3D printing, robotics and nanotechnology and electrical energy is touted as the future of the technology in the world. Most of the world’s research is done in universities and most of them are now focusing on these fields to get ahead of each other. 3D printing is a manufacturing phenomenon that will revolutionize factories and mass production in the coming years. Here are the universities that are heavily investing in 3D printing research:
1. Princeton University, USA
The Ivy League institute is one of the leading names in bioprinting and 3D printing in general. Its School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering have conducted cutting-edge research in all kinds of additive manufacturing processes. They hold a number of 3Dprinting symposiums and bring together professionals from around the globe to discuss ideas.
2. Cornell University, USA
Princeton’s fellow Ivy league university Cornell has a famed Creative Machines Lab that lays particular focus on bioprinting and even construction prototyping. It also houses famous 3D printing researcher named Hod Lipson who recently wrote a book named ” Fabricated: The New World of 3D printing”. He claims that no industry is now exempt from the advances of 3D printing.
3. National Technology University, Singapore
The NTU Singapore launched a 24 million $ center of excellence in Additive Manufacturing Techniques. It has seen considerable research in the field of bioprinting and recently announced joint projects with German 3D giant SLM Solutions.
4. University of Connecticut, USA
The University claims to be the first in the Northeast to work with metals rather than just plastics in 3D printing technology. Pratt & Whitney of United Technologies was the first company to invest millions and millions of dollars here to set up the first additive manufacturing center. It will undergo crucial 3D printing R&D as well as train students in the technology for the growing industry.
5. Penn State University, USA
National Institute of Standards and Technology awarded a grant to the Pen State University and much of it will go to the development of its Consortium for Additive Manufacturing Materials (CAMM). The objective of this center will be to drive innovation and range of materials being used in the process.
6. North Carolina State University, USA
A good line of consumer-grade and industrial-grade 3D printers was introduced in the Laboratory for Additive Manufacturing and Logistics of North Carolina. The University’s accomplishments are shown by patents claimed by university’s researchers in this emerging field.
7. University of Sheffield, UK
The center for Advanced Additive Manufacturing or AdAM Center is now home to one of the most significant advances in the technology. The value of different kinds of printers and other additive machinery is close to 6 million$. Currently, the university is focusing on additive processes for dentistry and bioprinting.
8. University of Nottingham, UK
Nottingham University was one of the first to get in the business of 3D printing and its Additive Manufacturing and 3D printing Research Group has been present since 1990s. Currently, they have a research pool of more than 17 million dollars! Students and faculty are heavily involved in the research.
9. Western Carolina University, USA
WC University’s Rapid Product Realization conducts R&D in 3D printing and other additive manufacturing processes. Different companies also give their projects to the university and so they have a direct experience of working with the demands of the fledgling industry.
10. Iowa State University, USA
The Iowa State University along with University of Northern Iowa and University of Iowa are a part of a 320-million $ Pentagon-funded digital manufacturing consortium with a sizable chunk of it dedicated to research in 3D printing. It aims to forge the connection between manufacturing technology and companies. The companies include Caterpillar and Proctor & Gamble. The University of Iowa in particular has made headlines in recent times about the 3D printing of currently non-existent body parts that could improve the overall functionality of the human body.
11. University of Exeter, UK
Exeter’s Center of Additive Layer Manufacturing (CALM) is a 4.5 million $ program funded by the University and European Regional Development Fund. unlike other universities, the 3D printing center here was established here to develop and support small business of any kind with the new technology and machinery at their disposal. Now that’s what I call grassroots introduction of technology into people’s lives.