Research and Development
Sapa RC Profiles wants to respond appropriately to new challenges in our modern society and seeks new knowledge and innovations with a focus on energy and durability. Sharing expertise and best practices regarding aluminium is one of the values that informs our Research and Development.
Sapa RC Profiles and the Sapa Technology Centre in Sweden both work closely in partnership with universities and research institutes.
Sapa RC Profiles supports the Belgian cooperative project for research on Friction Stir Welding (FSW).
The innovative joining of critical aluminium structures using friction stir welding (CASSTIR) is a project that studies the most innovative process for joining aluminium parts. The Belgian Welding Institute (BWI/BIL) is responsible for coordinating of this project. The research partners are UCL, UGent, CEWAC, and CENAERO.
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Sapa RC Profiles supports the joint research projects of Flanders Drive.
Flanders Drive 
is an initiative that is supported by the Government of Flanders, the Limburg Fund, and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). It is an innovative centre of expertise and a platform for the Flemish automotive industry. The objective of Flanders Drive is to strengthen strategically the product development capability of the automotive supply industry in Flanders.
Link www.flandersdrive.be
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Sapa RC Profiles participates in relevant TETRA projects.
TETRA projects focus on technologies and applications that can be used in industrial environments and that are intended to achieve product or process innovations.
TETRA projects are partially sponsored by the Institute for the Promotion of Innovation by Science and Technology in Flanders (IWT).
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Sapa RC Profiles is a member and chairman of the Aluminium Centre Belgium.
Sapa RC Profiles supports the Aluminium Centre Belgium. Under the umbrella of a ‘thematic innovation stimulation’ (TIS) project, the centre develops and shares knowledge and supports education and training. The TIS project is supported by IWT.
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Sapa RC Profiles is a member of the Education and Technical Committee (ETC) of the European Aluminium Association (EAA). In the context of globalization and the complexity of the challenges facing the metal processing industry, it is necessary to not only find new solutions, but also to develop new partnerships in order to foster competition and innovation processes by strengthening sustainability. In response to this, the European aluminium industry developed the European Aluminium Technology Platform (EATP) via the European Aluminium Association (EAA). This technology platform is used to increase the impact of research and investments in technological developments (TTD) that are in the common interest of the aluminium industry so they can function optimally. There are presently 12 EATP working groups that are actively involved in developing roadmaps and cooperative projects.
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AluMATTER (www.alumatter.info) is one of the EATP projects on which Sapa RC Profiles is collaborating. It is a freely accessible, interactive e-learning website with educational information about the science and technology of aluminium. It is available in four languages. The website has been developed for use by designers, engineers, technicians and students at universities and technical colleges. (Source: EAA)
Sapa RC Profiles participates in relevant projects as part of the Seventh Framework Programme of the EU.
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Sapa RC Profiles participates in several aluminium standards working groups in Technical Committee 132 of the European Committee for Standardization (CEN TC 132). Sapa RC Profiles is also a member of other relevant CEN technical committees and the EAA Standards Committee (STC).
Marc.Ryckeboer@sapagroup.com
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Updated: 2007-08-01