Original Article

The Roadmap for Additive Manufacturing

and Its Impact
David L. Bourell,1 David W. Rosen,2 and Ming C. Leu3

Abstract

The 2009 Roadmap for Additive Manufacturing is a 92-page research agenda looking ahead 10–15 years. It was the result
of a two-day meeting on March 30–31, 2009, in Washington, D.C., funded by the National Science Foundation and the Office
of Naval Research. The objective was to develop and articulate a roadmap for research in the area of additive manufacturing
for the next 10–12 years. The report addressed the needs and opportunities for technological advance in five areas: design;
process modeling and control; materials, processes, and machines; biomedical applications; and energy and sustainability.
There have been over 9,000 downloads of the roadmap report. The purpose of this article is to list the main findings of the
report and to describe some of the significant impacts the report has had on the advancement of additive manufacturing
technology.

Introduction another WTEC study was performed to research for the near and medium
assess the level of activity in Europe in term.
Modern additive manufacturing (AM) additive/subtractive technologies.5 The
traces back to the mid 1980s with the reports from these events provide key The workshop was attended by 65
advent of stereolithography.1,2 In the late data points and serve as the basis for the key  people in the field of additive
1980s and early 90s, a plethora of AM 2009 roadmap activity. manufacturing from academia,
processes appeared. Over the ensuing industry, and government. Government
20 years, the research community has representatives included representatives
for the most part applied these processes The 2009 Roadmap from National Science Foundation
and process variations in novel ways Workshop and Findings (NSF), Office of Naval Research (ONR),
to attack a wide variety of research Defense Advanced Projects Research
problems in a diverse number of The goals of the 2009 Roadmap for Agency (DARPA), National Institute
technical areas. The impact of additive Additive Manufacturing Report (RAM) of  Standards and Technology (NIST),
manufacturing continues to grow in (cover shown as Figure 1) were to National Institute of Standards and
terms of both commercial and scholarly accelerate the integration of AM Technology - Manufacturing Extension
activities. A World Technology technologies into the marketplace; Partnership (NIST-MEP), National
Evaluation Center (WTEC) study was identify potential, fruitful research areas Institutes of Health (NIH), Air Force
performed on AM in Europe and Japan for additive manufacturing for the next Research Laboratory (AFRL), and
in 1996.3 Two years later, a National 5–10 years; network leading experts in National Aeronautics and Space
Center on Manufacturing Sciences the field from industry, academia, and Administration (NASA)-Langley. The
roadmap study on AM was completed, government with synergistic results; workshop started with four keynote
which emphasized the industrial and lay out a thoughtful and systematic presentations with follow-on discussions
applications of the technology.4 In 2003, plan for additive manufacturing to broadly identify trends, barriers,

1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas.
2
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia.
3
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri.

6 3D PRINTING MARY ANN LIEBERT, INC. • Vol. 1 No. 1 • 2014 • DOI: 10.1089/3dp.2013.0002
 The Roadmap for Additive Manufacturing and Its Impact

• Create scalable, fast material

processing methods using line or
area processing to greatly increase
machine throughput.
• Produce open-architecture controllers
and reconfigurable machine modules.
• Exploit unique AM characteristics to
produce epitaxial metallic structures,
fabricate functionally gradient
materials and multiple materials, and
embed components during fabrication
processes.
• Screen methodologies to answer the
question as to why some materials
are processable by AM and some are
not; and tools for AM fabrication of
structures and devices atom by atom
and design for nanomanufacturing.
• Develop and identify sustainable
(green) materials including recyclable,
reusable, and biodegradable materials.

Biomedical Applications
• Design and model methods for
customized implants and medical
devices.
• Develop viable Bio-AM (BAM)
processes for fabrication of “smart
scaffolds” and construction of 3D
Figure 1. Front cover of the 2009 Roadmap for Additive Manufacturing report.
biological and tissue models using
living biologics.
opportunities, milestones, and in navigating complex process- • Create computer-aided BAM including
vocabulary of additive manufacturing. structure-property relationships. modeling, analysis, and simulation of
It continued with seven breakout • Create methods to model and design cell responses and cell-tissue growth
sessions to simultaneously develop with variability: shape, properties, behavior.
research needs and issues on industry process, etc.
targets, technological goals and barriers, Energy and Sustainability
design and analysis, processes and Process Modeling and Control Applications
machines, materials and processing,
bio-additive manufacturing, and • Develop predictive process-structure- • Design of energy system components
energy and sustainability. The main property relationships integrated with to take advantage of AM capabilities.
recommendations from the RAM Computer Aided Design/Engineering/ • Pursue maintenance, repair, and
workshop are summarized below. Manufacturing (CAD/E/M) tools. overhaul (MRO) in the aerospace
• Create closed-loop and adaptive industry as a potential AM application.
Design control systems with feedforward and • Develop equitable indicators for
feedback capabilities. measuring sustainability in AM
• Create conceptual design methods • Produce new sensors that can operate processes and products and identify
to aid designers in defi ning and in build chamber environments and sustainable engineering materials for
exploring design spaces enabled by sensor fusion methods. AM processes.
AM.
• Produce a new foundation for Materials, Processes, Three additional topics arose during the
computer-aided design systems to and Machines collaboration discussions. The first dealt
overcome the limitations of existing with education in AM. A desire was
solid modeling in representing • Develop a better understanding of expressed to develop university courses,
complex geometries and multiple the basic physics of AM processes education materials, and curricula at
materials. to  capture the complexity in the both the undergraduate and graduate
• Provide a multiscale modeling and multiple interacting physical levels, as well as at the technical college
inverse design methodology to assist phenomena. level. Additionally, a need was identified

MARY ANN LIEBERT, INC. • Vol. 1 No. 1 • 2014 • DOI: 10.1089/3dp.2013.0002 3D PRINTING 7
Bourell et al.

to develop training programs for manufacturing activity. In some cases, Committee on Additive Manufacturing
industry practitioners with certifications the evidence for impact is speculative formed shortly thereafter. To date, a
given by professional societies or and circumstantial. In at least one case, half-dozen standards have been issued
organizations. the report was clearly tied to the activity. from ASTM, and a good deal of
activity is underway on the ISO side,
The second topic was in the broad Several hundred hard copies and CDs including fast tracking of ASTM
areas of development and community. of the report were distributed in the additive manufacturing standards.
It is anticipated that machine, first few months after the report was The impact of the 2009 roadmap
material, and servicing costs will released. Through an arrangement with report is to emphasize the importance
decrease to ensure the affordability Terry Wohlers of Wohlers Associates of the standards activity and to foster
of  AM in relation to conventional (Fort Collins, Colorado), the report continued activity.
manufacturing. Additionally, the need was made available for viewing and
was emphasized to develop and adopt downloading at his company’s website.6 In at least one case, the 2009 roadmap
internationally recognized standards As indicated in Figure 2, the number of report has been used institutionally
useful to product, process, and material downloads of the document from the to  create an organizational structure.
certification. website has remained fairly linear over The Edison Welding Institute Additive
the last 4 years, with the daily download Manufacturing Consortium was formed
Finally, there was discussion of a number averaging six reports (Terry as the result of the recognition in the
National Testbed Center. The vision was Wohlers, Wohlers Associates, pers. roadmap report for a national testbed
that this effort would have one or more comm., 2013). center in additive manufacturing (Ian
sites with distributed AM machines Harris, Edison Welding Institute
and /or expert users to leverage The number of downloaded reports Additive Manufacturing Consortium,
equipment and human resources in as  of the end of September 2013 was pers. comm., 2012).
future research and to exemplify the 9,205. Regarding citations, the roadmap
cyber-enabled manufacturing research report has been referenced in 50 articles One hope of the RAM organizers was
concept. to date. The general use is to point to that the 2009 roadmap report would be
an authoritative source to corroborate used by governmental agencies to guide
the importance of a certain research their own agendas for technology
Impact of the Report activity. It is likely that the number of development. In March 2012, President
citations of the roadmap report in Barack Obama announced the National
Assessing the impact of a 2009 roadmap proposals to various government Network for Manufacturing Innovation
report is not trivial. Establishing cause agencies is very high. (NNMI), which was envisioned to be
and effect is sometimes difficult. In the 10 –20 separate institutes with specific
case of the 2009 roadmap report, while it Standards development was underway manufacturing themes and a mandate
does precede a hitherto unprecedented internationally prior to the roadmap to accelerate commercialization of
increase in activity in the field, it is not activity. The ASTM F42 Committee technology and to educate a workforce
clear in most cases whether the report on  Additive Manufacturing formed to take jobs created by the institute
itself was instrumental in precipitating officially in January 2009. The activities. The first effort was creation
any part of the avalanche of additive corresponding ISO 261 Technical of a pilot institute with an additive
manufacturing theme. After a short
proposal process, a project called the
National Additive Manufacturing
Innovation Institute (NAMII) was
awarded. Located in Youngstown, Ohio,
this institute was led by the National
Center for Defense Manufacturing
and Machining. In addition, the 2009
roadmap report influenced this initiative.
The President’s Office of Science and
Technology Policy developed the pilot
project topic in consultation with at
least one person who participated in
roadmap activity. The call for proposals
for the pilot institute has language and
ordering of topics in several spots that
highly correlate to sections of the
2009 roadmap report. While it is
Figure 2. Cumulative downloads of the roadmap report from the Wohlers Associates
unsubstantiated to conclude that the
website (Terry Wohlers, Wohlers Associates, pers. comm., 2013). roadmap activity was a driver for the
selection of additive manufacturing as

8 3D PRINTING MARY ANN LIEBERT, INC. • Vol. 1 No. 1 • 2014 • DOI: 10.1089/3dp.2013.0002
 The Roadmap for Additive Manufacturing and Its Impact

the initial theme for the NNMI thrust, the roadmap report affected their contribute to this effort by attending the
it is clear that the roadmap at least research programs and influenced roadmap meeting and participating in
played a role in defining transitional their selection of research topics. Most the discussions that led to the final
activities early in the process. all researchers in attendance were report.
familiar with the roadmap report, and
In May 2011, DARPA announced the comments during and after the session
open manufacturing program, which supported the widespread impact of Author Disclosure Statement
was originally created as a 4-year, $150M the roadmap on AM research programs
program. The primary objective was to across Europe, North America, and No conflicts of interest exist.
develop and demonstrate technologies Asia.
that reduce barriers to manufacturing
innovation, speed, and affordability of In conclusion, the 2009 Roadmap for References
materials, components, and structures. Additive Manufacturing has had an
impact in numerous ways. Some of the 1. Bourell DL, Leu MC, Rosen DW.
More specifically, the program included
more identifiable impacts have been Roadmap for additive manufacturing:
the development and demonstration of
mentioned in this article, but others are identifying the future of freeform
technologies that reduce impediments
less tangible. The organizers’ vision of processing. The University of Texas at
to the efficient manufacturing of
the roadmap results have been largely Austin, Austin, Texas, 2009.
affordable, competitive products that
realized. To quote the roadmap 2. Beaman JJ, Barlow JW, Bourell DL,
rapidly enter into service at low fiscal
organizers from the 2009 roadmap et  al. Solid freeform fabrication: a new
and environmental costs. Four main
report preface: direction in manufacturing. Kluwer
elements comprised the program:
Academic Publishing, Boston, 1997.
It is arguable that the outcome is more a 3. Prinz FB, Atwood CL, Aubin RF, et al.
• Design for manufacturing analysis,
research agenda than a roadmap per se. JTEC/WTEC panel report on rapid
synthesis, and manufacturing process Nonetheless, we are convinced that the prototyping in Europe and Japan.
selection tools; results of this effort serve to defi ne a World Technology Evaluation Center,
• Rapid manufacturing processes, direction for AM research pointing our best Baltimore, 1997.
process controls, process models, and understanding of where the technology 4. NCMS Report 0199RE98. The road
simulations; needs to be in the midterm. The principal
to manufacturing: 1998 industrial
• Rapid qualification approaches, outcomes of this effort should be acceleration
roadmap for the rapid prototyping
applicable to both new and/or legacy of integration of freeform technologies into
the marketplace; identification of potential, industry. National Center for
manufacturing approaches; and
fruitful research areas for freeform Manufacturing Sciences, Ann Arbor,
• Manufacturing demonstration facil-
fabrication for the next 5 –10 years; June 30, 1998.
ities.
networking of leading experts in the field 5. Beaman JJ, Atwood C, Bergman
from industry, academia and government TL, et al. WTEC panel report on
These four elements correspond well to with synergistic results; and thoughtful, additive/subtractive manufacturing
the roadmap report’s recommendations systematic layout of a plan for freeform research in Europe. World Technology
for design tools, improved processes and fabrication research for the near and Evaluation Center, Baltimore, 2003.
materials, new qualification methods, medium term.1
6. Wohlers Associates. Roadmap for
and a National Testbed Center. Although
additive manufacturing: identifying
scoped for any discrete manufacturing
the future of freeform processing.
processes, AM processes were well Acknowledgments http://wohlersassociates.com/roadmap
positioned to achieve many of the
The authors are grateful for participant 2009.html (last accessed 09/25/2013).
program objectives and many proposals
focused on AM technologies. support funding of roadmap activity Address correspondence to:
from the National Science Foundation David L. Bourell
Additional anecdotal evidence of CMMI-0906212 and the Office of Naval Department of Mechanical Engineering
impact from the roadmap report was Research under grant number N00014- University of Texas at Austin
offered at the 2011 Solid Freeform 09-1-0558. We would also like to thank 204 E. Dean Keeton
Fabrication Symposium. A discussion the keynote speakers and the breakout MC C2200
panel was held during a plenary session chairs who wrote first drafts of the Austin, TX 78712
on the roadmap’s impact. Several chapters for the report. We are grateful
leading researchers demonstrated how for the 65 persons who took time to E-mail: dbourell@mail.utexas.edu

MARY ANN LIEBERT, INC. • Vol. 1 No. 1 • 2014 • DOI: 10.1089/3dp.2013.0002 3D PRINTING 9