Advanced manufacturing solutions tightly aligned with business needs
The AVANGARD project addresses the integration of three novel processing units into an existing Microfactory test bed conceived to produce urban electric vehicles. The units 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.

The proposed innovations target urban mobility where we are entering an era of rapid transformation and disruption which are also challenging traditional paradigms on manufacturing and business models characterized by an unprecedented speed, scale and scope of technological change.
The project will prepare the environment for novel forms of collaborative distributed manufacturing amongst different EU regions. Innovative value chains will be pursued to overcome the scale (giga) and speed being established in planned economies (China) with market development controlled by the governments attitudes, targets and policy tools.

To manage the IPRs and the supply chain, AVANGARD will implement a hybrid public-private Blockchain  platform where the public chain increases security through distributed consensus and validation and the private sidechain increases speed while keeping sensible data stored in the facilities of partners. The platform will allow auditability of sources, traceability, verification of sources, still with private control of documentation and compliance to data retention policies. 

The theme of Blockchain-powered manufacturing is relatively new. AVANGARD will address it with Ideas Forward PC, an SME that runs specialized BC tech commercialization projects.