Nov 28, 2016 | By Tess

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) has recently released “The Advanced Manufacturing Roadmap”, a plan which will help Australian manufacturing businesses and industries to better adapt to changing technologies and overall changing markets. The plan, which was written in partnership with industry, government, and researchers, places an important emphasis on additive manufacturing or 3D printing technologies, which are already a significant disruptive force within the manufacturing industry.

More specifically, The Advanced Manufacturing Roadmap highlights certain “major growth opportunities” and lays out the means by which manufacturers can advance their processes in order to capitalize on these opportunities. These means include an increased focus on pre-production processes, such as design and R&D; value-adding services; more sustainable manufacturing processes; and of course, low volume/high margin customized products.

The overall goal of the roadmap is to help bring Australia’s manufacturing into the future so that in 20 years it will have transformed into a highly integrated, advanced, and expert-focused environment.

As CSIRO Chief Executive Dr. Larry Marshall explains, “The Advanced Manufacturing Roadmap is the compass that guides out excellent science to deliver the breakthrough innovation needed to re-imagine Australian advanced manufacturing. Australian science can turn disruptors and increased globalization into opportunities for value creation right here at home. Whether it's 3D printed sternums to save lives, or 3D paper weaving to help Australian SMEs break into global value chains - or as the great Billy Hughes said 'science will guide the manufacturer into greener pastures’."

Of course, fully transforming and evolving the manufacturing industry will require many big changes and above all will require a number of technological innovations on the part of public and private research communities. Certain areas which have already begun to open new doors within the manufacturing sector, such as 3D printing, sensors, advanced materials, robotics, augmented and virtual reality, to name but a few, will have to be significantly advanced in order to really make them viable on a nation-wide scale.

An important part of realizing this vision will involve industries and businesses investing further in these advanced technological fields and effectively helping to develop new “knowledge, skills, and practices” in collaboration with each other. As CSIRO Manufacturing Director Dr. Keith McLean emphasizes: “The industrial landscape is changing fast. We need to start evolving with it. Australian manufacturing has a strong, high-tech future.”

In addition to these points, The Advanced Manufacturing Roadmap also encourages businesses to increase their participation in global value chains; to improve their workforce with people with digital literacy, leadership, and STEM capabilities; to diversify their workforce in terms of gender, age, and ethnicity; and to focus more on business-to-business collaboration.

Overall, CSIRO’s Advanced Manufacturing Roadmap has the aim of transforming Australia’s manufacturing sector by making it more technologically advanced, more skilled, more eco-friendly, and overall more effective. "Industry needs to lead this transformation. CSIRO has the expertise, experience, and business network to help guide them," added Dr. McLean.

According to CSIRO, The Advanced Manufacturing Roadmap is just the first in a series of roadmaps aimed at the Australian Federal Government’s Industry Growth Centres.

Posted in 3D Printing Technology

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