Universities, manufacturing companies, and relevant federal agencies should take steps to better prepare the next generation of engineers for potential careers in advanced manufacturing, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The report emphasizes the critical need for engineers with knowledge and skills in advanced manufacturing to enable a strong defense industrial base. 

Advanced manufacturing includes newly developed techniques and technologies ― such as additive manufacturing or 3D printing ― that offer increased customizability and the possibility to manufacture parts and products that cannot easily be created using traditional methods. Advanced manufacturing represents a transformative change that could bring significant productivity and cost benefits to a wide variety of areas, including the defense industry. 

The report recommends actions that universities, federal agencies, and manufacturing companies can take to fulfill the potential of advanced manufacturing in U.S. industry, particularly for the purposes of national defense. These recommendations range from the development of specialized curricula and additional paths through engineering education, for example at community colleges, to the creation of National Science Foundation- and Department of Defense-sponsored research programs, fellowships, and placements within manufacturing companies. 

DETAILS: Infusing Advanced Manufacturing into Undergraduate Engineering Education is available for immediate release. Media inquiries should be directed to the Office of News and Public Information at tel. 202-334-2138 or e-mail news@nas.edu.

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