Dayton Symposium Explores Advanced Manufacturing, AI, and Supply Chains
The inaugural Dayton Regional Ecosystem for Advanced Manufacturing (DREAM) Symposium brought together academia, industry, and government to discuss the deployment of emerging technologies.
The Dayton Regional Ecosystem for Advanced Manufacturing (DREAM) Symposium, an inaugural event in Dayton, Ohio, focused on the practical application and integration of advanced manufacturing technologies. Spearheaded by local companies Hyphen Innovations, Dayton Photonics, Skuld LLC, and Laser Fusion Solutions, the symposium aimed to foster relationships and facilitate discussions among professionals involved in building, testing, funding, and deploying advanced manufacturing solutions.
The event welcomed participants from academia, industry, and government sectors to explore how emerging technologies can transition to real-world deployment. Dayton, a historically significant hub for innovation, is home to institutions like the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, highlighting the region's strong foundation in advanced manufacturing.
A key session, moderated by Skuld CEO Sarah Jordan, featured a panel discussion on supply chains. Dr. Onome Scott-Emuakpor, Founder and CEO of Hyphen, discussed leveraging cost-effective plastic 3D printers to create metal components by incorporating an affordable furnace, aiming to reduce equipment costs while maintaining part integrity. Mark DeBruin, CTO of Skuld, presented their hybrid additive-enabled evaporative casting (AMEC) technology, which uses printed polymer or foam patterns to create metal parts through casting, offering a faster process with a similar microstructure to traditional casting.
Panelists also explored methods for accelerating supply chain processes, such as reducing manufacturing steps. Hyphen's iDAMP software, for instance, allows for the printing of parts requiring fewer post-fabrication steps. This capability can significantly improve a part's resilience to vibration, shock, or impact, potentially reducing manufacturing time by up to 50% by enabling the design of less robust, yet still functional, components. DeBruin also emphasized the value of direct customer consultation in optimizing designs and meeting tight tolerances.
The DREAM Symposium highlights the growing importance of practical, cost-effective solutions in additive manufacturing deployment. Discussions on hybrid processes, software optimization for reduced post-processing, and innovative material approaches underscore the industry's push for faster, more economical part production, crucial for supply chain resilience and broader adoption, particularly in defense and aerospace sectors.
Edited by the news editor with AI from the original report — please refer to the original source.