SAM is an Erasmus+ project comprising of 16 partners across Europe with the European Welding Federation as the technical lead. The project Sector Skills Strategy in Additive Manufacturing (SAM) started in January 2019 and will run for the next 48 months years (until 31st December 2022).
As Europe seeks to retain its leading position in industrial competitiveness, there is an urgent need to establish a platform for AM skills at European, National, and Regional levels.
Advanced Manufacturing is one of the key enabling industries for sustainable economic growth, being Additive Manufacturing (AM), more commonly known as 3D printing, widely used in a wide range of industrial applications (new products and services). The Wohlers Report 2018 on 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing states that the overall additive manufacturing industry grew 21% in 2017 as the industry expanded by more than €1 thousand million. The demand for AM and related services has increased in the last years and is expected that in 2020 the market volume reaches €10 thousand million (Ernst & Young).
As Europe seeks to retain its leading position in industrial competitiveness, there is an urgent need to establish a platform for AM skills at European, National, and Regional levels. To meet this challenge the project Sector Skills Strategy in Additive Manufacturing (SAM) started in January 2019 and will run for the next 48 months years (until 31st December 2022).
Sean McConnell
Senior Technologist
Design for Manufacturing