Acronym: DEEPWELD

Project Title: Deep-tech driven inclusive and socially-aware circular material joining & welding

Duration: 12 months (01/01/2025 - 31/12/2025)

Description: 

In Europe, the construction sector has witnessed incidents where the integrity of materials, including those involving recycled metals, came under scrutiny. Similarly, the automotive industry in Europe, renowned for its stringent safety and quality standards, is not immune to the challenges posed by recycled materials. Recycled metals & advanced materials used in car parts must undergo thorough testing to meet the high standards required for safety and performance. Failures in critical components such as brake lines, steering mechanisms, or structural frames due to substandard materials can have dire consequences. Statistical data on accidents specifically attributed to the use of recycled metals in Europe is sparse, as incidents are often reported and analysed under broader categories such as material failure, defects, or manufacturing flaws. European Union regulations and standards, such as the Eurocodes for construction and automotive , are designed to ensure the safety and reliability of all materials, including recycled ones, used in critical applications. These regulations mandate rigorous testing and certification processes that recycled materials must pass to be deemed safe for use. Deep tech applications (i.e. automated AI-based inspection and advanced materials) are the key enabler of the future of circular material welding globally.

DEEPWELD aims to develop an upskilling programme at higher education (HEI) & tertiary vocational education (VET) level on deep-tech enabled circular material welding (CMW) techniques. Given the current severe shortage of workers in the industry, there is an urgent need for a solution to expedite the training process without compromising on the essential fundamentals. This is crucial because VET and HEI learners must have a deep understanding of what works in various situations and why it works, rather than simply learning a set of isolated skills and immediately starting work.

Objectives: The aim is for learners and professionals to follow established procedures while also comprehending the underlying reasons for the procedures' effectiveness. The development of a comprehensive training toolkit and a micro-credential system for welding courses supports the call's potential priorities related to education and skill development by contributing to the continuous development of digital skills, environmental awareness, job awareness and entrepreneurial abilities among participants.

DEEPWELD aims to:

• Develop an innovative cross-disciplinary and cross-sectoral deep-tech enabled CMW education course (ECTS and ECVET compliant) for HEI, VET learners and industry employees, that prioritise high resistance and quality when working with circular materials to facilitate circular economy practi
• Develop a deep tech-enabled & inclusive human-machine interaction toolkit for trainers in CMW (as a support to the CMW Course) by integrating robotics and assistive technologies to enhance safety and security of learners/workers with disabilities that with to get upskilled and work in CMW. The goal is not only to revolutionise the way welding is performed, including remote and automated welding systems but also to create opportunities for the employment of individuals with disabilities and supporting them in CMW operati

For further information, please visit the DEEPWELD website (https://deepweld.eu/).

HIT key role and responsibilities: CERTH/HIT is the lead partner of the DEEPWELD project and has undertaken actions related to the coordination of the technical, financial and administrative implementation activities of the project, as well as the overview of the development activities of the CMW training program. More specifically, CERTH/HIT is the leader of Work Package 1 “Project Management” and Work Package 2 “CMW Course content development”.

Contact persons:

Dr. Afroditi Anagnostopoulou

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 +30 212 1069 828

Dr. Vassileios Kappatos

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+30 2310 498 486

EIT Manufacturing is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union