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Fourth MARS General Assembly in Aachen (MTI RWTH Aachen)

Group Photo MTI Aachen 2024
News December 10, 2024

MARS Consortium’s Fourth General Assembly in Aachen: A Productive Meeting with a Festive Touch

From 3rd to 5th December 2024, the MARS Consortium held its fourth General Assembly in Aachen at the premises of our partner organization The Manufacturing Technology Institute (MTI) of RWTH Aachen University —an important milestone as the project moves into the second half of its timeline.

Launched in January 2022, MARS (Manufacturing Architecture for Resilience and Sustainability) has dedicated its efforts to advancing innovative technologies that reshape Europe’s manufacturing sector. With just under two years remaining, this meeting was essential to ensure that all partners remain aligned, committed, and fully prepared for the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Bringing the MARS consortium closer together

The assembly took place in Aachen, Germany, a city steeped in history and brimming with seasonal charm. While the consortium spent a significant portion of the meeting reviewing progress, coordinating upcoming tasks, and planning next steps, the timing of the gathering allowed everyone to embrace the festive atmosphere.

Some impressions of the colorful Christmas Market in Aachen, with lots of lights and giant gingerbread decoration and mulled wine.

The MARS consortium met the evening before the first day of project meeting to drink some cups of mulled wine at Aachen’s renowned Christmas market that was just around the corner. This provided a welcoming backdrop, blending high-level technical discussions with moments of cultural appreciation. The food during the networking, was served gradually and thoughtfully, ensuring that dinner wasn’t just a necessity, but an opportunity. This allowed partners to engage in deeper conversations, exchange personal stories, and reinforce professional bonds. By the end of the evening, the consortium emerged not only well-fed, but also closer as a team—unified by shared aspirations and a renewed sense of team spirit.

Photo collage of three photos: 1. Four men standing in a room with white tables and chairs. From left to right: A man with glasses, black hair and grey-white short beard wearing a grey costume and a black sweather. Next to him a man in blue blouse and dark blue costume and short brown hair with a white paper in his hands. The man next to him is a little smaller with short brown hair and brown beard and wearing light blue blouse and dark blue costume with a brown belt. Last man is wearing glasses and has short white hair and wearing a darker blue costume with a tie and white blouse. 2. A man with a remote in his hand, facing to a projected presentation "Blockchain in a nutshell". He has long hair tied back and a black shirt on. Behind him is a laptop on a podium. 3. A man standing on a podium with a grey sweater and his hands on the laptop. He is looking to a group sitting in front of him, listening to him.

From Charlemagne’s capital to a modern European hub

A highlight of the General Assembly was a guided city tour that offered consortium partners a deeper look at Aachen’s historic and cultural significance. The city’s rich heritage, dating back to the era of Charlemagne, is on display at every turn:

  • Aachen Cathedral: A UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Europe’s oldest cathedrals, it has long been a place of pilgrimage. Visitors passing through its entrance see two statues that guard this sacred space, a reminder of the city’s revered status in European religious and cultural history.
  • Aachen City Hall: For over 600 years, this venue stood at the heart of regal ceremonies as Aachen served as a coronation place for Holy Roman Emperors. Within its walls lies a council room and remnants of a historic marketplace, once bustling with trade and commerce, symbolising a legacy of exchange and cooperation.
  • Thermal Springs and Local Traditions: Aachen’s famed fountains tap into thermal waters, reflecting the city’s longstanding status as a spa town. Over centuries, these sources have drawn visitors seeking relaxation and healing.
  • Aachner “Printen”: On a more indulgent note, Aachen’s iconic “Printen” gingerbread biscuits highlight the region’s culinary craftsmanship—sweet reminders of the city’s unique local traditions and artisanal heritage.
Photo collage of three photos: 1. Church entrance with red-brown bricks and two lights on the left and right side of the entrance door. 2. Three men standing around a miniature sculpture of a cathedral. One man with a grey scarf and black jacket explaining the sculpture. The other two wear glasses and has their arm crossed and their eyes on the sculpture. 3. A man in the middle surrounded by a group of people explaining something (hand gesture). Behind him stands a Christmas tree with lights.

This city tour wasn’t just a stroll through history; it offered valuable context for the consortium. Much like Aachen’s ability to evolve over centuries—from Charlemagne’s capital to a modern European hub—MARS is working to future-proof the continent’s manufacturing sector through resilience, innovation, and sustainability.

Visiting the MTI laboratory at RWTH Aachen

No MARS General Assembly would be complete without exploring the technological cutting edge. The Manufacturing Technology Institute (MTI)  team organised a brief tour of their laboratories, offering the consortium partners an insider’s look at the research and development that underpin the project’s objectives. They showcased:

  • Grinding Technology: Demonstrating precision and quality control improvements essential for advanced manufacturing processes.
  • Copper Industry Applications: Presenting how specialized key production benefit from new methods and technologies, ensuring that even traditional materials find a place in the manufacturing landscape of tomorrow.
  • Cutting Technology: Introducing refined cutting processes that enhance efficiency, accuracy, and sustainability, aligning with MARS’s overarching mission.
Photo collage of three photos: 1. A man in a white blouse and grey costume and glasses pointing to a machine and explaining. Two men watching his gesture. 2. A group of people following a man in black jacket and green-grey back and brown hair and beard. One woman in a green jacket and violet backpack and a man with a blue scarf and grey jacket, a man in a black jacket from behind. They are all standing in an industrial laboratory with a lots of machines and gadgets. 3. A group of people standing on a terace while one of the group is pointing with his hands towards downstairs where there are a few machines lined up and two persons sitting at a table on computers.

This visit reinforced the consortium’s understanding of the tangible R&D efforts driving MARS forward. It provided a sense of progress and possibility—precisely the inspiration needed as the project enters a critical phase. While refining the technical details remained a priority, the consortium also took the crucial step of exploring business models that could bring MARS solutions to market sustainably. Ensuring the project’s outcomes are economically viable and appealing to future stakeholders is essential for MARS to achieve lasting impact.

Moving into the Second Half with Confidence

Over the three days, the MARS partners engaged in intensive dialogue to review what had been achieved in the first two years and to map out the path for the remainder of the project. The discussions confirmed that while significant progress has already been made, much work lies ahead.

As the year draws to a close, the MARS project stands at a pivotal midpoint. The Aachen meeting—enriched by the city’s heritage, holiday cheer, and cutting-edge demonstrations at MTI—has set a positive, forward-looking tone. The consortium leaves with renewed determination, ready to tackle the challenges of the next phase and bring its vision of a more resilient, sustainable European manufacturing landscape ever closer to reality.