How to write a good STREP project,Scientific and Technological objectives of

the project and state-of-the-art

23/05/2005, Poznan, Poland

Prof. Dr. ir. Bert LAUWERS

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Division PMAK.U.Leuven, Leuven (Belgium)

bert.lauwers@mech.kuleuven.ac.be

How to write a STREP project ?Last NMP call for proposal in the FP6

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K.U.Leuven

• Located in Leuven (25 km from Brussels)

• ~ 25000 students• Mission

– Education– Research– Service to industry

• Faculty of Engineering– ~ 3000 students

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Mechanical Engineering Department

Advanced Manufacturing Processes,CAD/CAM and Metro logy

Prof. J .P . K ruth , P rof. B . Lauw ers, P rof. J . D uflouNum ber of researchers: 20...25

D ivis ion P roduction Engineering, M achine D esign and Autom ationProf. J. D e Schutter

D ivis ion of Therm al Energy and Applied M echanicsProf. W . D 'haeseleer

D ivis ion of B io M echanics and G raphica l D esignProf. G . Van der Perre

D ivis ion on Industria l M anagem entP rof. D . C artrysse

Department of Mechanical EngieeringProf. P . Sas

Number o f Employees: 200

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Some background

• Reseach & eduction– Manufacturing processes (EDM, multi-axis machining,.)– CAD/CAM

• EU-projects– Several EU-projects – Coordinator of

• OPTIMACH (FP4)• EDM2005 (FP5)• MONCERAT (FP6)

– Involved in several evaluations• Craft, FP5,…

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Example FP6 STREP project - MONCERAT

• Title– Broadening the application field of ceramic components by joint

and interactive research on EDM machining technology, novel ceramic materials based on nano-powders made by SHS and design methodology

• 11 partners (BE, DE, FR, NL, CH)• Budget: 4 milj. Euro• Setting up this STREP project

– Similar to FP5 (size of project,..)– Different attitude: from a solving approach to a more research

(gaining knowledge,…) approach !– There are other programs for projects with a “problem solving

approach” (e.g IP-SME, Collective Research for SME’s,…)

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A STREP project (cordis)

• A STREP project aims at:– European competitiveness* or; – Meeting the needs of society or Community policies

• They can take the following forms:– An RTD project designed to gain knowledge* or

improve existing products, processes or services. – A demonstration project designed to prove the viability

of new technologies but which cannot be commercialized directly.

*words used in the MONCERAT proposal

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Some things you have to know !

• STREP – Results can lead in a later phase to other kind of projects (IP

which is on a larger scale)– Gaining knowledge (not problem solving !)– But having partners that can exploit this knowledge is also

important, otherwise, you fail !

• The proposal should be well written !!! – One compiler who knows everything (not only rules, but also the

scientific and technical content)– As a writer do not act as an “automatic proposal writer” !

• The proposal should be pre-competitive and should include a risk !

• Try to understand the EU-guidelines !

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Some things you have to know !

• As an evaluator:– You have to evaluate a proposal in about 2 to 2.5 hours– Therefore:

• Make clear statements• Put important statements in bold (not to much !)

– They are experts, but do not know everything !• So explain the things very well !! Explain a process which is

not well known (e.g. EDM)

– As an evaluator, you do not check the number of pages

• A proposal has to reach high scores on all topics !

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S&T objectives & state-of-the-art

• Scientific and technological objectives of the project and state of the art (max 3 pages)– Describe in detail the proposed project’s S&T

objectives in a quantified and measurable form. Describe the originality of the proposed work and justify the long-term innovation claimed. The progress of the project work will be measured against these goals in later reviews and assessments. Describe the state-of-the-art in the area concerned, technical limitations and how the proposed project will enhance the state-of-the-art in that area.

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S&T objectives & state-of-the-art

• State-of-the-art 1.5 page (brief, but clear)– Research state-of-the-art ( direct problem solving)– International – On all aspects of the proposal– Mention important references–

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S&T objectives & state-of-the-art

• S&T objectives– S&T-objectives claimed should be quantifiable and

measurable – Objectives should be realistic ! – Often people put statements like “the project will

decrease the production time by at least 50%” but you have to explain in your work plan how to that !

– Stress on gaining knowledge (at least that was for my project

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S&T objectives & state-of-the-art

• Some extracts out of the MONCERAT proposal– “The MONCERAT project aims the research in the

development of ceramic materials that can optimally be machined by EDM. The uniqueness of this project is to work on the development of the material as well as on the development of the EDM machining process”

– …….– “How the microstructure of the ceramic material

influences the EDM process (and vice versa) has to be studied in detail within the MONCERAT project”

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S&T objectives & state-of-the-art

• Make a clear distinction between Scientific and Technological objectives

• Scientific– Knowledge important for long term innovation– Understanding..– Extract:

• “To have a better understanding on the EDM removal mechanism active in the machining of ceramic material. It is aimed to find relation ships between the removal mechanism and the microstructure of the ceramic material. This knowledge is essential for the development of “ideal” ceramic materials and the development of a proper EDM technology”

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S&T objectives & state-of-the-art

• Technological– More direct results of the project (but realistic)

• E.g. The development of a new material• A new or modified process

– Extract• “Development of novel ceramic materials that meet the end-

users requirements of strength, toughness,… and which can be machined by EDM”

• Seemly important statements like “reduction of time by 50%” were never used in the MONCERAT project proposal