AIMME aware of the importance of proper implementation of Information Technology and Communications (ICT) to improve the competitiveness of companies, has been developing since 1995 an active role in this field.

The added value offered by AIMME lies in an appropriate transfer of these technologies to the particularities of small and medium industrial enterprises in the metallurgical industry.

The main activity carried out by the ICT Unit AIMME focuses on the areas of:

• R & D projects
• Advanced technical services
• Advanced technical training

1.- R & D Projects: The objective of this activity is the promotion and development of research initiatives and implementation of information technologies to improve competitiveness of companies. Stand out as recent projects on implementation of new ICT:

• Objective: To investigate and develop new applications for companies in the metal by augmented reality based technologies, in order to increase their competitiveness.
• Results: Presentations and videos of the Armetal workshop, and manual of good practices in the application of augmented reality in business, available at: http://www.proyectoarmetal.com

• Objetive: This project presents the experimental development of a complete environment and real cloud computing based data centers consisting of:
  1. A cloud computing platform that supports self-service on-demand, quick elasticity, offer measurable and available online services, generally based on the principle of "multitenancy" - shared resources – and it also allows fixed assignment based on free software.
  2. Real cloud computing services market-oriented and demand-driven, mainly for SMEs and freelancers who will participate in its definition and will be tested by them.
  3. Different tools for management and operation of the cloud platform needed to make effective and efficient use of the platform and underlying resources.
• Results: Presentations and videos of the RealCloud workshop, and results of the survey "Analysis of cloud computing services" available at: http://www.realcloudproject.com

• Objective: To analyze, disseminate and test new forms of relationships between the company and the environment through the application of new technologies of mass collaboration Web 2.0 or crowdsourcing to increase the competitiveness of enterprises.
• Results: Presentations and videos of the seminars and conferences where they presented the project and book "The Art of crowdsourcing. It's easy to get help through the Internet if you know how" available at: http://www.metal20.org

2.- Advanced Technical Services

Given the increasing presence of ICT in the normal operation of enterprises, almost any of its processes can be applied e-business concepts. AIMME acts as prescriber of these technological solutions, facilitating their absorption by the companies, through the provision of connectivity services and demonstrations, advice and training in fields such as:

• Augmented reality: developing applications for augmented reality overlay of information (text, images or videos 2D/3D) on real images.
• Crowdsourcing, Web 2.0 and social networks: advice and implementation of social Web technologies and mass collaboration to business strategy.
• Electronic marketing: advertising campaigns through the network (search engines, portals, social networks, etc..) By text or banner ads, search engine optimization (SEO, SEM).
• Equipment: servers (web, email with virus and spam), firewalls, intrusion detection systems (IDS), videoconferencing.
• Custom web application development-oriented trade and electronic business (intranets, extranets, portals, web services, database applications, etc..).
• E-learning systems
• •Process optimization by Internet: Web business model, network management integration with ERP using XML, etc.

3.- Advanced Technical Training

The ICT Unit of AIMME offers a range of courses in order to train new Internet professionals to fill new jobs in companies, with the contents:

• How to position your company at the top of Internet search engines
• Social Web Tools for enterprise
• Community Managers for enterprise
• Accessibility and usability
• Wordpress for enterprise
• Corporate profitability of social media - Social Media ROI
• Internet video publishing for enterprise
• Introduction to Adobe Photoshop
• Workshop crowdsourcing to grow online without spending money
• Free software for SMEs
• Personal Productivity