
The MICS project – Made in Italy Circolare e Sostenibile – was developed within Mission 4 "Education and Research" of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR).
The initiative aims to foster the creation and consolidation of innovation ecosystems on a national scale, by strengthening collaborations between universities, research centers, and companies.
MICS focuses specifically on enhancing and sustainably transforming the Italian manufacturing excellence, promoting circularity, eco-design, digitalization, and the ecological transition of industrial processes.
The partnership brings together 24 universities, 9 public research organizations, and over 30 industrial and institutional partners, coordinated by the Politecnico di Milano, to address the technological and environmental challenges of strategic Made in Italy supply chains, including:
- Fashion and textile system
- Furniture and design
- Automation and mechatronics
- Digital and sustainable manufacturing
The MICS project is funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) through the PNRR NextGenerationEU funds, Mission 4 Component 2, Investment Line 1.3, with a total budget of €114,500,000.3 entirely allocated to research support.
The project is scheduled to last 36 months, starting in 2023 and ending in 2026.
MICS aims to develop enabling technologies for sustainable Made in Italy, fostering the ecological transition of companies through the integration of digital solutions and innovative materials, and creating collaborative ecosystems among universities, research centers, and industry.
The Camozzi Group is involved in three of the eight thematic areas, called “Spokes”, whose projects range from robotics to mechatronics, to advanced materials and implementations based on additive manufacturing of future components, and aim to have sustainability outcomes, for example in terms of Reduction in the use of raw materials, use of sustainable materials, zero-waste additive manufacturing solutions, reduction in energy consumption and improvement of health and safety for operators.
SPOKE 4 “Smart and sustainable materials for circular and augmented industrial products and processes”
Spoke 4.7 – ROOTS: gReen sOft rOboTicS
PROJECT LEADER
Prof. Antonio Lanzotti
START DATE
March 2023
END DATE
February 2026
LEAD INSTITUTION
Università degli studi di Napoli Federico II
PARTNERS
- Università degli Studi di Brescia
- Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna
- Camozzi Group S.p.A. (Camozzi Automation, Camozzi Research Center)
Spoke OBJECTIVE:
To develop sustainable soft robots, integrating recyclable design and materials, eco-efficient pneumatic actuation, and digital twin for structural simulation.
The objective is to develop a new generation of soft and sustainable robots with integrated sensors and actuators, prioritizing recyclability, energy efficiency, and applications that enhance Made in Italy sectors like manufacturing and fashion through safe human-robot interaction.
Camozzi Group’s Role:
- Development of eco-efficient pneumatic actuators
- Sustainable design and sensor integration for soft robotics
SPOKE 6: “Additive manufacturing as a disruptive factor of the Twin Transition”
Spoke 6.7 – Innovative polymers and polymer-based composites for additive manufacturing
PROJECT LEADER
Prof. Massimo Messori
START DATE
January 2023
END DATE
December 2025
PROPOSER
Politecnico di Torino
PARTNERS
- Politecnico di Milano
- Politecnico di Bari
- Università La Sapienza di Roma
- Università degli Studi di Palermo
- Università degli Studi di Padova
- Università degli studi di Napoli Federico II
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
- Camozzi Group S.p.A. (Camozzi Research Center, CAM, Camozzi Automation - Simulation & Digital Twin)
Spoke OBJECTIVE:
To design advanced polymeric materials, also from renewable sources, and short fiber composites for sustainable additive manufacturing of structural components.
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Spoke 6.8 – Intelligent solutions for AM zero-defect & zero-waste
PROJECT LEADER
Prof. Bianca Maria Colosimo
START DATE
January 2023
END DATE
December 2025
PROPOSER
Politecnico di Milano
PARTNERS
- Politecnico di Bari
- Università degli studi di Napoli Federico II
- Università degli Studi di Padova
- Brembo S.p.A.
- Prima Additive S.R.L.
- Leonardo S.p.A.
- Thales Alenia Space Italia S.p.A.
- Camozzi Group S.p.A. (Camozzi Automation, Camozzi Research Center)
Spoke OBJECTIVE:
To design a new generation of intelligent additive manufacturing systems capable of ensuring first-time-right and zero-waste production through the use of in-situ/ex-situ quality sensors, data fusion and AI monitoring, and Digital Twins.
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Spoke 6.9 – Multi-technology and multi-material for additive manufacturing
PROJECT LEADER
Prof. Bianca Maria Colosimo
START DATE
January 2023
END DATE
December 2025
PROPOSER
Politecnico di Milano
PARTNERS
- Politecnico di Bari
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
- Leonardo S.p.A.
- Prima Additive S.R.L.
- Camozzi Group S.p.A. (Camozzi Research Center, Digital & Mechatronics)
Spoke OBJECTIVE:
To optimize additive manufacturing processes to develop multi-material and multi-process technologies, extending the design space towards more performant and sustainable products.
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SPOKE 8: “Factory design and management oriented toward digitalization through Artificial Intelligence and data-driven approaches”
Spoke 8.4 – Digital technologies for the collaborative human-centric factory
PROJECT LEADER
Prof. Paolo Rocco
START DATE
January 2023
END DATE
December 25
PROPOSER
Politecnico di Milano
PARTNERS
- Università degli Studi di Padova
- Sapienza Università di Roma
- Camozzi Group S.p.A. (Camozzi Research Center, Digital & Mechatronics)
Spoke OBJECTIVE:
To design digital solutions for safe human-machine collaboration, based on cloud orchestration, artificial intelligence, and mobile robotics.
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Spoke 8.7 – Digital Thread for smart products in intelligent supply chains
PROJECT LEADER
Prof. Devis Bianchini
PROPOSER
Università degli Studi di Brescia
PARTNERS
- Sapienza Università di Roma
- Università degli Studi di Padova
- Leonardo S.p.A.
- SCM Group
- Camozzi Group S.p.A. (Camozzi Digital & Mechatronics)
Spoke OBJECTIVE:
To develop an extended Digital Thread model for the integration of product, process, and asset data across the entire lifecycle by developing smart products equipped with sensors and AI-driven services that enable effective data governance.
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REALIZATION
- New green technologies and sustainable materials for Industry 4.0.
- Soft robotics, 4D printing, and low-impact additive manufacturing.
- Collaborative digital solutions based on AI, data analytics, and digital twins.
- Laboratory demonstrations and real-world industrial implementations.
PROJECT PRESENTATION VIDEO
