IMTEC · Innovative manufacturing technologies for optimizing ceramic fuel cells and electrolysis cells for a sustainable energy future

The IMTEC project focuses on developing advanced, scalable, flexible, and sustainable multimaterial ceramic manufacturing platforms. These platforms aim to enhance productivity, enable complex design freedom, and reduce costs, energy consumption, and environmental impact in the carbon-intensive ceramic manufacturing sector. IMTEC will validate its platforms through two rSOC demonstrators for hydrogen production and utilization: one for stationary SOEC/co-SOEC operations and another for SOFC mobility applications.By integrating near-net-shape processes, advanced feedstocks, and innovative thermal processing techniques like fast co-debinding and co-sintering, IMTEC will minimize raw material use, support circular design principles, and reduce reliance on critical raw materials. Data mining, digital twins, and topology optimization are intended to support the upscaling of component manufacturing. The project will also enable the production of complex integrated architectures, surpassing the capabilities of conventional SOC manufacturing methods, and unlocking new product features and performance improvements.IMTEC includes a robust business case and exploitation strategy to ensure economic viability and boost EU industry competitiveness. IMTEC will not integrate solid oxide cells into energy-intensive industries, but will deliver three cost-effective product lines for the net-zero industry as proof of concept, demonstrating increased productivity through advanced multimaterial 3D shaping.