UK Invests £7 million in Additive Manufacturing

The advantages of additive manufacturing (AM) are becoming more apparent with the continuing improvement of AM systems, and with each innovation that is based on the technology. It seems likely that every sector of industry will eventually include some use of 3D printing. Taking a quick glance around the Rapid Ready Tech site will provide more examples than I can easily link.

The U.S. government has identified the potential of AM, and has invested in research accordingly. Other countries are also stepping up to the plate. The United Kingdom has announced a new £7 million investment in AM research, managed by the Technology Strategy Board.

The investment comes in the form of grants for collaborative research and development, to be awarded through open competition dubbed, “Inspiring New Design Freedoms in Additive Manufacturing.” The competition is intended to bring about changes in manufacturing that will allow UK business to more rapidly bring AM parts and consumer goods to market.

“3D printing technologies offer huge potential for UK businesses to compete successfully by embracing radically different manufacturing techniques that could be applied across a wide variety of global market sectors, from aerospace to jewelry,” said David Willetts, Universities and Science Minister.

“We believe this new investment will help UK companies make the step change necessary to reach new markets and gain competitive advantage,” Willetts continued. “Building on £20 million of previous Technology Strategy Board support for additive manufacturing innovation, it will help secure more of this game-changing high value activity for the UK, driving economic growth and enhancing quality of life.”

This announcement comes on the heels of a report by the Big Innovation Centre that stresses what it claims is an imperative for the government to get involved with the evolution of AM. The report, “Why Britain needs a policy framework for 3D printing,” (PDF here) covers key areas that will pose a challenge to policymaking.

These areas include intellectual property (IP), regulations that cover the home manufacturing of potentially dangerous items (such as firearms), legal responsibility for accidents involving AM-created products, material and safety standards, and new infrastructure required to support the 3D printing industry.

The report cautions against regulations that could, “… stifle much of the potential of 3D printing before it takes hold,” and goes on to suggest potential solutions. The first suggestion is the creation of a 3D printing task force, made up of experts from business and academia to guide policy. Other suggestions include a fresh look at IP law, from the perspective of AM; increased funding; and a digital copyright exchange that makes licensing and content creation cheaper and easier.

Below you’ll find a video that discusses 3D printing and manufacturing. Skip ahead to the 1:15 mark to find the talk.

Sources: Technology Strategy Board, Big Innovation Centre