Additive manufacturing (AM) is a global disruptive technology transforming many industries due to increased creativity in product design process, easier production, reduced cost and expedited on-demand manufacturing, as well as reduced waste and improved sustainability.

Many UAE industrial and governmental sectors started employing AM due to the UAE 3D printing strategy in making Dubai the world’s 3D printing hub by 2030. Our main objective is to introduce state-of-the-art technology for Industry 4.0 and AM into UAE. By establishing an Advanced Digital and Additive Manufacturing (ADAM) group at KU to strategically cater to the needs of the aerospace, healthcare, construction, defense, and energy sectors.

The ADAM group serves as a state-of-the-art R&D and educational facility in the area of AM and a platform to provide R&D services to industries across the UAE. This is fulfilled by adopting an integrated approach combining a full suite of digital design, modeling/simulation, fabrication, characterization, experimental testing, and analysis facilities, to minimize time to market with high quality products. The ADAM group addresses the challenges and limitations in the current status of AM and works towards developing new processes and advanced materials to mitigate these limitations. It also seeks to develop local expertise in digital additive manufacturing by empowering the building of human capacity. ADAM focuses on working closely with businesses to tackle major research challenges, ensuring that the UAE remains at the forefront of AM and its application in Industry 4.0.

The main objectives of ADAM are:

1. Provide detailed technical assessment and analysis of AM approaches for industry partners, business, government, and non-government organizations.
2. Develop and transfer new materials and processes for AM and establishing testing procedures for the qualification of additively manufactured components.
3. Provide the required platform (facilities, equipment, expertise, etc.) for industrial partners to test new business ideas and facilitate the adoption of these technologies by small to medium industries across the UAE.
4. Organize conferences, workshops, and discussions on 3D printing technologies and applications of relevance to industry and government organizations.