On December 1, 2023, the first annual XaRFA 2 MaRKET Day, led by CIM UPC, was held at DFactory Barcelona.
The event, with the title Challenges and opportunities in the world of 3D printing, it was a day of meeting between supply and demand; a space to create a bridge between companies, which have specific problems and needs, with research centers and technology centers, which can provide the solutions.
The attendance was successful, with a strong turnout participation of companies (40% of attendees), researchers, entrepreneurs, public organizations and leading actors of the sector of indústry, the health and the construction of Catalonia.
Oscar Alonso, AM & 3D Printing Manager at Leitat, started the event by presenting the activity of the Leitat Technology Center and the technological capabilities of DFactory Barcelona.
The first part of the day was structured around a presentation and three thematic round tables:
The presentation revolved around the challenges and trends of the 3D printing market and was given by Mariel Díaz, a leading entrepreneur and expert in additive manufacturing.
The first round table generated a debate focused on the current frontiers of the implementation of additive manufacturing in the health sector, moderated by Felip Fenollosa, PhD, Director of Strategic R+D+I of CIM UPC, and with the participation of the Blood and Tissue Bank and Avinent.
The second round table discussed the emerging opportunities in the transfer of additive manufacturing technology through the Industry ecosystem of Catalonia, with the moderation of Roger Uceda, Director of Transfer and Valorization of CIM UPC, and the participation of representatives of companies such as Seat, Elix polymers and GPA innova.
Finally, the third round table, moderated by theArnau Cumelles, COO ofAridditive and with the participation ofAdditive Spaces, Alsina, Smart Engineering and Concrete Sustainability and Smart Structures, it was debated how to innovate towards KET technologies and guide applied research to face the challenges of the construction sector for the optimization of production and sustainable transformation.
The second part of the day was led by Roger Uceda and focused on the results of the first year of the XaRFA, which in the first stage focused on creating the work team, getting to know first-hand all the groups that make up the network, as well as communication activities.
In a second stage, work began to support the maturation of the Business Readiness Level of the technologies identified in the XaRFA groups, with the aim of transferring them to the market. In this sense, the creation of two technology-based companies participated by network entities in the field of 3D printing.
Finally, it was possible to take a guided tour of the IAM3DHUB and facilities and exhibition, as a closing of the event, of a picnic and networking space.
This event, organized by the XaRFA -coordinated by CIM UPC– in collaboration with Leitat, it was not only a way to bring together the different actors of the additive manufacturing ecosystem in Catalonia, but above all an opportunity to jointly cultivate strategies to address the challenges presented and advance the technology, the market and society.
Thank you to all the attendees, participants and members of the organizing team for making this the first XaRFA 2 MaRKET 2023 Conference, a day of reference that will set a precedent in the future of XaRFA and innovation, valorization and technological transfer to the fabric of R+D+I.
The video summary of this first JX2M 2023 Edition is available on our YouTube channel.