3D printing – the future of manufacturing?

Additive Manufacturing (also known as direct-digital-manufacture, generative manufacture or 3D Printing) is one of the most exciting emergent technologies available to global industry today, allowing companies to manufacture ever more complex and optimized products and components at very low unit volumes. 3D Printing has taken the media by storm, causing a mixture of knowing nods, eye rolling, excitement and also opportunity for those that have been using the technology for years.

With 3D printing continuing its momentum as a media buzzword the world over, the UK, one of the world’s leading sources of Additive Manufacturing knowledge and research, is set to welcome leading international experts on this disruptive technology to address emerging business and research collaboration opportunities.

The Additive Manufacturing & 3D Printing Research Group (3DPRG) with support from Econolyst Limited is hosting the 9th International Conference on Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing in Nottingham (7-11 July 2014). The aim of the event is to impart to industry and academia the state-of-the-art in Additive Manufacturing (AM), so that commercial advantage can be exploited and new avenues of research can be explored. It promises to be an exciting event, and we’re taking an Indian delegation there!

The conference is all about industry experts sharing knowledge and ideas and provides a platform for both new and experienced AM users and researchers to keep abreast of the very latest developments. By gathering this audience together for a few days, the organisers aim to stimulate and challenge the industry, providing a platform to discuss and debate what’s happening, what needs doing and where additive manufacturing (and yes, that includes 3D printing) is going in the next five, 10 and even 20 years.

The UK sees India as an important partner. There is a tremendous potential for the technology and it can deliver real economic benefits in emerging markets like India. The fact that a lack of infrastructure or limited logistics can hinder economic growth means that 3D printing may have even greater potential to add value. As 3D printers become more affordable and mobile phones and internet access continue to increase, the possibilities for the technology will continue to rise.

In India, Additive Manufacturing grew 28.6% last year counting all types of revenues. The media attention has almost doubled in the past one year and the technology is now being slowly accepted by a lot of industries.

Given the huge opportunities that exist in the market and the rapid consolidation that is taking place, it is certain that 3D printing will be adopted a lot more across industries. Added to this is the fact that start-ups and entrepreneurs in India are seeing immense potential and benefits in 3D printing technologies.

Keeping this in mind, we have recruited an Indian delegation to attend the International Conference in Nottingham to scope out the opportunities for research and innovation collaboration between the two countries. In addition to the conference the delegates will visit Renishaw – a major global AM vendor and attend a networking lunch with SMEs working in this area. Furthermore, the AM mission will visit the Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) and the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) to explore industrial-grade research and business collaboration opportunities.

I will be accompanying the Indian delegates to this exciting visit. There are some great researchers and companies on the mission. I’m looking forward to learning more about 3D Printing and mass production and finding out the latest advancements in prosthetics and medical science that are being researched. Since the 3D printing ecosystem and market is just opening up in India, I’m confident that the visit will lead to significant leads for both the countries. More on that when we get back to India!

If you are based in the UK and would like to meet the Indian delegation, you can register online for the conference here. You can check out the conference programme and speakers and see who’s exhibiting here. If you are based in India, and would like to know more what was discussed at the conference, the proceedings from the conference will be available here.

See you in July!