The objective of the RM-Platform is to contribute to a coherent strategy, understanding, development, dissemination and exploitation of Rapid Manufacturing (RM) as enabling technology to strengthen the European economy.

The European Commission is actively improving this by initiating projects under FP6 & FP7 and this platform helps to achieve the Lisbon & Gothenburg objectives as defined by the EC to become the most dynamic and most competitive knowledge-based economy by 2010 and achieving sustainability by 2030.

RM is currently fragmented; many organizations are developing or researching RM, but there is no coherent strategy and several establishments interpret the subject differently. The mission of this document is to drive the growth of RM to become efficient and sustainable industrial processes by integrating and coordinating the scientific, technological, industrial and social elements of RM within Europe. Through a scheme of work, to be defined, a better use of national and international resources and funding will be ensured. In addition, it will contribute to the build up of an efficient ERA (European Research Area) and will have a significant impact on RM integration for a competitive European industry.