From November 2020 to December 2022 the I‑Ma‑Tech alliance carried out a coordinated effort to advance the strategy for the development of musical instrument manufacturing in the region. The project was jointly executed by the Institute for Musical Instrument Construction (IfM) in Klingenthal and the West Saxon University of Applied Sciences Zwickau (WHZ). The funding was provided under the project code 03WIR0403A, B, and the work was organised into two main sub‑projects: a WHZ‑led innovation and education focus and an IfM‑led material and technology focus.

The core scientific outcomes of the alliance centred on the creation of a comprehensive, future‑proof material base for instrument makers. A systematic survey of alliance members revealed a growing scarcity of suitable replacement materials, particularly for tropical hardwoods and alloyed metals used in wind instruments. In response, the alliance launched a series of research initiatives that produced a catalogue of alternative materials, including low‑zinc alloys and lead‑free nickel‑free metal compositions, and developed new processing techniques for regional hardwoods. The “ModiMusiHolz” project, for example, established a wood‑modification protocol that enhances the mechanical stability of locally sourced timber while preserving acoustic properties. Parallel work on additive manufacturing introduced a lightweight accordion production line that reduces material consumption by up to 30 % and improves vibration damping. The “DrumstickWood” initiative delivered a sustainable drumstick formulation that extends product life by 25 % and eliminates the need for scarce hardwoods.

Digitalisation was addressed through the development of workshop‑ready digital measurement systems for acoustic and vibrational analysis. These systems integrate seamlessly with Industry 4.0 environments, enabling real‑time quality assurance and process optimisation. The alliance also produced a roadmap for the second implementation phase, incorporating the latest REACH and CITES regulatory updates. In March 2022 the project team received an ECHA background document on lead, prompting a rapid reassessment of material safety and the adoption of compliant alternatives.

The strategic component of the project involved eight plenary sessions that aligned the alliance’s objectives with the broader I‑Ma‑Tech vision. A strengths‑and‑weaknesses analysis of the existing marketing strategy identified new market opportunities and guided the refinement of outreach activities. The WHZ sub‑project produced a revised marketing concept that emphasises the region’s heritage and the sustainability of its instrument‑making traditions. Meanwhile, the IfM sub‑project delivered an expanded alliance concept that incorporates the newly developed material and technology innovations into the overall strategy.

Throughout the two‑year period, the alliance maintained a continuous monitoring loop, feeding progress reports back into the strategy development cycle. The final deliverable was a fully articulated, extended concept for alliance work in the second implementation phase, accompanied by a detailed plan for the continued exploitation of research results. The collaboration between IfM and WHZ, supported by the 03WIR0403A, B funding, successfully bridged the gap between academic research and industrial application, ensuring that the region’s musical instrument sector can adapt to evolving material constraints, regulatory demands, and digital transformation.