FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Additive Manufacturing Coalition
May 11, 2022
The Additive Manufacturing Coalition Announces the Creation of the Additive Manufacturing Coalition Advisory Board and Selection of Initial Members
Industry experts to guide Federal vision for additive manufacturing.
Washington, District of Columbia. The Additive Manufacturing Coalition announced today the appointment of eight members to the newly formed advisory board. The new board members bring a diverse set of additive manufacturing expertise in
industry, academia, and the military. They will serve 2 year renewable terms.
“The Additive Manufacturing Coalition Advisory Board is an influential group driving awareness and growth of 3D printing technology across the U.S.,” said Tom Kelly, Automation Alley executive director and CEO. “Here in Michigan, Automation Alley’s Project DIAMOnD is building America’s largest 3D printing network, helping manufacturers work smarter and shifting to support humanitarian efforts like the crisis in Ukraine when called upon. I look forward to sharing our best practices with the coalition and supporting our shared vision around the future of additive manufacturing.”
The Additive Manufacturing Coalition Advisory Board Members are as follows:
Dr. Arvind Agarwal is a Distinguished University Professor and Chair of the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Florida International University (FIU), Miami, FL, USA, and serves as the Director of the Advanced Materials Engineering Research Institute (AMERI). Prof. Agarwal’s research interests include advanced materials processing, AM via cold spray, plasma spray, and wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), ultrahigh temperature ceramics processing, nanocomposites and coatings, and biomedical applications of materials. Prof. Agarwal has published numerous books, given presentations at conferences worldwide, and is an inventor holding 11 U.S. patents with 9 more pending. Prof. Agarwal is an elected Fellow of ASM International, American Ceramic Society (ACerS), and American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). He also became a Senior Member of the National
Academy of Inventors (NAI) in 2020.
Dr. Allison Beese is an Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and
Mechanical Engineering at Pennsylvania State University, and is the Director of Penn State’s Additive Manufacturing and Design graduate program. Her group performs research on experimentally characterizing, and computationally modeling, the impact of microstructure on the mechanical behavior of additively manufactured materials. Dr. Beese has won the NSF CAREER award, the 2018 TMS AIME Robert Lansing Hardy Award, the 2017 International Outstanding Young Researcher in Freeform and Additive Manufacturing award, and the 3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award.
Mr. Tim Bell is the Head of the Center of Competency for Additive Manufacturing for
Siemens Digital Industries USA. He is a seasoned manufacturing veteran, with more than 35 years in manufacturing. He has focused on the Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing) of components and assemblies supporting the aerospace, defense, and medical industries for 20 years.
Dr. Slade Gardner is President and Founder of Big Metal Additive (BMA), a company
advancing large scale metal hybrid additive manufacturing. Dr. Gardner has led BMA from a small startup to an internationally recognized company serving customers in the space, aeronautics, maritime, heavy equipment, automotive and energy markets, as well as the Department of Defense. His collaborations as a Technology Partner with Siemens have advanced industrial implementations of software for many large additive processes. Dr. Gardner was Distinguished Fellow at Lockheed Martin Space Systems and Fellow at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Skunk Works™. His collaboration with a vendor led to the launch of Strangpresse and the industry’s first AM specific
extruder, which has been widely adopted. He advises corporations and institutes for strategy and development priorities on technology gaps and needs for market adoption; and has served on national laboratory, US Government, and industry boards, notably as chair of the External Advisory Board for Sandia National Laboratory’s ‘Born Qualified’ program and board member of the Colorado Advanced Manufacturing Association.
Ms. Mara Hitner is the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at MatterHackers. She helps corporations, educators, and enthusiasts to choose the right desktop digital manufacturing solutions for their use cases, and provides full support and training to be sure they are successful in their goals. Through the COVID-19 crisis, she also managed the Maker Response Hub - coordinating over 5,000 volunteers with 14,000+ 3D printers across the USA to donate over 75,000 3D printed PPE to 180+ facilities in need. Mara is a proud Ambassador for America Makes and Advisor for Women In 3D Printing: Next Gen programs.
Mr. Tom Kelly is a globally recognized expert on Industry 4.0 and its impact on business. As executive director and CEO of Automation Alley, Michigan’s Industry 4.0 knowledge center, Kelly oversees programs and services designed to help businesses increase revenue, reduce costs and make strategic decisions during a time of rapid technological change.
Dr. Aaron LaLonde is a member of the U.S. Army DEVCOM Ground Vehicle System Center’s Additive Manufacturing team within the Materials organization. He is the additive manufacturing Technical Specialist for the organization, with his current area of focus on metal additive manufacturing technologies and machines focused on improving readiness, improving performance, and enabling new applications for additive manufacturing.
Professor Eric Wooldridge is the Director of the Additive Manufacturing Center at
Somerset Community College, Somerset, Kentucky. He is a Professional Engineer in
multiple disciplines including Architectural, Mechanical, and Manufacturing systems, and holds multiple patents regarding insulated cooler and embalming systems technology. He is the Director of the Additive Manufacturing (AM) program for the statewide Kentucky Community and Technical College System. He developed the Rapid Response Additive Manufacturing Initiative (RRAMI) in a response to needs from COVID-19, creating a network of AM sites across Kentucky, capable of providing a flexible, stopgap manufacturing response in both polymers and metals, to supply chain breakdowns and production opportunities for the state. Wooldridge’s goal is to scale his RRAMI network beyond Kentucky’s borders and to create a national AM response platform consisting of colleges and universities.
"After working with the Additive Manufacturing Coalition on Forums and sharing
information throughout the pandemic, I am delighted to become a member of the Additive Manufacturing Coalition Advisory Board,” said Mara Hitner, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships for MatterHackers. “Government officials are finally ready to listen to - and fund - AM technology and much needed workforce development, so it's a great time to be pushing those conversations to the right offices. The Additive Manufacturing Coalition has the contacts and relationships to help small businesses like MatterHackers make a larger impact."
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The Additive Manufacturing Coalition is the national membership organization recognized as the voice for additive manufacturing with decision-makers and stakeholders, including Federal agencies and Congress. The AM Coalition is committed to supporting Members before the Federal government and navigating complex legislative challenges to advance the industry. The nonprofit AM Coalition advocates for thoughtful policies and strong funding for research and development. Ensure that your voice is heard and become engaged with the national community, the AM Coalition is open to all organizations.
For additional information about the AM Coalition, see https://www.addmfgcoalition.org/
Media Contact:
Lisa Arafune
Director of Outreach
(202) 688-1484
lisa@addmfgcoalition.org