In the Czech Republic, the key area for 21st-century industry appears to be the development of technologies enabling the production of smart components and systems, which will become essential for the new generation of machines and equipment. These are new components combining new materials, virtual design, and prototyping with mechatronics and control, including the software tools. They will find their application in the technologically most demanding engineering fields, which have considerable requirements on the precision, quality, and surface integrity parameters of the manufactured materials, placing maximum demands on production performance and productivity and on reliability and safety requirements. These are 'Machine Tools' and 'Precision Engineering' fields, the products of which use advanced materials, smart technologies, and integrated sensor systems, data processing, communications, and controls. The technological challenge are mechatronic components and systems allowing the design and development not only machines, but also technological units and smart fabrics. These elements will be used not only in manufacturing, transport, aviation, or power systems, but also in other economic sectors like medicine, logistics, forestry, and agriculture.

The research and development of the comprehensive smart components and systems will result in increases in the manufacturing efficiency, accuracy, and quality as well as increases in production performance, reliability, and economy, whilst reducing negative environmental impacts. All of these features are essential to ensuring innovative progress. NCK MESTEC can offer cooperation in 3 comprehensive research programs, which together form the fundamental part of activities of the Centre joint research agenda. These are Advanced Materials, Additive Technologies, and Mechatronics.

The Centre assumes an open cooperation with the research institutes as well as with the other technology-oriented companies. In general, the Centre offers the following forms of cooperation:

• Complementary research and development projects (partner projects, which follow-up on the research orientation of the Centre)
• Outsourced services in favour of the external subjects from a range of research institutions (research services for non-economic purposes of the research institutions, research and technology platforms, initiatives, and other centres)
• Contract research and development in favour of undertakings (research based on the inputs and requirements of business customers)
• Technology/knowledge transfer (the application of research activity results, access to results based on licensing arrangements or in the form of compensation payments, or the other forms of application of research results)

Joining the Centre in terms of an associate or full membership is possible within the development projects.

Visit http://www.nccmestec.cz/cs-index.html for more detailed information on the NCK MESTEC and contact information if you are interested in cooperation.