Phabulous

Pilot-line providing highly advanced & robust manufacturing technology for optical free-form micro-structures

The urgent need to provide miniaturized optical components is at the origin of the exponential growth of the microoptics market over the last decade, with an increasing need for free-form micro-optics to address the challenges set by the photonics market for the five to ten years to come. The industrial demand for free form microlens arrays (FMLAs) is a current market reality. However, the high access barriers to pre-commercial production capabilities in Europe prevent companies, especially SMEs, from commercially exploiting the FMLA technology. Aim of the project is to set up a self-sustainable pilot-line for the design and manufacturing of FMLAs solutions and their integration into high added-value products.

The consortium translates urgent and high-impact industrial needs into industrially relevant predictive software packages, manufacturing tools and processes, characterization methods for in- and off-line quality inspection, and integration schemes, all necessary for the successful demonstration in pre-commercial production runs. The objective of the project is 1) to mature the FMLAs manufacturing processes and functionalities from the current technology readiness level TRL 5 to TRL 7 and increase the overall manufacturing readiness level of the pilot line from MRL 5 -6 up to MRL 8-9 by adaptation of predictive algorithms into simulation packages, optimization of different ultraprecision micro-machining technologies for the origination of high-quality FMLAs, optimization of high-throughput UV imprint technologies, integration of a surface coating technique portfolio, optimization of the metrology procedure; 2) to implement six industrial use-cases demonstrating pilot manufacturing in their operational environment; 3) to establish an open-access, sustainable, distributed pilot line infrastructure with single entry point; 4) to validate the pilot line services through the implementation of 20 industrial pilot cases.

AMIRES was involved in the project’s preparatory phase and in the negotiations. AMIRES assists CSEM in the project management and coordination role.

• Partners:
  • CENTRE SUISSE D’ELECTRONIQUE ET DE MICROTECHNIQUE SA -RECHERCHE ET DEVELOPPEMENT, Switzerland
  • JOANNEUM RESEARCH FORSCHUNGSGESELLSCHAFT MBH, Austria
  • Teknologian tutkimuskeskus VTT Oy, Finland
  • FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V., Germany
  • COMMISSARIAT A L ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES, France
  • SUSS MICROOPTICS SA, Switzerland
  • MORPHOTONICS BV, Netherlands
  • Nanocomp Oy Ltd, Finland
  • WIELANDTS ULTRA PRECISION MACHINING TECHNOLOGIES, Belgium
  • LASER ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS SA, Belgium
  • POWERPHOTONIC LIMITED, United Kingdom
  • LIMBAK 4PI SL, Spain
  • MICROOLED SARL, France
  • SEISENBACHER GMBH, Austria
  • D. SWAROVSKI KG, Austria
  • HELLA GMBH & CO KGAA, Germany
  • ZUMTOBEL LIGHTING GMBH, Austria
  • EUROPEAN PHOTONICS INDUSTRY CONSORTIUM, France
  • AMIRES, The business innovation management institute, z.u., Czech Republic

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 871710, project PHABULOuS.