Following recent plans to open an additive manufacturing training facility at the University of Louisville, global safety organisation UL, Underwriters Laboratories, is set to launch a Global Additive Manufacturing Centre of Excellence in Singapore.
Powered by an investment of S$8million, this facility will be a first-of-its-kind service offering for both UL and the 3D printing industry. Supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), the centre will focus on advanced training, material and process validation programs, advisory services and R&D collaborations with local research institutes and industry partners such as the Singapore Centre for 3D Printing and the Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre.
UL’s Global Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence will address critical gaps in the industry through four key areas. It will provide advanced training curriculum to speed up adoption and readiness of a strong AM workforce. Second, the centre’s validation programs will address AM material and process qualification. Third, the centre’s advisory services will provide best practices on AM fast to production and AM part acceptance and finally research will be conducted at the centre to inform standards development.
“UL’s Global Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence will play a catalytic role in helping our industrial companies strengthen their manufacturing competitiveness. This global centre is also aligned with Singapore’s vision to be the advanced manufacturing hub of Asia that drives the development of disruptive technologies such as Additive Manufacturing and robotics,” said Mr. Lim Kok Kiang, Assistant Managing Director of EDB. “We are confident this new investment will add to the vibrancy of the Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) sector in Singapore.”
The plan is for the facility’s four technical service areas to support and expand Singapore’s already well-established 3D printing infrastructure and the centre is expected to employ 10 additive manufacturing technical experts.
Ms. Simin Zhou, vice president of Digital Manufacturing Technologies at UL, added: “We are excited to help build the Singapore additive manufacturing ecosystem by contributing advanced training, validation programs, advisory services and research. We anticipate this site will be the first step of several as we continue to expand into other 3D printing markets, bringing knowledge and best practices.”
