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ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

The Factory of the Future between Italy and France


The meeting was held on 21st January 2016 at the Italian General Consulate in Paris with interventions by ESA, CECIMO, BeAM, Groupe Gorgé, Michelin, Polyshape et Politecnico di Milano. The event was organised by OPORTECHNICS and AlumniPOLIMI Paris.

Key Messages


  • Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology market is growing at fast pace (comparable with internet business growth rate)

  • Need to strengthen the AM sector through strong national and European clusters

Major Challenges

  • Improve understanding at level of materials, design and processes
  • Improve functional competitivness

Axis of action

  • Train people to think and design with a new approach
  • Improve ability of AM sector to activate inter-disciplinary skills
  • Organize the cooperation at national and European level

Strategic tools
(in a wide industrial sense)

  • Develop a Strategic Plan (5-7 years) to steer investment and R&D priorities
  • Set-up inter-disciplinary consortia, including ancillary technologies
  • Create a benchmarking center for AM processes
  • Establish a reference institution for AM technologies, operating as a network, and supporting harmonization and standardization of processes


Key Priorities


  • Design: functionality must be at the core of a new design approach. People must learn to think product in terms of functions


  • Materials: develop and characterize a new generation of materials for AM applications, and make raw materials available in a suitable format (e.g. powders, wire)


  • Standards & Testing: establishing standards increases confidence in new processes. New standards must account for AM process specificity. Testing approach and procedures must evolve as well, for example by increasing use of online Non-Destructive testing.

INTRODUCTION

Presentation and opening of the meeting.

A CALL FOR COOPERATION

How European Space Agency, CECIMO, Politecnico di Milano and Industrials perceive the need to strenghten the Additive Manufacturing sector in Europe.

MARKET VISION

New market opportunities and new business models, from the point of view of Additive Manufacturing specialists.

MATERIALS & DESIGN APPROACH

A new approach to product design: when geometrical constrains can leave space to functional design, adding material where mechanical efforts are higher.

While waiting for a new generation of optimised materials ...

STANDARDS & VALIDATION

To reinforce trust in Additive Manufacturing technologies, it is necessary to establish new standards for manufacturing and testing.

On line Non-Destructive tests, improved characterisation of materials and processes are among the road to follow.

Professionals from institutions and industries explain the priorities.