May 10, 2017
The overall goal set for the DIMECC Breakthrough Steels and Applications program (2014-2017) was to enable a renewal of the Finnish metal and engineering industries through major improvements in their offerings and global competitiveness brought about by the intelligent use of novel advanced steel products. The program was built around the entire steel value chain. Altogether, 31 companies in the metals and engineering industry, steel producers and foundries, as well as 7 research organizations with high-level international partners participated in the program. The final report presents the research results and impact of the DIMECC BSA program.
Steel is and will continue to be one of the main building blocks of sustainable society. At the moment, Finland is among world innovation leaders in novel steel technologies and products. Operating in a rapidly changing global market requires new thinking and new kind of risk taking capabilities. The climate challenge, ever-increasing demand for cost and resource efficiency, and new and harsher application environments call for innovative business solutions based on new materials and material combinations.
The DIMECC BSA program drived the development and the intelligent use of novel advanced steel products in key applications. Key emphasis was on the applications concerned are central to the Finnish engineering industry: 1) offshore and marine, 2) arctic structures, 3) power generation, 4) mining and mineral processing, 5) lifting, handling, and transport, 6) waste recycling, 7) bioenergy, and 8) processing industry. Many of these areas have been identified as emerging technologies with a huge future business potential.
The industry-led BSA program have concentrated on creating new capabilities in chosen areas, based on specific industry needs. The program has developed, for example, optimal corrosion- and high-temperature-resistant material solutions for new industrial processes and applications, such as renewable energy, bioprocesses, and water management. The program has also established a solid scientific and experimental basis, including fabrication, welding, fatigue, and long-term performance, to change the current design rules and enable practical implementation of highly energy- and material-efficient structures in these applications.
The final report illustrates the great results, from scientific novelties to market-ready products, achieved in the DIMECC BSA program!
