High Volume Additive Manufacturing

"Additive Manufacturing (AM) has been used in prototyping and manufacturing one-off parts. The overall objective of the program is to deploy High Speed Sintering technology (HSS) in a high-volume production environment in series production. Our vision for the High Volume Additive Manufacturing (HVAM) program is to lead in deploying AM technology in a high-volume production environment to deliver outstanding value and knowledge for sustainable manufacturing. The project aims to develop HSS technology suitable for series production.

The project aims to develop a decision-making tool will be used to compare and contrast AM against conventional manufacturing techniques. A systematic process of material selection to develop materials suitable for HSS, along with identifying the right process parameters and a test strategy for validation and benchmarking will be the followed. The project is unique as it will focus on developing a design for integrating the HSS technology in series production. In addition, a data driven approach will be taken in decision making which is a key focus of the program.

The key objectives include 1\. Reduction in tooling costs 2\. Quality improvement for high value parts (Part Geometry) 3\. Improving Resource Efficiency (raw material use reduction) 4\. Faster demand fulfilment 5\. Secure and create high skilled jobs and attracting new investment.

The project is novel as it aims to develop proprietary materials suitable for HSS. The program will also focus on creation of a bespoke tool to identify parts that are suitable for AM. This will provide valuable knowledge to manufacturers and designers to ensure readiness for digital manufacturing processes. In addition, the HVAM project is unique as it will focus on generating a design for integrating HSS in high volume production environment."