Under the terms of the agreement, GE Additive will invest a maximum of US$1 million annually over the next 10 years in research and development to accelerate the adoption of metal additive manufacturing in Australia and the region.
Said Debbra Rogers (pictured, left), chief commercial officer, GE Additive: “Additive requires a completely different way of engineering and thinking.Educating and training current workforces with new skills and also getting more engineers into additive takes time and programs need to be developed over a number of years. The University of Sydney recognises this and that, in order to build the right mindset, the right skills, the right materials, we need to encourage close collaboration between companies, academia and governments.”
The University of Sydney is committed to providing intellectual leadership in additive manufacturing over the next decade. The MoU reinforces the university’s commitment to establish a new 1,000 sqm Additive Manufacturing and Advanced Materials Processing research facility that will serve as a focal point for the partnership.
Said Vice-Chancellor and Principal, University of Sydney, Dr Michael Spenc (picture, right): “By partnering with GE Additive, an industry leader in additive manufacturing, we can set the agenda for this disruptive technology and ensure that Australia is primed to both participate in, and contribute to, this exciting next phase of the industrial revolution. The collaboration will drive the R&D needed to learn how this dispruption to manufacturing can be harnessed for economic benefit. We are especially delighted that this initiative aligns with our plan to establish a new campus at Parramatta/ Westmead, where advanced manufacturing will be a key focus."
Added Professor Simon Ringer, director of Core Research Facilities at the University of Sydney: “This addition to the university’s core research facilities will allow our researchers and research partners to conduct trail-blazing fundamental research, and will directly benefit Australian industry, particularly our aerospace, transport, biomedical and defence sectors.
“We are creating an environment for our researchers to explore the limits of what materials can do, how they are structured, and how to make them. Establishing a world-class capability in Darlington/ Camperdown is a key first step for our grand plans for Advanced Manufacturing in Paramatta/ Westmead."
