THE ADVANCE MANUFACTURING RESEARCH CENTER ON AERONAUTICS: A CASE STUDY OF THE UNIVERSITY & INDUSTRY COOPERATION

The Advanced Manufacturing Center on Aeronautics (CFAA from the Spanish acronym) (https://www.ehu.eus/en/web/CFAA) is a public-private initiative for the development of manufacturing projects with very direct short-term application for companies. Promoted by the Basque Government and the Bizkaia Council, together with a group of companies in the aeronautic sector, the CFAA seeks to be an international reference in aeronautical manufacturing research and development activities. The University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU is the technological agent that hosts and manages the Center with the aim of focusing on training and research activities in cooperation with the different gents of the CFAA. The group of companies involves more than 70 companies in the aeronautical sector, including suppliers, machine-tool builders, technology providers in the field of industry 4.0 context, etc. being its diverse typology (from large companies to micro-SMEs). The main objective of the CFAA is to develop projects focused on manufacturing technologies with Technology Readiness Level TRL 6-7 levels, which need machines and processes of similar size and capabilities to the real ones. In order to achieve this goal, the Center promote the synergies that may occur between the University, companies and institutions, for the development of R&D activity and high-level training, aimed at exploiting technologies of interest to the industry and to develop scientific-technological capabilities in the field of advanced manufacturing.