The mention of certification and standards in the call for proposals prompted the project to create standardisation as a specific activity as part of the WP on dissemination and exploitation from the very start. Some of the project partners had prior expertise with standardising and engagement with relevant TCs. However, overall standardising knowledge was limited. As a result, Deutsches Institut Fuer Normung E.V. (DIN) was involved in the project as an SDO to aid, training and to connect with TC 261 on AM. DIN was also in charge of developing a standards landscape to better understand what standards exist and where gaps need to be filled. According to the interviewed partners, for researchers with little experience in standardisation, it may be difficult to understand what is going on. In this case, it is vital to listen to and learn from Standards Development Organizations (SDOs) like DIN. Furthermore, if a researcher does not deal with standardisation, he or she may not actively seek training in it. Learning in practice is thus frequently in the form of learning on the job while carrying out projects. Finally, knowing standardisation also means knowing the ecosystem of stakeholders involved.
Liaisons have been formed with three TC 261 WGs during project implementation. Project members are permitted to contribute to WG meetings and participate in joint WGs. In addition to communicating with TC 261, DIN has been asked to establish connections with ongoing projects relating to design and data exchange. The project participants also received standardisation training from DIN. One particular issue arose was intellectual property protection. On one hand, open approaches are required for standardisation; on the other hand, protection is required. In this scenario, it is not so much about patents as it is about software (copyright) protection and possibly trade secrets. Two areas for developing standardisation activities are being investigated where there are gaps in standards. The first is related to digital technology, and the second is laser cladding, for which there is currently no standard.
The project has yet to produce standardised results such as CEN Workshop Agreement (CWAs). On a more positive note, the activities have resulted in the formation of new relationships, which will be useful for future standardisation and project efforts. As a result, these liaisons can be deemed a good output, even though there is still a long way to go towards a standard. There is a desire among project participants to have the opportunity to prolong the project with Horizon funding to account for the differences in timelines between standardisation processes and funded research and to allow enough resources for standardisation activities.
The mention of certification and standards in the call for proposals prompted the project to create standardisation as a specific activity as part of the WP on dissemination and exploitation from the very start. Some of the project partners had prior expertise with standardising and engagement with relevant TCs. However, overall standardising knowledge was limited. As a result, Deutsches Institut Fuer Normung E.V. (DIN) was involved in the project as an SDO to aid, training and to connect with TC 261 on AM. DIN was also in charge of developing a standards landscape to better understand what standards exist and where gaps need to be filled. According to the interviewed partners, for researchers with little experience in standardisation, it may be difficult to understand what is going on. In this case, it is vital to listen to and learn from Standards Development Organizations (SDOs) like DIN. Furthermore, if a researcher does not deal with standardisation, he or she may not actively seek training in it. Learning in practice is thus frequently in the form of learning on the job while carrying out projects. Finally, knowing standardisation also means knowing the ecosystem of stakeholders involved.
Liaisons have been formed with three TC 261 WGs during project implementation. Project members are permitted to contribute to WG meetings and participate in joint WGs. In addition to communicating with TC 261, DIN has been asked to establish connections with ongoing projects relating to design and data exchange. The project participants also received standardisation training from DIN. One particular issue arose was intellectual property protection. On one hand, open approaches are required for standardisation; on the other hand, protection is required. In this scenario, it is not so much about patents as it is about software (copyright) protection and possibly trade secrets. Two areas for developing standardisation activities are being investigated where there are gaps in standards. The first is related to digital technology, and the second is laser cladding, for which there is currently no standard.
The project has yet to produce standardised results such as CEN Workshop Agreement (CWAs). On a more positive note, the activities have resulted in the formation of new relationships, which will be useful for future standardisation and project efforts. As a result, these liaisons can be deemed a good output, even though there is still a long way to go towards a standard. There is a desire among project participants to have the opportunity to prolong the project with Horizon funding to account for the differences in timelines between standardisation processes and funded research and to allow enough resources for standardisation activities.