Additive Manufacturing
Additive Manufacturing is poised to elevate the Australian Advanced Manufacturing Sector’s global competitiveness and sustainability.
What is additive manufacturing?
Additive manufacturing (AM) has been described as a manufacturing revolution. The process allows for the creation of complex three- dimensional objects by adding and then bonding material layer by layer. Metals, polymers, composites and almost any material can be run through these automated platforms, from the nano scale right up to the printing of houses. In 2022 over $US18 billion was invested in AM & 3D printing equipment. Companies are utilising AM as a competitive advantage in their next generation of products and services.
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Since its inception in the early 1990s AM has rapidly transformed the product development cycle across all industry sectors. Building parts one slice at a time, has sparked a wave of creativity and introduced transformative business models. From discrete aligners for straightening teeth to lightweight titanium wheels on the Mars Rover, AM has inspired a new generation of innovation and products.
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Australia’s exceptional access to a wide range of high-value critical minerals, metals, and bio-based materials, coupled with ever more affordable renewable energy provides unique opportunities for manufacturing growth. By strategically capitalizing on these resource strengths and addressing cost and sustainability challenges, AM at scale can position Australian industry as technology leaders.
The development and application of next generation AM technologies coupled with innovation and capability building will be the catalyst for this growth and transformation and will be the focus of the Additive Manufacturing CRC.
It's benefits
AM is a cutting-edge technology that facilitates economical yet high-value production, characterised by new levels of product personalisation. This transformative capability empowers Australia to swiftly shift towards sustainability, embracing eco-friendly, carbon-conscious, and circular manufacturing practices to cater to global supply chains and targeted export markets.
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AM embodies sustainability by fostering the creation of environmentally-responsible products. This is achieved through the reduction of weight and integration of functionalities within intricately shaped components. Furthermore, AM leverages novel bio-derived and recycled materials, alongside renewable energy sources, to drive innovation in zero-waste, zero-emission AM products and processes.
National
Reconstruction Fund
Supporting 7 priority areas of the Australian economy
Listed as one of the "critical technologies in national interest", AM is documented within the National Reconstruction Fund (NRF) priority areas as an “Advanced Manufacturing Enabling Capability”. It is also described as part of the “Science and Research Priority” as a “cross-cutting technology that de-risks, scales, and adds value to Australian manufactured products”.
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On top of backing NRF's Enabling capabilities, the CRC will collaborate with industry partners across multiple sectors and contribute to the following five NRF priority areas:
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Resources: feedstocks from mineral resources and products for mining, mineral processing and refinement
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Transport: certification for aircraft parts and tooling, applicable to other transport industries
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Medical science: medical devices and implants
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Defence capability: development and manufacture of large components, as well as asset sustainment
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Renewables and low emission technologies: lightweight parts in transportation and for both production and repair in renewable energy generation and supporting infrastructure
Enabling capabilities
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
Supported by
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advanced composite materials​
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high specifications machining processes
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artificial intelligence technologies
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robotics technologies
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positioning, timing and sensing technologies
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biotechnologies
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space objects or products for use in or in connection with space objects
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other advanced technologies that are emerging or may emerge
