Enginuity Future Skills Hub

The engineering and manufacturing sector is rapidly evolving, making it challenging for employers to identify the skills necessary to stay ahead. Future Skills Hub offers a comprehensive collection of resources on various technologies and their impact on skills demand, all presented in an accessible, bite-sized format.

What is additive manufacturing?

Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is where objects are created by adding material layer by layer, in contrast to traditional manufacturing methods that focus on cutting or shaping materials.

This allows complex parts to be produced with precision in a variety of materials such as plastics, metals, ceramics, and composites.

Additive manufacturing explained

How is additive manufacturing used?

Rapid prototyping and production of customised and low-volume parts, especially those with intricate and complex geometries
Manufacturing of end-use parts with small to medium production runs
Producing customised tooling, fixtures, jigs, patterns and moulds.
On-demand production of spare parts.

Benefits of additive manufacturing

Implementing additive manufacturing in small and medium enterprises opens up opportunities for innovation, customisation, and efficiency, providing a competitive advantage in the rapidly evolving manufacturing landscape.

Additive manufacturing and Industry 4.0

Additive manufacturing is a key enabler of , revolutionising production with its ability to create complex geometries, customise products, and reduce time-to-market. It facilitates agile and decentralised manufacturing, promoting on-demand production, mass customisation, and sustainable practices.

Additive manufacturing and sustainability

Additive manufacturing can support sustainability by enabling on-demand production, reducing material waste, and offering lightweight design options, leading to more efficient use of resources, lower environmental footprint, and more sustainable manufacturing practices.

What skills might you need?

Implementing additive manufacturing in small to medium engineering and manufacturing businesses requires a combination of technical, operational, and strategic skills, including:

Understanding of Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM)
Proficiency in Computer Aided Design (CAD)
Familiarity with a range of materials used in additive manufacturing
Knowledge of various additive manufacturing technologies
Ability to optimise additive manufacturing processes for efficiency and quality
Skills in quality control and testing methods specific to additive manufacturing
Efficient management of materials used in additive manufacturing
Understanding the end-to-end operational workflow of additive manufacturing
Knowledge of post-processing techniques
Basic maintenance skills for additive manufacturing machines
Project management skills to plan and execute additive manufacturing projects
Ability to conduct cost analysis for additive manufacturing projects
Awareness of regulatory requirements related to additive manufacturing
Innovative mindset and problem-solving skills
Effective communication and collaboration with customers
Understanding the strategic implications of additive manufacturing for the business
Being adaptable to technological advancements in the field of additive manufacturing.

What skills might you need?

Implementing additive manufacturing in small to medium engineering and manufacturing businesses requires a combination of technical, operational, and strategic skills, including:

Understanding of Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM)
Proficiency in Computer Aided Design (CAD)
Familiarity with a range of materials used in additive manufacturing
Knowledge of various additive manufacturing technologies
Ability to optimise additive manufacturing processes for efficiency and quality
Skills in quality control and testing methods specific to additive manufacturing
Efficient management of materials used in additive manufacturing
Understanding the end-to-end operational workflow of additive manufacturing
Knowledge of post-processing techniques
Basic maintenance skills for additive manufacturing machines
Project management skills to plan and execute additive manufacturing projects
Ability to conduct cost analysis for additive manufacturing projects
Awareness of regulatory requirements related to additive manufacturing
Innovative mindset and problem-solving skills
Effective communication and collaboration with customers
Understanding the strategic implications of additive manufacturing for the business
Being adaptable to technological advancements in the field of additive manufacturing.

Who might need them?

While not everyone in a small to medium engineering and manufacturing company needs to possess all the skills mentioned for additive manufacturing, having a combination of these skills as well as awareness of strategic implication, across different roles and functions is beneficial for successful advanced manufacturing implementation.

These include:

Design for advanced manufacturing and design roles
Machine operators and technicians
Quality control and testing specialists
Materials management and procurement
Project managers
Training and development professionals
Customer-facing roles
Innovation champions and problem solvers
Business leadership and management.

Useful resources

Person working on a project wearing goggles.

Moog case study

How Moog INC worked out which products it would be using addictive manufacturing to create, and how it upskilled its team to enable this.

Additive Manufacturing UK

Visit Additive Manufacturing UK - the trade association for additive manufacturing for further resources, case studies, news and events.

World Skills UK Additive Manufacturing Competition

This competition focuses on all the essential requirements for a successful career in Additive Manufacturing specialising in CAD software design, alongside FDM 3D Printing and 3D scanning.