Mrs Letizia Urbani
Centre of research and technological transfer with the participation of public bodies and private enterprises, Meccano operates as no-profit since 1988 sustaining and promoting technological, productive, commercial and managerial development of the electro-mechanic enterprises located in Marche Region.
Meccano owns EQI European Quality Institute Srl which works in the field of Quality Certification on materials, products and processes.
The Meccano Group wants to enhance the enterprise culture, promote the competitiveness of the Regional enterprises giving support and stimulation towards the improvement of production systems and favouring the breaking down of commercial barriers.
Topics:
· The Centre is acknowledged by the “Ministry of University Scientific Research and Technology” as a Laboratory of Applied Research according to Art. 4 of the Law 46/82. The Centre participates in several research and technological development projects even thanks to the sophisticated and modern equipment and the laboratory instruments in the two premises in Jesi and Fabriano.
· ACCREDIA n.122/M Calibration Centre acknowledged by Italian Calibration Department with Management Quality System according to standard UNI CEI EN ISO/IEC 17025:2000.
· The laboratory is authorized by the Italian Infrastructure Ministry with D.M. n°. 3696 of 21.07.08, according to Law n°1086/71, to execution and certification of testing upon construction materials. Tests on concrete, cement, steel and clay blocks for flooring are carried out according to UNI standards.
· PLM/CAD-CAM-CAE Specialized Centre: Through numerous CAD (Computer Aided Design) systems available in the centre, it is possible to project and design complex apparatus and mechanic components and through CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) systems it is possible to create complex manufacturing processes for machine tools.
· Rapid Prototyping Specialized Centre: The application of rapid prototyping systems (SLS, SLA, FDM, etc) allows the creation of prototypes optimizing the process in terms of time as well as in terms of costs.
· Reverse Engineering Specialized Centre: Reverse engineering for three-dimensional measurements and complex geometry tests.
· Laser Welding Specialized Centre: Experimentation of innovative welding systems composed by a laser source moved by an 5+2 axis anthropomorphic robot (Laser Yag 2 KW power).
· Official Regional Acknowledged Training Centre: Brief courses and thematic seminars for personnel employed in the Regional mechanic enterprises, medium and long term specialization courses for first time job seekers and unemployed (IFTS, FSE), training events for Technical and Professional Institutions students, research activities in the training field are organized. The treated issues are mechanic projecting (CAD-CAM), new materials and related manufacturing systems, quality certification processes and techniques of control, IT systems for sustainable development.
· Controls, measurements and testing: Activity of mechanical, safety, compatibility and acoustics tests upon products, semi-finished products and materials to obtain certifications, authorizations, statements and certificates; Performance of aging tests for plastics and similar; Performance of inspections and examinations of mechanical and dimensional product’s specifications; Mechanical tests and destructive controls for special process or lawsuit validation; Environmental pollution levels inspection in the acoustics and electromagnetic fields; Special tests upon specifications of customers.
· Assistance, inspections and training: Activity of analysis and technical evaluation of products compliance to compulsory standards, laws, directives and rules in order to obtain certifications and a marks for the most important foreign markets; Technical and standard assistance for rationalization and optimization of necessary activities for different kind of product certification process intended for foreign markets. Our infrastructures and test instruments are at full disposal of customers or certification Bodies in order to carry out performance and compliance evaluation of prototypes and products. Third party inspection in order to verify the compliance of business management systems with rules and orders. Specific technical training for quality, European and international rules, calibration activities, marks and acknowledgement. Collection, analysis and study of process parameters for the re-engineering of productive chain and services supplying activities. Support to reach the following quality certification: ISO 9001-Vision 2000; ISO 14000; OHSAS 8000.
· CE Mark
§ Identification of rules to be applied
§ Selection of the most efficient marking procedure;
§ preparation of tables and indices of risk;
§ drafting the instructions, use and maintenance handbooks of the equipment;
§ Assistance to audits and inspections of compliance by the certifying body.
· EQI is an ACCREDIA n. 0079 Laboratory acknowledged for mechanical, electrical and electromagnetic compatibility tests with a Quality Management System in compliance with UNI CEI EN ISO/IEC 17025:2000.
· Authorized Laboratory: through several agreements with Certification Bodies - VDE, TUV, SEMKO, GOST, UL, SASO, CCC etc – our companies can reach not mandatory labels, thanks to the mutual acknowledgment among certification bodies, and also reach European mark as well and international marks like CB (IECEE Certification Bodies), for nearly 60 countries in the world.
· Notified Body acknowledged for the Electromagnetic Compatibility Area (EMC Community Directive) by the Ministry of Communication.
· Technological Internationalization. Prospective analysis are carried out to identify opportunities for internationalization for the Regional enterprises and specific actions are defined finalized to forms of cooperation (in the projecting, productive and commercial fields) between foreign enterprises and the enterprises of the mechanical sector of the Marche Region. Furthermore, the Centre promotes the Marche in the attraction of investments from abroad in a complementarity and partnership logic and implements structural interventions, in the first place as Technological Centre and for Innovation, localized in various Countries/Regions of interest abroad (Russia, Balkans, Egypt, Brazil, Argentina).
Shareholding
Ø n. 15 public bodies (44%): main shareholder Marche Region Government
and 2 University: Univpm e Unicam
Ø n. 90 private companies (56%)
Ø n. 4 entrepreneur associations
Ø n. 3 banks
Human Resources and Equipment
Ø n. 40 employees, 25 graduate (18 mechanical, civil and electronic engineers) and 15 vocational diploma owner (electronic and mechanical)
Ø n. 2 premises (Fabriano – Jesi)
Ø 8 M euros of investments
Ø Laboratory equipment:
- PLM/CAD/CAM/CAE
- Desk Top Publishing
- Workshop
- Heater test laboratory
- Metrological laboratory
- Electromagnetic compatibility, acoustic, electric and environmental tests laboratory
- Laboratory for test on construction materials.
Training classes
Short-term training courses and specialized seminars in the electro-mechanic field; Mid-long term vocational training; Technical lessons for Technical High Schools and Institutes; Research activity on training Ø 1.280 students
Ø 71 classes
Ø 36.800 training hours
Ø 98% students placed
R&D activities
Research activities purposed to technological innovation of product and system through very innovative instruments and technologies in the following sectors:
- Household appliances
- Heaters
- Lighting
- Industrial automation and machine tools
- Electric devices;
- Industrial equipment;
- Agro-mechanic
- automotive;
- aeronautic;
- food industry machines;
- sport equipment;
- musical instruments
R&D projects:
• 90 submitted projects (by small, medium and big companies with Meccano’s technical and scientific aids)
• Overall amount: >150 M €
• Projects approved: 90%
· More than 300 companies have been served for writing down and submitting financed projects.
· Real time on-line service on R&D calls for proposals (more than 3.000 companies contacted each time)
