The way forward

The activities of the PPP FoF concentrate on increasing the technological base of European manufacturing. The focus is on the development and integration of enabling technologies, such as engineering technologies, ICT, and advanced materials for adaptable machines and industrial processes. The activities of the initiative are defined on the basis of the medium and shorter term R&D and innovation needs of the industry and in particular SMEs. Demonstration of newly-developed industrial technologies, ICT and materials improve the competitiveness of the companies. This initiative is expected to deliver in particular:

• A new European model of production systems for the factories of the future (e.g. transformable factories, networked factories, learning factories) depending on different drivers such as high performance, high customisation, environmental friendliness, high efficiency of resources, human potential and knowledge creation.
• ICT-based production systems and high quality manufacturing technologies capable of optimising their performance with a high degree of autonomy and adaptability for a balanced combination of high throughput and high accuracy production.
• Sustainable manufacturing tools, methodologies and processes that have the capability of cost-efficiently shaping, handling and assembling products composed of complex and novel materials.