ANAXAM
TypeRegistered association
IndustryResearch, Services, Material analytics
FoundedMay 13, 2019 (2019-05-13)
Headquarters
Villigen
,
Switzerland
Key people
Christian Grünzweig (CEO), Frithjof Nolting (President)
Websiteanaxam.ch/en

ANAXAM stands for "Analytics with Neutrons And X-rays for Advanced Manufacturing" and it is a knowledge and technology transfer centre in Switzerland. It is a non-profit organisation. ANAXAM provides industry access to modern, applied material analytics with neutron and synchrotron radiation (X-rays) in the field of non-destructive material testing.[1] The analytical services offered by ANAXAM are based on imaging (CT), diffraction, small-angle scattering and spectroscopy methods.

The combination of these methods with the use of neutron and synchrotron radiation was originally developed for basic research and requires large-scale research facilities. Due to the dimensions of these facilities, ANAXAM’s material analytics go far beyond the usual laboratory standards and are therefore a supplement and complement to laboratory analytics. Amongst others, ANAXAM uses the large-scale research facilities of the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) – particularly the Swiss Spallation Neutron Source (SINQ) and the Swiss Light Source (SLS). ANAXAM is located in the immediate vicinity of the Paul Scherrer Institute on the Park Innovaare Campus in Villigen, Switzerland.[2]

Synchrotron light sources produce X-ray radiation with a photon flux that is ten billion times higher than in standard laboratory X-ray machines.[1] They can be used to measure materials with a significantly larger spatial and temporal resolution and can work with a much higher sample throughput. As such, synchrotron CT represents an additional method of industrial CT. Analytical methods using neutron radiation can only be carried out in large-scale research facilities and are not available in laboratory scale in any form.

With these analytical methods, ANAXAM is able to help industrial companies and research institutes to optimise processes and products and improve quality control and quality assurance. Their clients come from the raw material industry, the metal industry, the health technology industry, the pharmaceutical industry and the automotive industry and include large companies as well as SMEs.[3]

Structure

The legal form of ANAXAM is a Swiss registered association. It was founded in 2019 by the Paul Scherrer Institute, the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), the Swiss Nanoscience Institute and the canton of Aargau. The technology transfer centre is classed as a research institute of national importance and is funded by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) in accordance with Article 15 of the FIFG (Swiss Federal Act on the Promotion of Research and Innovation). Basic funding comes from federal and cantonal funds. The association is also financed by income from its activities, contributions from supporting members, contributions and donations from private partners, donations from other organisations with similar goals and contributions in kind from public administrations, universities, research institutes and private partners. [4] The knowledge and technology transfer centre is part of Switzerland’s ‘Digitalisation’ action plan.[5]

ANAXAM is a member of the Association of Advanced Manufacturing Technology Transfer Centers (AM-TTC)[6] which was originally created as a measure of the Swiss federal action plan for digitalisation in education, research and innovation in order to encourage innovation through the development and deployment of infrastructure and to accelerate the transfer of knowledge.[7] ANAXAM is a part of the innovation landscape in the canton of Aargau.[8]

Areas of expertise

ANAXAM offers modern, analytical methods in the field of non-destructive material testing during which the following procedures are used:

Measurements are carried out at different beamlines in the large-scale research facilities. To ensure the best possible, realistic test conditions, ANAXAM adapts the measurement procedure to their clients’ needs with specialist equipment. For example, they may use a piece of equipment that can analyse samples in-situ and in-operando under different environmental conditions (e.g. different temperatures and pressure levels). Automated sample manipulators can also help to achieve a higher sample throughput. This means that the measuring time can be used much more efficiently and the results have a high statistical representativeness.

In addition to their analytical services, ANAXAM also transfers knowledge and trains working students and industry experts in material analytics. They offer seminars, workshops, internships and hands-on training sessions as part of their training and further education programme. ANAXAM offers a platform where industry partners, analytical service providers and companies can exchange ideas and discuss and tackle current issues and challenges.[4]

Cooperation models

ANAXAM works with project partners on the basis of ‘Public Private Partnerships’. They follow two different cooperation models: service projects and development projects.[1] With service projects, ANAXAM experts advise companies on any material scientific questions that they have, carry out measurements for them, analyse and interpret the measurement results together with their clients and create a final report. The analyses focus on product and process optimisation, quality assurance and downstream testing in the advanced manufacturing process of these products.

In development projects, they work together to develop new equipment, sample manipulators and other special infrastructures to improve the efficiency and results of experiments on the test benches and create realistic testing conditions. These types of developments are co-financed by ANAXAM and the industrial or academic partners make either monetary contributions or contributions in kind. The developed infrastructures are the property of ANAXAM and are therefore made available to other users in subsequent service projects.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Applied material analytics with neutrons and synchrotron radiation. Way beyond the laboratory scale" (PDF). Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  2. ↑ "Cutting-edge analytical methods made available to industry". Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  3. ↑ "Selection of customer projects". Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  4. 1 2 "Geschäftsbericht 2021" (PDF). Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  5. ↑ "Action Plan 2019–2020". Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  6. ↑ "Advanced Manufacturing Technology Transfer Centers". Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  7. ↑ "Funding approved: Two more technology transfer centers for Switzerland". Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  8. ↑ "Hightech Aargau". Retrieved 2023-05-24.
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