AVANGARD aims to the conceptual transformation of existing Production Systems of safe, secured, efficient, affordable urban fully electric vehicles. A flexible manufacturing environment based on a rapid and seamless reconfiguration of machinery and robots is the core of the project as a response to operational or business events.
To meet these macro objectives the research activities of AVANGARD are aiming at implementing a flexible, agile and lean low investment production environment.
To such a purpose, AVANGARD focuses on the deployment of three novel processing units into an existing Microfactory testbed conceived to produce urban electric vehicles.
The novel production modules 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.
Systems of mobility are fundamentally important to the health and sustainability of society. The movement of goods and people drives economies and greater interconnection. The supply chain and logistics systems have enabled rising prosperity and driven the success of digital commerce to rely heavily on advances in communication, automation, and transport.
In summary, the (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-bound) objectives are:
- Advance the current testbed concept for the flexible manufacturing of fully electric vehicles by adding the new 3 production modules
- Use digital technologies to radically rethink how components and systems can be manufactured allowing large savings in the necessary investment
- Apply rational Industry 4.0 concepts to flexible manufacture a variety of different vehicle concepts
- Demonstrate large energy and material savings in the proposed pilot aiming at an energy independent manufacturing plants
- Demonstrate the operation of the proposed pilot manufacturing working prototypes of 2-4 wheels Electric Vehicles and novel battery packs
- Apply the currently most advanced technologies to secure the manufacturing plants: for this purpose, quantum-based technologies will be applied
- Develop a cloud-based environment supported by blockchain technologies
- Develop business models and methodologies for collaborative manufacturing
