Production • Reverse engineering and quality control The centre offers the following resources for these activities: • Four industrial 3D printers (MJF, Material Jetting and FDM) • Six mini printers (FDM, SLA, DLP and SLS) • Post-processing laboratory • Design, scanning and metrology area
Testing
Specific tests related to products to obtain official certificates.
DFACTORY BARCELONA
DFactory Barcelona was launched as a node focused on creating an ecosystem that promotes the development of Industry 4.0. The centre promoted by the Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona acts as a tool for the transformation of the Spanish productive fabric and guides companies through the digitisation process.
To achieve its objectives, DFactory Barcelona has laboratories managed by Leitat and equipped with the latest technology:
Leitat improves the competitiveness of companies in the DFactory ecosystem by providing knowledge and technology for the transition to a digital and sustainable industry. Leitat operates under open innovation models as the technology manager of laboratories carrying out research and innovation projects. In so doing, it is guided by a vision of technology transfer and adoption by industry with the aim of producing a positive impact on society.
At DFactory Barcelona, Leitat focuses on technology management and industrial R&D to generate transformative projects that generate technological value to the DFactory ecosystem.