Page 26 - Machines+Italia+Vol+XIV+2022+Coping+with+the+Certainty+of+Uncertain+Times

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
the production constraints of traditional manufacturing are driving many companies to invest in technology, estimated to exceed $27 billion in 2023,” the report asserted.
As Kilometro Rosso stated, “It is therefore clear that additive manufacturing, considering its strengths and growing opportunities
Kilometro Rosso, an AITA partner for additive training, is one of Italy’s leading innovation districts. (Provided by Kilometro Rosso)
for use, will be the future of the manufacturing industry. It will be necessary to support companies more and more in the development of new skills and in training of specialized professionals.”
It was for this reason that Kilometro Rosso developed Lisa Tech, the website explained, and has promoted technological innovation through this and other training projects. The laboratory hosts training, research, and service activities on an EOS M290, direct-metal-laser- sintering (DMLS) printer using aluminum and titanium, as well as real-time production monitoring via IR tomography, all under the watchful eye of Kilometro Rosso experts.
Boundless Prospects
None of this should come as a surprise to those watching the Italian additive manufacturing Industry. According to a market over- view published in 2021 by the United States International Trade Administration, Italy’s AM market ranges between $500 million and $1 billion USD. The overview goes on to note that “the Italian 3D-printing association AITA recently conducted a survey among its members and found four major areas of application for 3D-printing technolo- gies in Italy: automotive, aerospace, biomedical, and jewelry/design/ fashion.”
Visitors to this year’s SPS Italia - Smart Production Solutions “We love to go live” event (www.spsitalia.it) at the Fiere di Parma, Italy, heard similar news. One leading proponent, Bianca Maria Colosimo, professor of the Mechanical Engineering Department of Politecnico di
Milano and member of the Technical Committee Messe Frankfurt Italia, made the case for AM at exhibitor ESA Automation SpA’s (Mariano Comense, Italy, www.esa-automation.com) press conference.
According to the multinational company, which specializes in industrial automation and Industry 4.0 solutions, Colosimo said: “Additive technologies played a leading role in the industrial sector during the pandemic, supporting a resilient and flexible production system, responding to the criticalities of the supply chain. A set of technologies with digital DNA, in support of the twin transitions: on one hand the green one; on the other the digital one. So, promising that they are named in the PNRR, as key technologies for the future of a circular and sustainable ‘Made in Italy,’ opening up new challenges for the world of research and industry.”
It seems that, wherever one looks, they’ll see that Italy’s smart manufacturing sector—of which the AM industry plays a key role—is only going up. For example, Statista noted that “between 2017 and 2020, the market size of the digital sector in Italy grew from 68.7 billion euros to 71.5 billion euros” and is expected to reach 83 billion by 2024.
And as 3D-printer manufacturer Ultimaker pointed out in its 2021 3D Printing Sentiment Index, 88 percent of Italy’s survey respondents indicated that 3D printing offers “extensive benefits in bringing new concepts and design ideas to life,” while 75 percent said 3D printing is the most efficient way to produce small batches of products and components. The result is an overall score of 91.8 for Italy, with half of all who participated in the survey believing that 3D printing “will have a significant positive impact on the business next year.”
Any way you slice it, additive manufacturing is on the move in Italy.
Trade organizations such as the Italian Association of Additive Technologies and UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE play an active role in promoting the country’s diverse manufacturing sectors, additive technologies among them. (Provided by UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE)
26 Volume XIV | www.machinesitalia.org