20 April 2024
- The project, funded by the European Commission with 3.67 million euros, involves a consortium of 10 entities from 5 European countries.
- DISCMAM will develop a secure digital platform for the repair and spare parts using metal additive manufacturing.
The DISCMAM project has officially kicked off with its ambitious plan to evolve the digital supply chain dedicated to on-site maintenance of military operations. This initiative, supported by the European Commission and funded with 3.67 million euros over three years through the European Defence Fund, aims to shape the future of defence logistics.
At the project launch event held on January 17th at the facilities of the technological centre LORTEK located in Gipuzkoa Spain, the project coordinator, presented its innovative approach centred around metal additive manufacturing. This reliable digital method seeks to enhance efficiency in military maintenance by enabling the repair and manufacturing of spare parts on-site.
DISCMAM aims to establish a robust digital method for repairing and manufacturing spare parts using additive manufacturing technologies. In the words of Dr Juan Carlos Pereira, project coordinator and Senior Researcher in Metal Additive Manufacturing at LORTEK:
“DISCMAM proposes the possibility of establishing a secure digital path for remote support of military operations, applied on site to the necessary maintenance operations of land, air and naval systems. The focus will be on the use of metal additive manufacturing for the repair and replacement of parts where they are needed and demanded”.
The project brings together the expertise of 10 European entities: LORTEK, INNOTEC SYSTEM, OPTIMUS 3D, and ZABALA INNOVATION in Spain, ADAXIS in France, CENSEC, EULER3D APS, TEKNOLOGISK INSTITUT in Denmark, FIELDMADE in Norway, and TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT EINDHOVEN in the Netherlands.
In addition to the proposed improvements, the DISCMAM project not only seeks to advance significantly in the digital supply chain for on-site maintenance in defence but also aims to strengthen the capabilities of the European defence sector against constantly evolving challenges.
In this regard, the initiative is expected to streamline the repair process, as well as to reinforce autonomy in military operations and create a reliable digital supply chain capable of efficiently and safely repairing and manufacturing spare parts. European collaboration between entities involved in the project will contribute to ensuring the different points of view, experience and multidisciplinary teams, enriching the project and preparing it for future applications in defence.
