CRM_InnoNet publishes two more Roadmaps for Public Consultation on Substitution

The CRM_InnoNet FP7 project has just published two more Roadmaps for public consultation on Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) Substitution. These new draft roadmaps cover two themes: Photonics including High-end Optics; Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) and Electronic Components. The consultation is open until 17 April 2015.

The two new road maps complete the set of five roadmaps for consultation on Substitution of Critical Raw Materials (CRMs). The roadmaps cover areas that CRM_InnoNet considers most likely under threat from CRM related supply bottlenecks. These are:

• Electric Motor & Drives
• Batteries & Accumulators
• High-value Alloys
• Photonics including High-end Optics
• Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) and Electronic Components

These roadmaps have been elaborated in consultation with external experts capturing options and timelines for substituting critical raw materials up to the year 2030. 

The first three themes above (Electric motors and drives, batteries and accumulators, and high-value alloys) were subject to consultation earlier in the year. The consultation on the two new roadmap drafts can be accessed via the CRM_InnoNet website. 

The closing date for feedback is 17 April 2015. If you have any questions on the consultation process, please contact the CRM_InnoNet secretariat.

What is the CRM_InnoNet Innovation Network?

The CRM_InnoNet Innovation Network is a proactive and dynamic network of key stakeholders from industry, academia and other organisations interested in the substitution of critical raw materials. The network provides an identity and focus for researchers and businesses with an interest in substitution, drawing together a community which contains representatives from different disciplines and sectors together with a focus on substitution for the first time.

Sustainable Chemistry, Smart Industry and #Digital4EU

Today (24 February) the #Digital4EU stakeholder forum is taking place in Brussels. This one-day event organised by the European Commission includes four main workshops including one on Smart Industry. Sustainable chemistry has a major role to play in supporting the digital agenda in Europe.

ICT and digital innovation is an important technology area for the chemical industry. For decades the chemical industry has made extensive use of ICT systems throughout its value chain, from logistics, to modelling, design, control, monitoring and repair. In addition, the chemical industry is a key provider of materials and technologies that form the basis for many ICT and digital solutions.

Smart Chemical Processes
Within the total chemical industry value chain from product design to delivery to the customer, ICT plays a key role. ICT is key to a successful, efficient and competitive industry.

As chemical products, process and plants become ever more complex and resource usage and performance requirements become tougher, ICT can deliver a large portion of the innovation needed to keep the European chemical industry competitive on the global stage.

Process Control is a critical factor for sustainability in the production process. Advanced process methods allow production units to run at optimal operating points under appropriate constraints. Monitoring is a related area of importance for the process industry where improved digital modelling can contribute to increased plant availability, reduced costs and improved product quality.

Modelling for innovation is also a key topic. ICT-enabled innovation can significantly reduce (20-40%) time lines for product and process developments and save costs. Overall ICT technologies can enable increased resource efficiency, will enable new process and product capabilities, and strengthen the chemical industry and European competitiveness.

Smart Materials for smart industry
Sustainable chemistry is all about developing ‘Smart materials’ – materials that will enable the development of important ICT such as nanoelectronics and haptic devices. Sustainable chemistry also provides the specialty polymers and other materials that will be required for new 3D printing technologies to produce components with demanding specifications.

Sustainable chemistry is looking to develop polymers that enable nano-structured self-organisation for use as templates to support advanced nano-lithography or other nanoelectronic fabrication techniques for the fast prototyping and production of complex electronic devices. Such advanced fabrication techniques can reduce development time for microelectronic devices and boost the capability and competitiveness of the European ICT sector.

Polymers and polymer-based ink formulations are also essential for printed fabrication techniques, such as roll-to-roll lithography that allow mass production of low-cost microelectronic circuits for a wide range of applications including RFID tags, flexible displays and OLED lighting.

Future chemical developments include improved conductive polymers, piezoelectric and electro-active polymers that can inspire new and emerging end-use applications including wearable electronics.

Additive manufacturing aka 3D printing
3D printing will change the way society manufactures and its development heralds an era of mass-customisation. 3D printing or Additive Manufacturing produces a three-dimensional object from an electronic data set through an additive process making material layers in successive steps under computer control – truly digital manufacturing.

The global market for materials and services for 3D printing (excluding printer equipment) was estimated to be US$ 1.8 billion in 2013 and is projected to grow to US$ 10.8 billion by 2018.

The ability to produce small lot sizes and highly specialised added value products makes 3D printing technology a key technology for the next generation of industry: Industry 4.0. Innovation and pre-industrialisation, competitive small series production, improved time-to-market, custom made parts for personalised products, manufacturing of complex structures and geometries are all drivers for the development of additive manufacturing technologies. 3D printing also contributes to lower energy and resource use.

Polymers with appropriate end-use performances and adapted to specific 3D printing technologies are needed along with suitable metallic or ceramic materials. The European chemical industry already delivers many of these materials, but research is needed to widen the range of materials and mechanical properties of polymers available for 3D printing. Development of new electrically and thermally conductive materials will provide new opportunities for the development of additive manufacturing. Solutions to improve the surface finish of manufactured parts are also required.

Sustainable chemistry is key
Additive manufacturing is a key technology for fostering the European innovation and manufacturing industries. And its full development requires key inputs from sustainable chemistry.

Digital technologies, such as 3D printing technologies, can reduce the gap between innovation and manufacturing, stimulate the renewal of European manufacturing industry and boost industrial research and design opportunities too.

CRM Workshop at SEMICON Europa

The CRM_InnoNet project is holding a workshop at Europe’s biggest industrial event for the semiconductor and microelectronics sector: SEMICON. The workshop entitled ‘Critical Raw Materials – Importance for European Electronics Industry’ is being held on 6 October at the beginning of SEMICON Europa 2014 in Grenoble, France.

The electronics sector is an area that is vulnerable to supply issues for a number of critical raw materials (CRM) that are essential for the manufacture of the electronic products that are now characteristic of modern society.

In early 2014 CRM-InnoNet published a draft study that sought to identify applications in the ICT and electronics sector which are CRM dependent and are important to the European economy. The report can be downloaded from the project website.

The objectives of the CRM_InnoNet workshop in Grenoble are to:

• Highlight threats and opportunities related to availability of raw materials in the ICT and electronics sector
• Present a value chain analysis for key applications or the ICT and electronics sectors to identify critical raw material bottlenecks
• Discuss development of a European roadmap for substitution of critical raw materials in electronic components, and 
• Develop policy recommendations relating to substitution of critical raw materials for the sector

At the workshop Antonia Morales of Cefic will first define what makes a material critical, before the CRM_InnoNet project is described by Susanne Coles of the UK's Knowledge Transfer Network. Then David Peck of TU Delft and David Gardner of C-Tech Innovation will lead an interactive exercise on ‘Critical materials in the ICT sector’.

After coffee John Bachér of VTT will outline our current analysis of the supply chain in the ICT sector before the draft European Roadmaps for Substitution of Critical Raw Materials in the electronics and photonics sectors is described. This will be followed by a discussion on policy recommendations and a wrap up and closing session.

Registration
You can download a flyer for the workshop. The event is open to stakeholders from all parts of the electronics value chain with an interest in critical raw materials. To register today click here!

Once you have registered for this workshop, you must also register on the SEMICON Europa website as a visitor in order to gain access to the venue on the day.

Registration is free and funding may be available to support travel costs for SME participants. For more information contact the CRM_InnoNet secretariat.

SEMICON 2014
If you are also interested in the latest advances in semiconductors and microelectronics then you may wish to extend your stay in Grenoble to attend the SEMICON meeting on 7 to 9 October.

The SEMICON Europa technology and business programme addresses the critical issues and challenges facing the microelectronics industries today and provides information, education, and guidance to boost innovation in the sector and speed products to market. In 2013 over 4000 industry experts, professionals and executives attended the event making SEMICON the biggest microelectronics industry event in Europe.

What is CRM_InnoNet?
The project is a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) funded under the European Commission’s FP7 programme that is creating an integrated community to drive innovation in the field of critical raw material substitution for the benefit of EU industry by:

• Mapping critical raw material substitution options and policy initiatives
• Developing a methodology for the prioritisation of applications which are under ‘threat’ and identifying opportunities
• Elaborating a roadmap for the substitution of critical raw materials
• Creating an Innovation Network as a dynamic, open and proactive platform for the entire stakeholder community
• Preparing recommendations on future initiative ideas and suggested actions for policy makers

The European Innovation Partnership (EIP) on Raw Materials aims to play a major role in securing a sustainable supply of raw materials for Europe and has set itself an ambitious list of targets to achieve by 2020. CRM_InnoNet’s goals complement those of the EIP on Raw Materials and the project will seek to align its outputs with those of the EIP.

The CRM_InnoNet consortium is comprised of recognised and experienced key actors across the value chain of substitution of CRM representing academic, research and industry bodies of relevant sectors that will ensure a wide European coverage and high potential to engage other necessary players across the European Research Area (ERA).