Australia lagging in 3D printing investment

Australia’s manufacturing sector is awaiting advice from the federal government about whether a funding application for a cooperative research centre (CRC) focused on ‘additive manufacturing’ - production processes aided by the addition of layers through 3D printing - has been successful.

However, Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute Limited (AMTIL) Chief Executive Shane Infanti has said that the $40 million over seven years available for the CRC was “a drop in the ocean” compared to what is needed.

“If we are going to be serious about our manufacturing future there needs to be considerable money put into this area,” he said. “The Singapore government is putting hundreds of millions of dollars into additive manufacturing, and so are the US and the UK.”

In a bid to increase collaboration and cooperation in the industry, AMTIL is launching the Additive Manufacturing Hub, the primary aim of which will be to seek investment in research.

“The idea is to create a network, to get the right people talking to each other and take advantage of some of these opportunities,” said Infanti. “There is an ecosystem of organisations: technology suppliers and users, government agencies that can be supportive and provide funding, and research institutes.

“We need to develop a strategic plan for the next two to five years on what needs to be done in this space and how we can bring ourselves to be globally competitive.”

One of the hub’s first initiatives will be a series of forums around Australia in August and September, in conjunction with the CSIRO’s SME Engagement Centre.

Infanti said 3D printing technology had evolved to the point where it could be used to make most metal components currently produced by traditional methods.

“We are pretty much at the point now where the technology can be adapted to produce any part that can go into any product, and we’re now looking at when it might be feasible to do so.

“In the US they are 3D-printing an aeroplane, full size, including the hull.”

Infanti suggested that Australia’s strengths were well suited to take advantage of additive manufacturing.

“Australia is particularly good at low-volume, well-designed niche manufacturing and 3D printing lends itself to that. In the medical industry, for example, if we want to make quick turnaround titanium knee joints that could almost be printed whilst the patient is on the operating table, that’s the sort of thing we have to look at and that’s where our manufacturing sector can get to.”

A planned $80 million round of funding was cut in the May 2014 Budget.