Metal Additive Manufacturing Conference 2019

The manufacturing industry, with approximatly 640,000 employees in 29,000 companies and a gross value added of approximatly 50 billion euros per year is the backbone of Austrian economy. Almost every fifth euro in Austria is earned by the domestic manufacturing industry, almost two thirds of the workforce depend directly on it. All the more reason why producing internationally competitive products is an essential factor for prosperity. Therefore the goal is to keep the manufacturing industry in Austria and to make it fit for the future. Many outstanding production companies are located in Austria, not few of these are global and technological leaders. Still, the pressure from international competition is enormous and domestic industry can only survive if it can develop innovative technologies and improve in productivity. The requirements are exacting: on the one hand, new high-tech materials, lower production costs and shorter development cycles; on the other hand, greater product diversity, resource and environmentally friendly manufacturing processes, logistics and recycling issues and many more aspects. All this and more demand innovative solutions. The RTI programme "Production of the Future" by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation ans Technology (BMVIT) has the following goals since the year 2012: •Efficient resources and resource management, efficient production technologies to increase international competitiveness and to strengthen Austria's position as an industrial location •Flexibilizing production to enhance Austria's production expertise •Manufacturing high-tech products to underscore Austria's position as an innovation center Funded Projects are placed in the following categories: Efficiency and quality in manufacturing ad addtive Manufacturing, Advanced materials, surfaces and coatings and nanotechnology, Critical raw materials, Bio-based industry robotics and photonics The BMVIT has recently financed an Austrian Roadmap on additive Manufacturing. Goal of this Roadmap was to analyse srentgts and weaknesses of Austrian science and industry and to develop a strategy for future research policy in this field. The Pattform "addtive manufcturing Austria" will cordinate all activities of addtive Manufacturing in Austria and will be the Interface to the public Administration.