The AVANGARD project addresses the integration of three novel processing units into an existing Microfactory test bed conceived to produce urban electric vehicles. The units are state of-the-art multipurpose and multifunctional demonstrators on their own, specifically: Robotized integration of laser cutting-shaping-welding for 3D components Supersonic deposition of metallic powders for high speed 3D printing Large volume and high-speed 3D polymeric printing The operation of the AVANGARD pilot will be demonstrated manufacturing I-Bikes, I-CARS and innovative battery packs. The proposed innovations target urban mobility where we are entering an era of rapid transformation and disruption which are also challenging traditional paradigms on manufacturing and business models characterized by an unprecedented speed, scale and scope of technological change. The project will prepare the environment for novel forms of collaborative distributed manufacturing amongst different EU regions. Innovative value chains will be pursued to overcome the scale (giga) and speed being established in planned economies (China) with market development controlled by the governments attitudes, targets and policy tools. To manage the IPRs and the supply chain, AVANGARD will implement a hybrid public-private Blockchain platform where the public chain increases security through distributed consensus and validation and the private sidechain increases speed while keeping sensible data stored in the facilities of partners. The platform will allow auditability of sources, traceability, verification of sources, still with private control of documentation and compliance to data retention policies. The theme of Blockchain-powered manufacturing is relatively new. AVANGARD will address it with Ideas Forward PC, an SME that runs specialized BC tech commercialization projects.

Electric mobility is a reality we can experience on our roads and cities. Electromobility is moving forward, driven by drastic cost reductions, higher performances and improved availability to support new business models of autonomous driving passenger cars and new vehicle fleets. DEMOBASE falls within this context with the main objectives to cut down development and testing efforts for e-drivetrains at least by a factor 2 and to improve their efficiency by 20%. Safety will be fully managed and new concepts developed for fleet applications. DEMOBASE is composed of 11 leading European partners with activities ranging from cells to vehicle to recycling. The main gain at vehicle level will come from global optimization taking into account interaction of the different specialties. Objectives at battery level will be achieved by massive digitalization, substituting the today sequential cell development then battery system development by a parallelization of these activities. This new process can be achieved only using enhanced cells models including safety features to define the cell conception for manufacturing and realizing in the same time frame battery management. Objectives at vehicle level will be achieved with a novel approach to design light-weight chassis. It will be demonstrated on a urban demo vehicle that will integrate the advanced battery pack and novels wheel-tire systems with low suspension mass and low rolling resistance. To secure project deliveries and reinforce collaborations which are an innovation key factor, DEMOBASE will be an original closed-loop project. In a first loop of the EV development, building blocks and their integration processes will be investigated and their efficiency assessed using Key Performance Indicators. Then the most efficient bricks and processes will demonstrate their added value in a second step in 6 months run starting from new high performances cells to operational EV. The DEMOBASE EV will be then evaluated on tracks.