Austal leads Additive Manufacturing framework project
Australian shipbuilder Austal, Curtin University and the Additive Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (AMCRC) have launched a collaborative research project to identify new opportunities for Additive Manufacturing across Australia’s maritime and defence supply chain.
Although investment in Additive Manufacturing continues to grow worldwide, identifying applications where the technology offers clear commercial and supply chain benefits can still pose a significant barrier to wider industrial adoption. The AUS $600,000 project seeks to address this challenge by developing a framework for assessing the suitability of components for Additive Manufacturing.
Over the next eighteen months, the partners will develop an industry-ready methodology capable of assessing potentially thousands of components against operational, commercial, technical and regulatory criteria.
According to Austal, the framework will provide a scalable approach to identifying where Additive Manufacturing can reduce lead times, strengthen supply chains and support sovereign manufacturing capability, replacing the evaluation of individual use cases with a more systematic process.
“The challenge is no longer whether Additive Manufacturing works. The challenge is knowing where it delivers the greatest value,” stated Sam Abbott, Austal’s Head of Research and Development. “This framework will help us quantify the demand for Additive Manufacturing across maritime and defence programmes, allowing industry to make better investment decisions, build more resilient supply chains and accelerate the uplift of Australia’s advanced manufacturing capabilities.”
The project will also draw on Austal’s experience as the prime contractor for the US Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence, using operational data and experience gained through that programme.
Curtin University will lead development and validation of the framework, working with industry partners using vessel and supply chain data to ensure the methodology is commercially relevant.
Dr Karl Davidson, Research Lead at Curtin University, added, “By combining engineering, operational and commercial considerations into a single framework, we can help manufacturers make faster, more informed decisions about where Additive Manufacturing can deliver measurable benefits.”
The project forms part of wider efforts to strengthen Australia’s advanced manufacturing sector and accelerate industrial adoption of Additive Manufacturing.
Simon Marriott, Managing Director of AMCRC, said the framework is intended to help manufacturers identify components best suited to Additive Manufacturing for both defence and civil supply chains.
“Many organisations understand the potential of Additive Manufacturing, but struggle to determine where it makes commercial and operational sense,” he explained. “This project will deliver a practical solution that helps industry identify high-value opportunities, prioritise investment and build confidence to scale adoption.”
The partners expect the framework to be applicable beyond the maritime and defence sectors, providing a repeatable methodology that could be adapted across other areas of manufacturing to improve productivity, resilience and competitiveness.
