Both parties will explore advanced alloy design and applications that can support a range of sectors including aerospace, defence, medicine and agriculture
GE Additive, and the University of Sydney, have signed five-year agreement to advance Australia’s manufacturing capability. At the heart of the university – on the Darlington campus-, there is a manufacturing hub that welcomes training specialists and academics so that they can work in additive manufacturing. The hub also serves as an incubation of small to medium manufacturing enterprises.
GE Additive and the University of Sydney will establish capabilities in metal additive manufacturing technology. By using GE Additive’s technology, the Sydney manufacturing hub will explore advanced alloy design and applications that can support a range of sectors including aerospace, defence, medicine and agriculture.
This agreement also reminds a memorandum of understanding signed in 2018 between GE Additive and the New South Wales government to develop additive manufacturing capabilities in Western Sydney.
So far, the country’s advanced manufacturing agenda reveals that advanced manufacturing accounts for half of Australia’s manufacturing output and is one of the fastest growing export sectors. The output of Australian manufacturing is estimated to reach AUD$131 billion by 2026, with advanced manufacturing potentially growing the domestic sector by approximately $30 billion over the next 5 years.
Those encouraging figures reinforce the commitment of both parties to achieving this endeavour.
Chris Schuppe, general manager – engineering and technology, GE Additive, said: “GE Additive is committed to delivering specialist consultation, global-standard training, and industry workshops to enable key additive manufacturing research projects at the University of Sydney. We’d encourage Australia’s advanced manufacturing industry to leverage this opportunity to experience additive manufacturing in a fully supported environment.”
“We are very excited to embark on a pioneering research program with GE Additive over the next five years. There is a huge amount of interest and excitement from both industry and the academic community, with whom we look forward to sharing our facilities and cutting-edge additive manufacturing technology,” said University of Sydney Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Duncan Ivison.
KEY FACTS – AUSTRALIA’S MANUFACTURING SECTOR
- The Australian manufacturing sector is estimated to reach $131 billion by 2026, with advanced manufacturing sub-industries potentially adding $30 billion.
- Manufacturing as part of Australia’s total GDP is in decline and according to the World Bank, makes up only 6 percent of Australia’s total GDP.
- Manufacturing comprised 13 percent of Australia’s GDP prior to WW1, rising to 30 percent in the aftermath of WW2.
- Australia ranks 87th in economic complexity according to Harvard Rankings. This is in line in with countries such as Chile and Paraguay. Its complexity is diminishing in comparison to OECD countries, such as Germany, which is ranked fourth by Harvard.
- According to MIT’s Observatory of Economic Complexity, Australian exports total $248 billion, while Germany’s, which has a population over three times that of Australia, are $1.5 trillion – six times the value of Australia’s total exports.
- Australian commodity exports, such as iron ore and copper, make up over 50 percent of total exports and are used in overseas manufacturing.
- Advanced manufacturing could lead to an increase in Australian-produced goods and products, potentially creating an export market for finished goods.
- Small to medium enterprises (SMEs) make up 35 percent of Australia’s GDP. SMEs currently represent the majority of advanced manufacturing operators in Australia.
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