STREAM

Additive Manufacturing(AM), more commonly known as 3D-printing, is a technology whereby materials (such as polymers, metals, concrete) are joined layer upon layer to produce end-use parts from 3D model data. AM offers many advantages towards design freedom, customized product manufacturing with light-weight features and more complex geometries comparing to parts produced via conventional technologies. The AM-process comprises not only the printing process, but also the development of suited AM-materials and tools for Design of AM.

Post treatments, as Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) and surface finishing can improve the AM-end product properties (such as higher density, increased fatigue resistance).

The STREAM consortium consists of industrial partners from different segments of the AM value chain: material producers, AM-technology companies, software developers, companies with post-processing & funtionalisation expertise and end-users of different market segments (aerospace, medical, PVC-products). The latter are very important to define the required AM – end product features.

All knowledge centers in Flanders with scientific and technological expertise concerning Additive Manufacturing are involved in the STREAM-consortium to strenghten the knowledge build-up in the AM-project consortia together with industrial partners.