EU project SIRAMM: Establishing cutting-edge research into technologies for additive manufacturing

A consortium of five partners set out to improve the quality and efficiency of 3D printing for industrial production. The cross-border cooperation of the EU-funded SIRAMM project produced numerous scientific papers and provided a new generation of researchers with crucial skills. This will enable more reliable and safer 3D printed products.

“We were able to pool our collective expertise in experimental, theoretical and numerical modeling to address key challenges in additive manufacturing,” explains Liviu Marșavina, Vice-Rector for Research at Timisoara Polytechnic in Romania and SIRAMM coordinator. “The project results provide valuable insights and in-depth knowledge for more reliable and safer 3D products made in Europe.”

Additive manufacturing, which is used particularly in the aerospace, biomedical and automotive sectors, faces the challenge of deepening the understanding of the relationship between material selection and the mechanical properties of the end products. The SIRAMM project has identified this gap and is working to develop solutions through experimental, theoretical and numerical modeling.

The results of the project are impressive: over 53 scientific publications have been published, with a publication in the journal “Engineering Fracture Mechanics” receiving particular attention. In addition, the project has had a lasting impact on early career research, with hundreds of young researchers participating in workshops, conferences and seminars, and 11 PhD students completing exchange visits at partner institutions.

Commitment to education is also at the heart of the SIRAMM project. The first course on “Theory and Applications of Additive Manufacturing Materials” was introduced at Timisoara Polytechnic in Romania, underlining the growing interest in this technology. Similar courses are now also being offered at partner universities.

The future of the SIRAMM project looks promising, with plans to expand research into predicting the integrity and longevity of composite parts from additive manufacturing and exploring advanced methods such as artificial intelligence and recycling processes for 3D printed parts. These efforts emphasize the importance of the circular economy in additive manufacturing and show the potential for further innovation that will pave the way to a more sustainable future.