Danish AM Hub launches Report on Additive Manufacturing in Crisis Response

Danish AM Hub, in cooperation with Danish Technological Institute and Create it REAL, have launched the report “Crisis Response Governance: The Role of Additive Manufacturing”. This has been done as part of the EU Horizon 2020 project Eur3ka, which has been carried out in the period November 2020 – February 2023. Eur3ka comprised 24 partners from 11 different European countries that joined forces to investigate the demands of the Covid-19 pandemic on manufacturing companies across borders and to develop a global on-demand and manufacturing as a service platform.

 

The purpose of the report published by Danish AM Hub is to provide insight into how additive manufacturing (AM)/3D print ecosystems can be mobilised in future crises, based on lessons learned from governance models that were formed during the Covid-19 crisis. The document is targeted at national authorities, industry organisations, and AM ecosystems with an interest in the mechanisms of public-private collaboration and lessons learned for activating AM ecosystems in the event of crises.

 

Click the image to read the full report

Learn more about the European Union response and the outlook to the United States in the report.

The report summarises three key lessons learned, which can serve as a basis for recommendations with respect to preparing for future crises:

  • The role of industry/AM ecosystem organisations: Establishing stronger public-private coordination calls for the role of organisations to create awareness on the potential of AM technology towards relevant national authorities. Organisations might also take a role in mobilising the ecosystem for crisis preparedness.
  • Coordination of the AM ecosystem response: In future crisis situations, mobilisation of a response from the AM ecosystem may involve affected sectors of society other than healthcare. The response will benefit from having representation from the affected sector in a coordinating or advisory role.
  • Quality control and clear instructions: To ensure the demand in the sector affected by a given crisis is met with 3D printed equipment meeting the appropriate safety standards, it is essential that clear instructions and guidelines are available. This calls for greater involvement of regulating bodies through standards development. Public-private cooperation can facilitate the coordination of communicating clear instructions and quality control guidelines to the AM ecosystem.