MANTYS - Thematic Network on Manufacturing Technologies

The MANTYS Thematic Network promotes innovation in the field of manufacturing technologies, focusing on machineryand machine tools. It was supported by the European Commission Growth Programme. It provides a European platform that enables research and industrial participants to exchange views and research results in technology, socio-economic issues, sustainability and the quality of life in all aspects of manufacturing.

Launched in September 2001 at EMO Hanover, MANTYS brought together:

• over 20 European RTD laboratories and research institutes with eminent reputations in manufacturing technologies,

• a socio-economic task force composed of various experts from universities, private companies and machine tool builders' associations,

• an Industrial Advisory Committee representing the automotive, aerospace, mechanical and machine building sectors.

The MANTYS Thematic Network has established a framework in which 170 researchers and industrialists communicate and reach common view of technological progress and its opportunities, essentially via workshops, network meetings and an extranet tool. Potential synergies between different projects are made apparent and co-operation promoted, to enhance the creation of the European Research Area in manufacturing technologies. MANTYS was actually proved to be a very efficient communication platform at the launch of the 6th Framework Programme, by allowing researchers and EC officials to meet one another and discuss proposals for FP6 projects. The MANTYS+ Coordination Action, when financed by the European Commission, will go one step further and focus on accelerating the technology transfer of mature RTD results towards industrial applications.

At EMO Hannover 2005, the MANTYS Conference 'Machine Tools: Impact of the latest technologies and innovative business practices' was the opportunity to disseminate some of the core results of MANTYS. A CD-ROMof presentations and proceedings is available at CECIMO upon request (50€).

The activities of MANTYS were organised around three pillars:

• "Technology Watch" in 5 technological areas ("Reliability, Process monitoring & Control"; "Agility - Flexibility"; "Process ECO-Efficiency"; "Precision Engineering"; "Virtual Manufacturing")

• "Understanding the Socio-Economic Aspects" of the machine tool business

• The "Foresight Exercises" which looked into the future of manufacturing technologies ("Technology Roadmaps"; "New Business Models"; etc.

These three pillars are described in depth in the "Activities" section of this website. All public results of MANTYS can be downloaded in the "Papers / Publications".

MANTYS is generating insight into the mechanisms that relate technological innovation to socio-economic factors. Building on this, it will identify realistic scenarios based on likely technological and socio-economical developments. These will be used to assess strategic impact. Also, "Technology Road Maps" will be produced, preparing decision makers to orient their activities and to adapt to change.

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