Workshop: Predictive Theoretical and Computational Approaches for Additive Manufacturing; National Academy of Sciences, Washington D.C.; October 7-9, 2015

National Academy Of Sciences, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

Additive manufacturing, such as 3D printing, enables the realization of complex shapes that are otherwise impossible to manufacture. The urgent need for maturity and robustness of this technology has rapidly initiated a great deal of research in this area from the engineering community. There is a need for experts to come together, to share the state-of-the-art in additive manufacturing and discuss advances in the theoretical and predictive simulation tools that can facilitate the development of new materials and products based on additive manufacturing processes. Additive manufacturing methods have great potential for promoting transformative research in many fields across the vast spectrum of engineering, e.g., advanced manufacturing, biomedical applications, materials design, meta-materials, and energy-absorbing device design. The U.S. National Committee on Theoretical and Applied Mechanics will host a workshop in Washington, DC, on October 7-9, 2015, to address the challenges and opportunities in theoretical and computational methods to advance additive manufacturing in a holistic, multifaceted, and interdisciplinary way. At this meeting, experts from different sectors and industries will share their best practices and ideas. While workshops on additive manufacturing have been held in the past, this workshop will focus on theoretical and computational approaches. The accuracy and reliability of these approaches lay the foundation for the predictive characteristics of any modeling techniques spawned from them. This unique workshop will involve such areas as simulation based engineering and science, integrated computational materials engineering, mechanics, materials science, manufacturing processes, and other specialized areas. The emphasis will be technical, but it will also address policy, or other issues related to this topic. The goal of this workshop is to develop an integrated framework or manufacturing methodology for additive manufacturing considering the computational and theoretical approaches and digital materials available. The current and future trends in theoretical, mathematical, and computational approaches for additive manufacturing processes will be thoroughly investigated and disseminated through the workshop. A planning committee of six experts appointed by the National Academies will prepare the agenda and identify the speakers. It is expected that 40 participants will attend the workshop in person and many others via webinar. The meeting organizers will provide a life webcast of the meeting to the research community and enable community input via web-based tools.