The competence necessary to address the project objectives is very wide. They must cover different disciplines, related to materials science (also exploring aspects of nano-technologies), material engineering, CAE modelling and multipurpose simulation techniques, testing strategies, smart structures design and development, controls methods and process engineering, machine tools design. The consortium has been consciously organised with a view to ensuring a good competence in all the covered fields and a balanced group of companies. Therefore the partnership includes partners with complementary industrial knowledge in all these areas. Overall the consortium is comprised of 8 partners across 5 European countries.

Cambridge University Engineering Department (CUED) and Fraunhofer-ISC, have a good deal of experience in material sciences especially in the field of research and development of smart materials (including smart actuators, smart sensor, MSAs, active fibres composite, smart fluids).

Prague Technical University (CTU) is specialised in materials development with new properties combinations, in materials testing/characterisation and life cycle analysis.

MS Composites, the composite materials manufacturer, has a lot of experience in design and development of light materials for a wide range of applications (machine tools, robotics, automotive, aeronautics, ...).

SEQUOIA develops advanced smart sensors and is specialised in control techniques for mechatronic applications.

The engineering company CESI will contribute by developing modelling techniques and virtual simulation methodologies of smart structures design, so its contribution is essential to support machine tool building during the development of their ultra-light machine prototypes.

FIDIA is the machine tool builder (high performance milling machine for dies and moulds machining) of the consortium that cover the three areas of validation/application of the project results.

The partners are:

1. Ce.S.I. Centro Studi Industriali, Italy
2. Cambridge University Engineering Department, UK
3. Fatronik, Spain
4. Fidia, Italy
5. Fraunhofer-ISC, Germany
6. MS Composites, France
7. Prague University, Czechoslovakia
8. Sequoia, Italy