Inspiring and fruitful discussions at Additive Intelligence 4.0

170 participants from Europe covering different parts of the AM eco-system were on site in Gothenburg from 31 May to 1 June 2022 to discuss additive manufacturing. This was the third time the Additive Intelligence 4.0 conference was held, and the program has evolved from being about design and powder to include different aspects of the additive manufacturing value chain.

The Application Center for Additive manufacturing together with partners arranged the conference, which was led on stage by moderator Niklas Jälevik from RISE and Seyed Hosseini, Director of AM-Center.

Increased sustainability

The conference began with a panel discussion where Andreas Graichen from Siemens Energy, Oskar Bruce from Alfa Laval and Torbjörn Larsson from Volvo Car Corporation among others discussed how additive manufacturing can contribute to the development of more sustainable materials and a reduced climate footprint for the industry.

– There are different excellent and inspiring examples, where AM really contributes to reduce the CO2-footprint, but there are also areas that requires more attention, says Andreas Graichen.

He explains that AM by default is not environmentally friendly by having zero CO2-footprint, it requires to be put in context, where parts are manufactured in smart way considering the entire life cycle.

AM center key when scaling up

The panel also discussed scaling up AM and noted that there is no solution that fits all.

– This process will impact differently for each company. At Siemens Energy, we decided to use AM for many years ago, and started to consider what could be done and how AM could be an enabler. Here, the AM centers plays an important role when companies want to find out what is possible, without first having to invest in a specific technology by them self, says Andreas Graichen.

Torbjörn Larsson adds:

– It takes time to scale up, it's a mindset that has to change, it's new tools that we have to learn. This cannot be ignored or forgotten.

Useful presentations

Both hardware and software suppliers had the opportunity to present the latest development and what to expect within the near future. Among the speakers were for example leading companies like SLM Solutions, RENA Technology, AddUp, Digital Metal and Hexagon. Stora Enso presented about its concept for circular materials and biocomposite for 3D printing.

The second day was more focused on scientific presentations from scientists from KTH, Chalmers, Linköping University, Lund University, Luleå University and RISE. From in-depth technical presentations to concrete tips on how to find out if you should use AM or not when manufacturing a component.

Torbjörn Larsson from Volvo Cars Corporation was particularly drawn to one presentation:

– It was Greta Lindwalls from KTH. She said that they looked at how the lead time for material development could be shortened. It is something that normally takes a long time, but with AM the development can be shortened, it is a good addition to the technology.

Opportunity to network

The networking opportunity was highly appreciated by the participants, as it gave a great opportunity to discuss the current status and what to expect in near future. The breaks between the presentations gave a great opportunity to deepen the discuss with exhibitors about different technical solutions that can was presented at the conference.

Lina Nyman at Nordic AM is one of those who appreciated the exhibition.

– It is good to be able to see products and techniques and at the same time to be able to ask questions. I have just started a new company in AM, and for me it is important to be able to network and make contacts, and for that the conference is a good forum, she says.

The Additive Intelligence 4.0 conference is back again in the spring of 2024.