EU SMEs/mid-caps face clear barriers in the uptake of Additive Manufacturing (AM) related to lack of skilled human resources, and lack of access to know-how, equipment, infrastructure and markets. The principal objective of this project is to overcome those barriers and enable the uptake of AM technologies by SMEs/mid-caps leading to the development of innovative business and service models and new value-chain models in a fully digital environment – thus bringing their ideas and business cases to life and making their innovations Additively Manufacturable (AMable). To achieve this objective, partners with expertise right across the AM value chain have been brought together from the four corners of the EU to: - create an open-sourced-based, living and adapting AM eco-system which can offer required assistance to European SMEs/mid-caps and become self-sustainable after project execution; - provide all necessary assistance to SMEs/mid-caps allowing successful exploitation of AM, including 3 ‘competitive calls’ for experiments; - offer a comprehensive range of (at least 10) AM support services through an open source- and API-based digital marketplace structured as three Platforms (Technology, Business, and Skills and Education); - support and develop ‘best in class’ AM data handling tools and approaches, on an open-source basis.; - coordinate the development of synergies with the already existing I4MS framework, Competence Centres, Digital Innovation Hubs and other related research and innovation activities at the European level. Through these activities, the following direct impacts are anticipated: - >50 SME/mid-cap application experiments - >150 SME/mid-cap business case evaluations and/or Application Experiments - >500 people trained through AMable approved courses - >2,000 SMEs/mid-caps reached through training, roadshow and exhibition events - specific support for EU-13 countries, with >5 centres supported and coached

6 of the European carmakers (DAIMLER, VW, TME, CRF, VOLVO, Opel), under the coordination of EUCAR, have joined forces to commonly address the high cost issue of innovations in vehicle lightweighting, having identified it as the major bottleneck towards their implementation in vehicle series and mass production. The AffordabLe LIghtweight Automobiles AlliaNCE (ALLIANCE) has the ambition to develop novel advanced materials (steel, aluminium, hybrid) and production technologies, aiming at an average 25% weight reduction over 100k units/year, at costs of <3 €/kg. Additionally, ALLIANCE will develop a mass-optimizer software tool and a multi-parameter design optimisation methodology and process, aiming at an accelerated pre-assessment of technologies over existing designs in a holistic framework. ALLIANCE will work on 8 different demonstrators of real vehicle models, 6 of which will be physically tested, aiming at market application by OEMs within 6 years from project end (in 2025). A transferability and scalability methodology will also be developed for results replication across other vehicle components and models in other segments. ALLIANCE aims at becoming a central hub for innovation in lightweight design in Europe. To do so, it will establish an open inclusive framework towards external centres and clusters in this field, involving them in ALLIANCE development through an open lightweight design contest and dedicated workshops.