On 10–11 June 2026, Nantes hosted the fifth and final IDEALIST Learning Expedition, bringing industrial SMEs, technology providers and cluster representatives together around a common theme: how advanced manufacturing technologies can respond to current and future industrial challenges.
Organised by ALBATROS, the two-day programme combined strategic foresight, technical exchanges and visits to industrial and research facilities, with a particular focus on 3D printing, hybrid manufacturing processes and composite technologies.
Looking ahead: strategic foresight and industrial change
The first day took place at the Jules Verne Manufacturing Academy in Bouguenais and opened with an introduction to the local industrial ecosystem.
Participants then joined a Strategic Foresight Workshop focused on identifying early signals of change and exploring technological, market and industrial developments that could affect sectors such as Aerospace & Defence, Mobility, Transport & Automotive and Energy-Intensive Industries.
Working in small groups, participants examined potential risks, emerging innovation areas and longer-term developments, connecting future-oriented thinking with practical strategic decision-making.
The workshop was followed by a visit to the Jules Verne Manufacturing Academy, where participants explored manufacturing processes through an interactive serious game on the shop floor.
A closer look at 3D printing and hybrid manufacturing
The afternoon moved from strategic reflection to technological applications.
A series of technical conferences addressed developments in additive and hybrid manufacturing, materials and composites, bringing together expertise from companies active across different parts of the manufacturing value chain.
Topics included high-performance materials for 3D printing, high-temperature composite technologies, new approaches to composite manufacturing, additive manufacturing for drone production, and zero-defect manufacturing supported by AI, robotics and machine vision.
This mix of technologies reflected one of the central features of the Nantes edition: looking at manufacturing innovation not as a single technology, but as the combination of materials, processes, automation and digital tools.
Inside the Nantes advanced manufacturing ecosystem
The second day was dedicated to industrial and technology visits, with participants divided into two routes across the Bouguenais manufacturing ecosystem.
The programme included Airbus Atlantic, Loiretech, IRT Jules Verne and Daher Shap’In, offering different perspectives on aerospace manufacturing, composites, additive manufacturing and applied R&D.
At Airbus Atlantic, the programme focused on aerospace production, including composite manufacturing and the central wing box workshop. The Nantes facility produces major aerostructure components for aircraft including the A350, A330 and A400M.
At Loiretech, participants explored composite manufacturing alongside WAAM robotic additive manufacturing and mineral 3D printing, showing how additive processes can complement more established manufacturing techniques.
IRT Jules Verne provided a research perspective through its metallic 3D printing, robotics and composites facilities, while Daher Shap’In focused on advanced composite processes, including infrared welding, and opened its R&D workshop to participants.
Connecting technologies, research and industrial needs
What distinguished the Nantes Learning Expedition was the opportunity to move between different layers of industrial innovation: anticipating future change, discussing emerging technologies with experts, and observing their application in manufacturing and R&D environments.
The programme also brought together companies already active in advanced manufacturing alongside clusters from across the IDEALIST network, creating opportunities for peer exchange between technology developers, industrial users and organisations supporting SME innovation.
As the final stop in the IDEALIST Learning Expedition series, Nantes closed the cycle with a particularly hands-on view of how advanced materials, additive manufacturing, automation and strategic foresight can come together to support the transformation of European manufacturing.
For more information, contact info@idealist-project.eu