Speech by Minister S Iswaran (Industry), at the Launch of the Singapore Centre for 3D Printing and Pro-AM Conference at Nanyang Executive Centre Auditorium

Professor Bertil Andersson, President, Nanyang Technological University (NTU)

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Introduction

1. A very good morning.  I am pleased to join you today for the launch of the Singapore Centre for 3D Printing (SC3DP) and the opening of the Centre’s 2nd International Conference on Progress in Additive Manufacturing (PRO-AM 2016)

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is fast becoming a viable alternative to conventional manufacturing processes for a range of industries

2. 3D printing, or Additive manufacturing (AM), has emerged from the hobbyist arena, and is fast becoming a viable alternative to conventional manufacturing processes in a range of industries.  Manufacturers are already beginning to see benefits from the application of AM technologies.  These include reduced material wastage, shorter manufacturing lead times and the creation of complex parts that are not possible to manufacture with conventional processes.  In a 2014 survey by PwC of over 100 US industrial manufacturers ranging from small contract manufacturers to multinational corporations (MNCs), two-thirds of the companies reported that they were already leveraging AM technologies.  In line with this trend, the additive manufacturing industry is expected to grow from $3 billion in 2013 to $13 billion by 2018, and exceed $21 billion in worldwide revenue by 2020.

The development of public-sector AM capabilities will help to position Singapore’s manufacturing sectors for the future

3. Last year, I announced the formation of the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster (NAMIC).  The initiative involves three centres in NUS, NTU and SUTD, which will commercialise upstream AM research in the universities.  It will also help Singapore-based companies develop the necessary competencies to adopt Additive Manufacturing in their manufacturing processes, thereby enabling them to tap global trends towards greater sustainability and higher degrees of customisation.  NAMIC has since engaged more than 50 companies, trade associations and chambers of commerce across a wide spectrum of sectors such as precision engineering, oil & gas and electronics.

4. The launch of the Singapore Centre for 3D Printing (SC3DP) today strengthens the development of our public sector Additive Manufacturing capabilities.  The Centre will consolidate NTU’s efforts and strengths in training AM postgraduate talent, and enabling Additive Manufacturing visualisation and prototyping activities.  This will help to further develop AM capabilities in collaboration with industry partners that can be taken downstream by NAMIC for adoption by Singapore-based companies.  For example, the Centre will launch three new programmes in Aerospace & Defence, Building & Construction and Marine & Offshore, working with industry leaders such as ST Engineering, Sembcorp Design & Construction, and Keppel Offshore & Marine Technology Centre to further grow Additive Manufacturing technologies and spur adoption in these sectors.  

5. The Aerospace and Defence programme will develop technologies to enable the printing of new complex designs with lighter and stronger parts, allowing companies to reduce downtime and inventory holdings for components and spare parts.  In addition to building up knowledge in operationalising the 3D printing process, the Centre will also help to develop certification and qualification processes to meet the aerospace industry’s stringent safety and performance standards.

6. In the Building and Construction Programme, a multi-disciplinary team comprising leading additive manufacturing, materials and robotics researchers and industry leaders, will jointly develop additive manufacturing systems and advanced printable materials for automatic and remote dispensation for construction purposes.  These materials include repair and corrective coatings, ultrahigh-strength concrete, Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) and fibre-reinforced shotcrete.

7. The Centre’s Marine and Offshore Programme will leverage AM to make large metal parts and prototypes, joint complex structures and repair critical components.  These new capabilities will enable our Marine & Offshore companies to enhance productivity, reduce energy consumption and produce parts with high structural integrity, further extending Singapore’s lead in the sector.

8. SMEs can also approach the Singapore Centre for 3D Printing for research collaborations to address their unique needs, and support in the deployment of Additive Manufacturing technologies.  An example of an SME which has collaborated successfully with NTU is Studio Green Pte Ltd, a producer of environmentally friendly, renewable building materials.  NTU worked with Studio Green to develop a prototype Smart Sunshade, which has the potential to phase-change automatically in response to climate stimulus, reducing air-conditioning costs of buildings and allowing comfortable daylight into indoor spaces for occupants.

Under RIE2020, the Government will continue to strengthen our support for innovative start-ups leveraging disruptive technologies such as AM

19. With advances in Additive Manufacturing technology, more industry sectors and companies stand to benefit.  We are now seeing the emergence of promising Singapore-based start-ups that are developing Additive Manufacturing products, processes and services for use in a wide spectrum of sectors.

10. Today, I am pleased to announce that the government is strengthening our support for such innovative start-ups.  SPRING will be appointing seven new accelerators across emerging sectors to incubate and co-invest in locally-based start-ups, fast-track their growth, and help them to achieve market success. For example, the accelerator Wavemaker has invested in Structo, a start-up which has developed ultra-rapid 3D printers, and the accelerator EnchantVC has incubated CreoPop, a start-up that developed a pen with cool 3D ink

Conclusion

11. My congratulations to NTU on the launch of the Centre.  I look forward to seeing more of our companies leverage disruptive technologies such as Additive Manufacturing to transform their businesses, as well as start-ups which seek to tap the growth of this exciting new industry sector.

12. At the PRO-AM conference today, you will be hearing perspectives from industry leaders on additive manufacturing technology and innovation.  I urge all of you to make full use of this platform to exchange novel ideas, discover new collaborative opportunities and strengthen existing partnerships. I wish all of you a fruitful and rewarding conference.

[1]  Source: Wohlers Report 2014. The Report, developed in consultation with 70 co-authors in 24 countries, 82 service providers, 29 system manufacturers and others worldwide, is regarded as an authoritative source on the state of additive manufacturing and 3D printing worldwide. The 2014 edition marks the 19th consecutive year of publication.

[2]  The novel 3D printing systems will automatically and remotely dispense or spray both basic and advanced construction materials onto desired surfaces or sites, and to the specified dimensions, tolerances, feature or pattern, enhancing efficiency and properties of the original materials.

[3] These 7 accelerators are: Jungle Ventures, WaveMaker, TNB SPRING, GreenMeadows Accelerator, EnchantVC, TRIREC and JCS Ventures Lab. For more information, please refer to the press release by SPRING Singapore.

[4] Conventional 3D printing pens such as the 3Doodler contain an electric-powered heater that melts plastic. Creopop’s 3D printing pen contains no hot parts, melting plastics or unpleasant smell. Instead, CreoPop uses photopolymers that are solidified using built-in LEDs.