['(c).Sharon Hickey Photography', 'Sharon Hickey'] @The University of Sydney/Sharon Hickey
GE Additive x University Sydney MoU
Left to right: Debbra Rogers, CCO, GE Additive, Professor Laurent Rivory, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of Sydney, Christine Furstoss, CTO, GE Additive, Dr Michael Spence, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Sydney.
GE Additive has signed a ten-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Sydney to accelerate metal additive manufacturing throughout Australia.
The agreement will see GE Additive invest up to US$1 million a year in research and development, while the University of Sydney will invest in existing and future technologies developed by the vendor. Their aim is to drive adoption of additive manufacturing through education, job creation, and technology and application development.
Together, GE and the University of Sydney will look to research and develop material and powder technologies, as well as sensing and analytics, building on the University’s current capabilities in this area and its experience using Arcam EBM technology. The work in materials and powders is set to cover alloy design, alloy modification, powder characterisation and powder characterisation-process response identification, post-processing optimisation, and materials gaps in repairs.
Other areas of focus are the development of new applications, the targeting of new markets to introduce additive manufacturing to, and the bilateral access to the partners’ local and global networks, which include academic, industrial and government organisations. The partnership between the two parties will also facilitate the development of a new 1,000 square-metre additive manufacturing and advanced materials processing research unit which will serve as the focal point of the MoU.
“By partnering with GE Additive, an industry leader in additive manufacturing, we can set the agenda for this disruptive technology and ensure that Australia is primed to both participate in, and contribute to, this exciting next phase of the industrial revolution,” commented Dr. Michael Spence, Vice Chancellor and Principal, University of Sydney. “The collaboration will drive the R&D needed to learn how this disruption to manufacturing can be harnessed for economic benefit. We are especially delighted that this initiative aligns with our plan to establish a new campus at Parramatta/ Westmead, where advanced manufacturing will be a key focus.”
“We were immediately impressed by the University of Sydney’s vision for additive manufacturing – not just at an academic level, but also because they understand the positive impact this technology can have on Australia’s economy and its workforce in the very near future,” added Debra Rogers, Chief Commercial Officer, GE Additive. “Additive requires a completely different way of engineering and thinking. Educating and training current workforces with new skills and also getting more engineers into additive takes time and programmes need to be developed over a number of years. The University of Sydney recognises this, and that in order to build the right mind-set, the right skills, the right materials, we need to encourage close collaboration between companies, academia and governments.”