EWI to Launch Additive Manufacturing Consortium

Initial Meeting to be Held February 2010

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- EWI today announced that it will host a meeting to kickoff the Additive Manufacturing Consortium (AMC), February 10-11, 2010 in Columbus, Ohio.  This consortium will be the first organization of its kind in the United States.  The AMC will work to advance the manufacturing readiness levels of additive processes which could revolutionize many manufacturing sectors.  

"Many industries, researchers, technology providers, and government agencies are independently working to develop and implement additive processes," said Chris Conrardy, VP of Technology and Innovation at EWI. "The consortium will create a forum for these groups to prioritize needs and will coordinate programs to advance key technologies through to implementation."

About Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing includes processes which create the desired features of a component through successive deposition of material.  The advantages of additive manufacturing can include reduced lead time, lower cost, reduced waste, reduced carbon footprint, and enhanced design possibilities compared with conventional subtractive processes.  Although certain additive manufacturing processes are currently available for commercial use, they face limitations which have kept the potential advantages of the technology from being realized in many industries.

About the AMC

The AMC will establish a U.S. center of excellence which engages a national technology network to provide unbiased advice, development, performance testing, and qualification of additive processes.  Consortium members will consist of industrial end users, universities, research centers, equipment suppliers, and their technology partners.  Leveraging technology suppliers, the AMC's core studies program will work to advance the current state of the technology by seeking higher speeds, larger sizes, real-time quality control, better properties, and greater ranges of materials.

This initial meeting will serve to formulate the AMC's mission, structure, and activities.  The agenda includes stakeholder presentations, working-group sessions, and demonstrations.  Those interested should visit ewi.org/events for additional information.

About EWI

EWI is a leading engineering and technology organization dedicated to materials joining and allied technologies.  We provide applied research, manufacturing support, and strategic services to nearly 1,200 member company locations of global leaders in the advanced energy, aerospace, automotive, defense, electronics, government, heavy manufacturing, and oil & gas industries.  Visit ewi.org for more information.

SOURCE EWI