PDF Basket
Additive Manufacturing (AM) uses advanced software and computer-controlled machines to deposit material, layer-upon-layer, in precise shapes. The technology, which has been around for decades, is increasingly recognised as a cost-effective method for producing a range of industrial plastic, metal and ceramic products.
Potential end users include the aerospace, automotive and healthcare sectors. AM parts can be found in Formula 1 racing cars, commercial jet engines and even custom-made surgical implants. A key advantage is that AM allows for creating light, more complex designs that would be too expensive to build using conventional moulds.
“AM’s global market size in 2019 was about EUR 7.46 billion,” says INEX-ADAM project coordinator Damir Godec, assistant professor at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture (UNIZAG FSB), Croatia. “What’s more, the market is estimated to reach around EUR 22 billion by 2027.”
Such growth will only be achieved by encouraging and making possible AM adoption across multiple industries. This means sharing best practices and knowledge. Furthermore, to ensure that all parts of Europe will benefit from this latest industrial revolution, establishing regional centres of expertise will be critical to forming clusters attractive to manufacturers.
Sharing cutting-edge knowledge
The EU-funded INEX-ADAM project was launched in 2018 to address these challenges. “The project focuses on enhancing research and knowledge transfer of advanced AM applications,” explains Godec. “It also aims to increase the science and technology capacity of our Centre for Additive Technologies (CATeh), which is an integral part of UNIZAG FSB.”
The project sought to achieve these objectives by bringing CATeh into contact with other key research centres across Europe, namely the University of Leoben (Austria), the Metal-processing, Furniture, Wood and Packaging Technology Institute (Spain), Lund University (Sweden) and Brunel University London (United Kingdom). These institutes have worked closely together to share their knowledge and expertise on AM products and tooling, medical modelling and material modelling.
This close collaboration has resulted in a new teaching curriculum and a training plan for UNIZAG FSB researchers. Intensive on-site training in the three target areas has been delivered, and a series of workshops and summer schools have been organised.
Building on expertise
Scheduled for completion in August 2021, the project has weathered the COVID-19 pandemic to produce several key deliverables. These include the ‘Advanced Additive Manufacturing handbook’, a manual that can be used as a reference for undergraduate and doctoral students at UNIZAG FSB. This will help ensure that the project’s knowledge will continue to be built upon by the next generation of experts.
Another significant achievement has been the establishment of the Advanced Additive Manufacturing platform (ADAM platform). This is designed to encourage more intensive and efficient cooperation between consortium members and industrial partners, even long after completing the project.
“The ADAM platform will be a focal point for the exchange of information, ideas and contacts to increase industry impact,” adds Godec. “Current virtual platforms mainly offer news feeds and general guidance. Few resources provide technical support for advanced AM applications or offer structured teaching materials.”
This is where the ADAM platform will make a significant difference, by building up centres of excellence and encouraging new applications and products across various industrial fields.
“Networking in the field of advanced Additive Manufacturing will be crucial to successful business strategies in the future,” concludes Godec. “There are already many different kinds of AM processes and technologies. This is why collaboration between research institutes, technology centres, SMEs and AM machine manufacturers is so essential.”