Future Foundries: A Foundational Research Platform for the Integration of Emerging Systems
Category: Other
Developers: Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Okuma America Corporation
Product Description:Future Foundries is a modular, convergent manufacturing platform that integrates disparate manufacturing technologies—additive manufacturing, CNC machining, and inspection—within a palletized, brand-agnostic framework. Its scalability enables seamless process transitions and easy integration of new and existing equipment, improving efficiency, reducing lead times, and enhancing agility for high-mix, low-volume production. This platform allows material to flow seamlessly from wire feed stock to finished part, complete with inspection via 3D scanning and heat treatment via induction heating. By merging additive and subtractive manufacturing with 3D scanning in an automated workflow, objects can be inspected and any detected anomalies repaired—all without human interaction. This process also streamlines repair operations by using subtractive to remove broken or damaged components, additive to add new material, and subtractive to finish the machine to desired tolerances, with 3D scanning for inspection after every step. Future Foundries achieves up to a 68% reduction in production time, especially for large metallic parts traditionally constrained by significant lead times and carbon footprints. The platform’s modular design and digital interface enable dynamic adaptation to changing manufacturing needs and easy integration with various OEM equipment, offering flexibility and lowering entry barriers for SMEs. Future Foundries streamlines production while democratizing advanced manufacturing technologies, making it a leader in sustainable industrial innovation.
Developers: Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Okuma America Corporation
Product Description:Future Foundries is a modular, convergent manufacturing platform that integrates disparate manufacturing technologies—additive manufacturing, CNC machining, and inspection—within a palletized, brand-agnostic framework. Its scalability enables seamless process transitions and easy integration of new and existing equipment, improving efficiency, reducing lead times, and enhancing agility for high-mix, low-volume production. This platform allows material to flow seamlessly from wire feed stock to finished part, complete with inspection via 3D scanning and heat treatment via induction heating. By merging additive and subtractive manufacturing with 3D scanning in an automated workflow, objects can be inspected and any detected anomalies repaired—all without human interaction. This process also streamlines repair operations by using subtractive to remove broken or damaged components, additive to add new material, and subtractive to finish the machine to desired tolerances, with 3D scanning for inspection after every step. Future Foundries achieves up to a 68% reduction in production time, especially for large metallic parts traditionally constrained by significant lead times and carbon footprints. The platform’s modular design and digital interface enable dynamic adaptation to changing manufacturing needs and easy integration with various OEM equipment, offering flexibility and lowering entry barriers for SMEs. Future Foundries streamlines production while democratizing advanced manufacturing technologies, making it a leader in sustainable industrial innovation.
