AlphaSTAR – 2021 Industry Predictions

Wow, if we survived 2020, then 2021 will be a piece of cake, maybe, hopefully, fingers crossed, with eyes closed looking upward. In terms of technology, the little engine that could, i.e. Additive Manufacturing, kept climbing the hill. Despite all the difficulties, researchers, printer manufacturers, and end users continued to push the envelope with regard to innovations and applications. Additive Manufacturing and its close friends the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, Nano Technology and Automation all made greater steps toward integration.

The difference in 2020 was that the breakthroughs and advancements were low key affairs, in which news was shared via online remote webinars and video conference calls. As a community we maintained the momentum but also learned new ways to produce and share results because of the unprecedented constraints that were placed on interaction as a consequence of the pandemic. So what lies ahead? Well let’s all gaze into the Additively Manufactured Crystal Ball and take a peek into what might be in 2021.

The first wave of “amazing” associated with Additive Manufacturing (AM) was the excitement that everyone experienced when seeing familiar object magically grow layer by layer within a little box. We are now into the second wave of “amazing”, which will be related to what the finished products can do, i.e. in terms of strength, stiffness, thermal conductivity, and electric conductivity. My point is that in 2021 we will transition into the performance side of product fabrication.

AM part qualification is closer than most people think. It is being driven by Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) which is helping to optimize material properties, build paths, build plans and build parameters to reduce and ultimately eliminate trial and error fabrication. Specifically, in 2021, metal AM will explore the full expanse of fabrication including alloy design, grain boundary engineering and the controlled generation of helpful precipitates to enhance material properties. In this manner, metal AM will be able to develop alloy compositions with preferred crystallographic orientation and microstructure resulting in reduced defects, increased resistant to fatigue and potential improvements in strength.

In terms of material improvements, Nanotechnology is ready to make a big contribution to AM. By their design, some AM modalities automatically address the mixing and integration of material inclusions. For those AM modalities and others that solve that conundrum, nanomaterials in form of carbon nanotubes and fullerenes will show that they can improve mechanical properties and electrical properties in AM builds. For the bravest AM engineers, graphene nanohybrids will deliver excellent electromagnetic properties in terms of absorbing and shielding of electromagnetic waves in finished AM builds.

Artificial Intelligence and its familiar companion Machine Learning are finally due to make major headway within AM in the realm of In-situ monitoring, real time detection of defects and real time feedback for layer by layer defect correction. Most of the main components are in place. Numerous sensors have been used with AM to capture and quantify defects in real time.

Big data processing has developed algorithms to cull vast amounts of layer data and drive down to the most valuable information that is actionable. Simulation tools have shown that this data may be incorporated into analysis to provide updated parameters to make necessary corrections. In 2021 through the use of AI and Machine Learning, all of individual capabilities will be integrated into a common technology that supports feedback and feed-forward control. In this manner, AI/ML will help make AM technology even more user friendly.

Finally, the Internet of Things (IOT) and Automation will push AM to make a real impact on the supply chain. Just as the last year has accelerated the American appetite for online shopping, IOT and Automation will empower AM to respond to remote orders with automated builds that results in parts and products that meet customer specifications. The fancy name is Intelligent Process Automation (IPA). Ultimately, it will support the full expansion of AM into the supply chain, which will be the metric and engine that ushers in the age of widespread AM adoption.

Those are my predictions for 2021. In all its potential craziness, 2021 will be the breakthrough year for AM that we have all anticipated. Here’s hoping that everyone had a safe holidays and a happy new year. See you in twelve months, ideally in person and not by conference call.

Dr. Rashid Miraj,
Director of Technical Operations,
AlphaSTAR

Tags: Industry Predictions

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 13th, 2021 at 06:00. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.