Additive manufacturing opportunities for Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors
- Publisher:
- AgriFutures - National Rural Issues
- Publication Type:
- Report
- Citation:
- 2021, pp. 1-1
- Issue Date:
- 2021-09-30
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Agrifutures-Additive-2021.pdf | 6.29 MB |
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Machinery breakdowns and a lack of access to necessary
equipment have long been pain points for Australia’s farmers,
foresters and fishers. Breakdowns in particular can lead to
production stoppages that last weeks at a time as producers
wait for spare parts or undertake makeshift repairs.
However, additive manufacturing – better known as 3D printing
– offers a potential solution that could reduce productivity
losses by improving product customisation and aiding new
product development.
To help the sectors understand the opportunities 3D printing
technology presents, AgriFutures Australia engaged the
University of Technology Sydney to undertake a scoping study
for possible use cases, benefits and pathways to market for this
technology. This report aims to better inform primary producers,
manufacturers and suppliers of the advantages 3D printing
offers Australian agriculture.
Take, for example, international machinery company CNH
Industrial, which owns a variety of agricultural machinery
brands, including Iveco, New Holland and Case IH. In 2019, the
company revolutionised its production processes by producing
components and spare parts using 3D printing. All products
were printed locally and on-demand within 24 to 36 hours from
when the order was placed, resulting in significant improvement
in the time taken for machinery parts to be delivered to
customers. This transformation of production processes cut
warehousing costs for the company and reduced downtime
costs for the producer.
But to fully realise the benefits of 3D printing, there are barriers
that need to be overcome through suitable business models to
enable this technology to be more readily used. These barriers
include regulations covering the right to repair and intellectual
property protections for equipment part designs. The report
investigates the different ways that 3D printing can be used in a
variety of agricultural production settings and further explores
the use barriers, including regulation, that need to be resolved
so producers can take full advantage of the technology.
This report has been produced under AgriFutures Australia’s
National Rural Issues (NRI) Program, which is part of the
National Challenges and Opportunities Arena. NRI focuses
on thought-provoking and horizon-scanning research to
inform debate and policy on issues of importance across rural
industries. Most of AgriFutures Australia’s publications are
available for viewing, free download or purchase online at
www.agrifutures.com.au.
Michael Beer
General Manager, Business Development
AgriFutures Australia
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