Additive Manufacturing
Additive manufacturing (AM), or three-dimensional (3D) printing as it is often referenced, offers a new paradigm for engineering design and manufacturing that could have significant economic, geopolitical, environmental, intellectual property, and security implications. Although AM has existed at various levels of sophistication for decades, it has only recently caught the attention of policy and economics experts. In particular, the ability to print metal objects (e.g., titanium alloys) holds special promises. As a technology that offers the potential to print almost any physical 3D object at will, AM is already having effects on our economy. How far AM progresses remains to be seen, but more dialogue around its implications is needed. Here, we describe the state of the art of AM, implications of AM to our society at large, risks due to counterfeiting of 3D printed objects, and research into future AM capabilities and applications.
| Component Technologies | Key Applications |
| Selective laser sintering (SLS) | Consumer 3D printers |
| Fused Deposition modelling (FDM) | Direct product manufacturing |
| Stereolithography Dual Flow Cold Spray Technology | Tool and mold manufacturing Antiviral coating |
| Direct metal laser sintering | Bioprinting of tissue and organs |
| Hybrid Processing |
Dual Flow Cold Spray Antiviral
coating advanced Material
Additive manufacturing Cold Spray technology utilizes novel Advanced Material coatings. The preliminary, duplicated, and validated data demonstrates an efficacy against tested microorganisms of more than 10-fold the current copper benchmark.
Preventative measures such as coatings which reduce initial microbial adhesion to surfaces are among antimicrobial measures that inactivate microorganisms which present on, or adhere to, surfaces. Surfaces coatings present a passive technology which, once in place, function continuously with little maintenance. Working with industrial and academic partners, Prodigie – Innovation Evolved has coordinated the refinement and application of Novel Composite Cold Spray Coatings for use against plant pathogens affecting the agricultural sector and animal microorganisms including coronavirus SARS2-D614G.
supply chain Transformation
Additive manufacturing means a greatly simplified, highly responsive, and infinitely flexible supply chain fulfilling the order. The demand economy is disrupting every sector and when paired with the advent of additive manufacturing, is a true game changer for the manufacturing industry. It should be a warning sign for companies that if they don’t innovate their supply chains, they may become irrelevant as consumers will have more control of the production of their own products.