Scheme status not verified
SILMACH: €1.86M in FEDER funding to develop a new generation of smart sensors
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté· Electronique et matériel électrique
How a deeptech company from Besançon mobilizes European funding and academic research to develop autonomous sensors designed to monitor infrastructure, industrial equipment and aircraft. Through the SAMI project (Senseurs Autonomes pour Monitoring Intelligent), SILMACH obtained €1.859M in FEDER funding to advance its ChronoMEMS technology toward an industrializable solution, in partnership with SUPMICROTECH, the Université Marie et Louis Pasteur and the FEMTO-ST institute.
Funding obtained
€1,859,390
Funding rate
60%
Instrument
Grant
The company
SILMACH is a technology company based in Besançon, specialized in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS).
It develops sensors based on the combination of micromechanics and advanced manufacturing processes. Its ChronoMEMS technology makes it possible to design sensors capable of detecting and recording mechanical events without relying on a conventional power supply for the detection function.
These technologies open up prospects in several sectors: aerospace, transport and mobility, bridge and infrastructure monitoring, industrial equipment, and energy.
The initial need
The first sensors developed by SilMach already demonstrated the potential of this technology. But to reach new markets, several challenges had to be met — the goal is to move from a laboratory innovation to a technology that can be produced and deployed at a larger scale.
- Simplify the sensor architecture.
- Reduce production costs.
- Develop new communication functions.
- Improve microfabrication processes.
- Advance prototypes toward industrializable products.
- Develop solutions suited to monitoring critical equipment.
The funded project
The SAMI project — Senseurs Autonomes pour Monitoring Intelligent — aims to develop a new generation of autonomous MEMS sensors to monitor the condition of critical structures and equipment. The goal is to detect mechanical events and produce information useful for maintenance, safety and equipment condition monitoring. The intended applications concern in particular aircraft, bridges and industrial infrastructure.
The project brings together SilMach and academic and technological partners: SilMach (industrial lead), SUPMICROTECH – ENSMM, the Université Marie et Louis Pasteur, and the FEMTO-ST institute and its technology platforms (MIFHySTO, MIMENTO). This collaboration combines expertise in MEMS design, electromechanical modeling, prototyping and microfabrication.
- Design and modeling of new MEMS components.
- Development of new sensing principles.
- Integration of communication functions.
- Prototyping and hybridization of components.
- Development of microfabrication processes.
- Stabilization of manufacturing processes to prepare for industrialization.
Funding plan
Total cost
€3,098,983
Public funding
€1,859,390
Amounts attached solely to the SILMACH SA operation (programmed eligible cost). The SAMI consortium as a whole (SilMach + SUPMICROTECH + Université Marie et Louis Pasteur/FEMTO-ST) separately announces a total budget of around €6M and overall FEDER support of around €4.3M — these two overall amounts must never be added to those of the SILMACH operation.
The scheme used
The funding falls under the FEDER-FSE+ Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and Massif du Jura 2021-2027 regional programme, under the priority dedicated to developing an innovative and competitive economy and supporting collaborative research projects.
The €1.859M corresponds to the operation recorded under the name SILMACH SA. Other consortium partners hold their own separate operations and funding, not covered here.
Results and outcomes
- Stated objective
Stated goal: reach a technology readiness level of TRL5 to TRL7 for large-scale production by 2030.
- Stated objective
Target cited by the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Region: up to 300 industrial jobs in the long run, including 100 at SilMach (figure cited in the source brief, not independently confirmed when verifying this case — to be treated as a stated target, not an observed result).
- Achieved
ChronoMEMS technology protected by 68 patents in 17 countries, according to SilMach.
Results are distinguished by nature (achieved, stated objective, forecast, estimate) — never presented as certain without this distinction.
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Sources and transparency
- Launch of the European SAMI project: energy-free intelligent sensors — FEMTO-ST
Confirms the consortium partners (SilMach, SUPMICROTECH, Université Marie et Louis Pasteur/FEMTO-ST), the ChronoMEMS technology and the overall budget of the SAMI project (€6M, including about €4.3M of FEDER funding for the whole consortium).
SAMI project: combining innovation and watchmaking tradition for smart, autonomous sensors — EE News EuropeConfirms the timeline (TRL5 to TRL7 technology readiness targeted by 2030), the number of ChronoMEMS patents (68 patents, 17 countries) and the consortium's overall budget.
SAMI: Franche-Comté innovation serving smart, autonomous sensors — Elektor MagazineConfirms the technological description (ChronoMEMS) and the objectives of the SAMI project.
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