The cross-border AddCircles project aims to support the transition towards a circular economy by promoting the use of Additive Manufacturing (AM) and creating new opportunities for sustainable production.
The project brings together companies, research institutions, educational organisations and other stakeholders from Austria and Slovenia. By combining their expertise, the project seeks to develop innovative Green AM solutions, strengthen regional cooperation and create new business opportunities for sustainable manufacturing.
Developing a joint mentoring programme
The project is structured around three main areas of activity: the development of innovative solutions and methods for Green AM, support for the implementation of AM in regional companies and organisations, and knowledge transfer through workshops, training programmes and educational activities. Since the beginning of the project, numerous workshops, partner meetings and networking activities have been organised. These activities have contributed to the development of a growing Austrian-Slovenian AM community involving companies, researchers, educators and end users.
Additive Manufacturing Technologies
The project is structured around three main areas of activity: the development of innovative solutions and methods for Green AM, support for the implementation of AM in regional companies and organisations, and knowledge transfer through workshops, training programmes and educational activities. Since the beginning of the project, numerous workshops, partner meetings and networking activities have been organised. These activities have contributed to the development of a growing Austrian-Slovenian AM community involving companies, researchers, educators and end users.
From waste materials to new materials
An important achievement has been the development of an interactive AM competence map, which brings together information on additive manufacturing actors and expertise in the cross-border region (SI-AT). In parallel, three business cases have been developed and monitored, with the partners also beginning preparatory work for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). These activities aim to help companies better understand the potential of AM and identify opportunities for sustainable and economically viable applications.
Market and Business Opportunities
Wood K plus plays an active role in the project, particularly as the lead organisation for Work Package 2. Wood K plus supports the development and continuous improvement of the interactive competence map by collecting information on AM companies in Carinthia, Styria and other Austrian regions. In addition, three business cases are being actively monitored through regular meetings with project partners. The progress, discussions and outcomes are systematically documented, providing a clear basis for the further development of these activities.
Activities
Wood K plus is also involved in the project’s knowledge-transfer activities. Jyothsna Surisetty and Christopher Kanzian contribute to the organisation of workshops and the development of educational content for the FCA course. One of the key activities is the development of the Material Extrusion (MEX) module, which is being prepared for integration into the Moodle learning platform. At the same time, Christopher Kanzian contributes to the development and testing of cellulose-based composite materials for filament production, supporting the project’s focus on sustainable materials and Green AM.
Impact and Future Perspective
Through these activities, AddCircles is strengthening the connection between research, industry and education across the Austrian – Slovenian region.
Wood K plus contributes its expertise in materials, processing, sustainability and project coordination, helping to build practical solutions and knowledge that can support the wider adoption of additive manufacturing and contribute to a more circular and sustainable economy.
