Austal, Curtin University and the Additive Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (AMCRC) have commenced a $600,000 collaborative research project to unlock new additive manufacturing opportunities across Australia’s maritime and defence supply chain.
Despite growing investment in additive manufacturing globally, one of the biggest barriers to wider adoption remains identifying where the technology delivers clear commercial and supply chain advantage in the manufacturing, in-service support and operations of naval vessels.
Over the next 18 months, the project will develop a practical, industry-ready framework capable of providing consistent methodology for assessing potentially thousands of components against operational, commercial, technical and regulatory requirements.
For Austal, the framework represents a shift from individual additive manufacturing use cases to a scalable, systematic approach – enabling more informed decisions on where additive manufacturing can reduce lead times, strengthen supply chains and support sovereign manufacturing capability.
Austal Head of Research and Development, Sam Abbott, said the project will help embed additive manufacturing more strategically across the business.
"The challenge is no longer whether additive manufacturing works. The challenge is knowing where it delivers the greatest value," Mr Abbott said.
"This framework will help us quantify the demand for additive manufacturing across maritime and defence programs, allowing industry to make better investment decisions, build more resilient supply chains and accelerate the uplift of Australia’s advanced manufacturing capabilities." Sam Abbott, Austal Head of Research and Development
The project will leverage Austal's experience as the prime contractor for the United States Navy's Additive Manufacturing Centre of Excellence, bringing global insights and real-world manufacturing data into the research.
Curtin University will lead the development and validation of the framework, working closely with industry and drawing on real-world vessel and supply chain data to ensure the outcomes are practical and commercially relevant.
Research Lead, Dr Karl Davidson, said the research will help provide clearer pathways from opportunity identification to implementation.
"By combining engineering, operational and commercial considerations into a single framework, we can help manufacturers make faster, more informed decisions about where additive manufacturing can deliver measurable benefits,” Dr Davidson said.
The project aligns with a broader effort to strengthen Australia's advanced manufacturing capability and accelerate industry adoption of additive manufacturing.
Simon Marriott, AMCRC’s Managing Director, said the project addresses a critical barrier to wider additive manufacturing adoption by helping manufacturers identify and select components best suited to the technology, with potential application across both defence and civil supply chains.
"Many organisations understand the potential of additive manufacturing, but struggle to determine where it makes commercial and operational sense," Mr Marriott said.
"This project will deliver a practical solution that helps industry identify high-value opportunities, prioritise investment and build confidence to scale adoption."
Beyond defence and maritime applications, the framework is expected to provide a repeatable model that can be adapted across other manufacturing sectors, helping Australian businesses improve productivity, resilience and competitiveness.