Public Funding for Gen3D Ltd

Awaiting Public Project Summary

The emergence of 3D printing, industrially termed additive manufacturing (AM) is disrupting how components are manufactured. AM has the capability to manufacture increasingly complex designs for a multitude of cross-sectoral technologies. For example, aerospace where new components can be realised with significantly reduced material consumption and scrap. Current subtractive methods can often result in up to 95% of the raw material being turned into scrap metal in the form of chips and swarf. Traditional manufacturing methods can also lead to over-engineered components due to limitations in design freedoms. Gen3D's vision of design for additive manufacture (DfAM) is predicated on maintaining in equal balance the connection between the often-disparate aspects of 'design' and 'manufacture'. This vision is realised through the unique Gen3D software platform. This software can generate or modify geometry using optimisation algorithms that are constrained by a series of proprietary manufacturing filters. Only manufacturable geometry can be created. A user only needs to describe the function of the part or provide an already existing geometry for the software to return a manufacturable design output. Furthermore, the software is not limited to a single AM process and can be applied to a multitude of AM technologies including powder bed fusion, stereolithography, and fused deposition modelling. This ambitious and disruptive project will develop new design rules, algorithms and software features that will be embedded within Gen3Ds unique software. This will enable and accelerate the right-first-time DfAM of fluid flow components, such as hydraulic actuators and heat exchangers.It will transform how complex fluid flow components are realised using a new design environment (akin to a digital 'whiteboard') in which the designer can flexibly and quickly alter and adapt designs whilst simultaneously adhering to core manufacturability rules. This will, for the first time, ensure that designs are functionally optimally, significantly light-weighted and manufacturable in a single design iteration fundamentally changing the way engineers design.

By enabling Additive Manufacturing (AM) parts in highly regulated sectors, DAEDALUS will help make the UK the place to manufacture the products that will drive the future of the world, addressing the UK Grand Challenges \[1\] (future electric aircraft for urban mobility and clean growth, and medical devices for ageing society).The adoption of AM in these sectors (e.g. aerospace, space, oil & gas and medical) is hindered by part quality issues, process repeatability and reliability, traceability, scalability and limited availability of AM standards. These challenges are inherently linked to the ability to generate (sampling); capture (in-process monitoring); process (signal processing); store (data architectures); structure (data schemas and standards); manage (traceability provision); analyse (data correlation and insights) and share (manual data, different platforms) highly complex data across the AM process chain (i.e. powder management, build process and post-processing) and the supply chain. Therefore, digital manufacturing is a key enabler and solution, which is the core objective of DAEDALUS.DAEDALUS is aiming at developing a novel solution, with a combination of IDTs (AM, IIoT/Connectivity, AI/analytics) to build the digital thread and analytics solutions to enable AM adoption and scale-up and accelerate qualification of AM parts in highly regulated sectors.**AM Digital Thread:** Development of single, traceable, digital thread and its flexible integration of facility/production management systems to streamline, standardise and digitalise best practices across the AM supply chain focusing on powder management, process and post-process optimisation.**AM Intelligence:** Development of AI-enabled solutions for material and process control and stability through the utilisation of materials, sensor and in-process monitoring data.This solution will be demonstrated for three steps of the AM process chain individually (powder management, build process, machining) in a combination of pre-production and industrial environments. The final demonstrator will be a digitally integrated AM supply chain: a secure collaborative, intelligent and independent platform whereby reliable AM raw material and product traceability data can be shared securely between AM supply chain partners.The final solution is intended to generate game-changing improvements in operational efficiency, including yield, material cost and lead-times. The solution will also make a radical improvement in qualification and certification times for the AM supply chain. As a result, significant improvements in time to market are also expected.DAEDALUS will influence the future of manufacturing, by anchoring light-weighting, electrification, customised medical implants and devices in the UK supply chain and help invigorating the associated digital tech ecosystem.

The value of additive manufacturing processes (AM, otherwise 3D-printing) has been clearly demonstrated during this pandemic. The global community has energetically developed novel ventilator and PPE solutions in a very short time frame. Frustratingly, the number of designers and engineers with the required knowledge to drive such innovation is very low. In short, there is a critical skills gap in terms of design for AM (DfAM). However, the furlough, quarantine and lock-down presents an unprecedented opportunity to upskill the UK workforce in this regard. This project will design and deliver a new, highly-interactive educational course. It will move away from the stale, rote learning approaches seen so often in traditional e-learning. Instead, it will rely heavily on 'learn-by-doing', gamified walkthroughs within Gen3D's proprietary DfAM software. This will be free for the next year, and it will be coupled with online teaching materials (videos, assessments, etc.). This will overcome barriers to access during a time of great financial pressure and remote working, directly impacting education and culture. In addition, it will give a rich, deep learning experience to maximise engagement and fulfilment. E-learning is experiencing significant growth through platforms such as the Code Academy. These interactive, digital environments encourage positive learning where the user has to perform different tasks to progress through the course. Using our bespoke design software, we intend to produce a series of video lectures and interactive case studies to demonstrate best practices and methodologies to consider when designing and producing parts for AM. We will embrace 'gamification', where game-like experiences promote desired behaviours and drive learning outcomes. This methodology is grounded in pedagogical research and is built on constructivist learning, which predicates the need for experiential learning via social interaction with the environment and peers (Zainuddina, 2020). The course will primarily focus on upskilling quarantined, furloughed or otherwise locked-down engineering or design staff. However, wider impacts may readily extend to disrupted students and hobbyists who are seeking DIY solutions or self-improvement during this challenging time. By delivering this low-cost/free online course, we hope to increase the UK workforce's understanding of AM processes and workflows. It will build awareness surrounding the benefits and drawbacks of AM processes, the economics of using AM and the principles and mindsets that lead to the successful deployment of AM. Looking further, upskilling the UK advanced manufacturing sector will help to maintain a competitive advantage within a global engineering community. The extension for impact funding will focus on taking the success we've seen to date of our newly developed course and engage with 3 key target industry sectors. This engagement will lead to a new set of targeted lessons which look to bring in industry speakers to showcase the benefits of design for additive manufacturing skills in their sectors. This will be done using a relevant case study for each sector and will help transfer the knowledge and skills gained by each user to their respective industry sectors. The extension will also begin our phase of exploring commercialisation of the course and growing our course to a revenue generating segment of the Gen3D business.

"Additive manufacturing (AM), often referred to as 3D-printing, is disrupting the way products and components are designed and manufactured. As AM processes manufacture components one layer at a time, complex geometries can be created without the added complexity of having to program the AM machine. Designers are now using these processes to produce previously unthinkable components with staggering performance benefits. However, these benefits often come at significant cost. Market research suggests that the design of a complex AM component may take eight weeks to perfect, including between three and ten manufacturing iterations to develop a production-ready design. Furthermore, large AM components can spend as many as 30 days on the printer. Manufacturing failures can occur at any time within this window and often do. When this is combined with the significant capital investment requirements for an AM process and the inflated cost of powdered materials, these failures can stretch cash-flow and production schedules to breaking point. Research at the University of Bath has developed a series of algorithms to automatically design components for AM processes. This means that components can be designed simply by specifying the functional requirements for the part (loads, holes for fastenings, keep-out zones, ducts for fluid flow etc.). Additionally, the algorithms automatically filter out component geometries that are likely to cause downstream manufacturing issues. This 'generative design' tool empowers engineers to rapidly create complex designs whilst minimising the risk of in-print failures. The ICURe programme allowed us to test our market hypotheses regarding the need for such a product and identify potential end-users. Initial engagement with companies confirmed that there is an appetite for a generative design tool with a focus on manufacturing constraints. This direct feedback from industry helped to formulate the initial business model to commercialise the underpinning research. This culminated in the recommendation to 'spin out' by the ICURe programme review panel, which has led to the incorporation of a new start-up, Gen3D Ltd. This ambitious project aims to grow the Gen3D business, validate the associated business model and use further academic research at the University of Bath to build credibility in the Gen3D software product. This project will drive growth in terms of Gen3D employees, taking the product to market and engagement with target customers. Through software sales, tailored consultancy and up-skilling of customers through training, we aim to establish Gen3D as an exciting new company within the global AM market."